A beloved Hollywood Heritage member and volunteer, Jan
died on March 26, 2004, just short of her 83rd birthday. The Barn has been the
site of at least two previous birthday celebrations for her, with her feisty
good humor and, even in her 80s, aura of Hollywood glamour. On numerous
occasions she guested at the Hollywood Collectors Show, signing autographs for
hours on behalf of Hollywood Heritage (including this past January 19). As
recently as the end of January she appeared at the American Cinematheque’s Salute
to (Hollywood Heritage board member) Marvin Paige and had participated in many
panels there, discussing her long career and her numerous bad-girl roles. She
was billed “the hardest blond to ever hit the screen” in ads for Ace In the
Hole (1951) which, coincidentally, played at the Egyptian the evening of
her death. Paige, in his announcement before the screening, cited her famous
line from that flick, “I never go to church because praying bags my
nylons.” he added “When she said it, you believed it.”
Jan was nominated for an Oscar (Best Supporting Actress)
for The High and the Mighty (1954) for which she won a Golden Globe. She
made over 40 films in Hollywood, from Johnny Belinda in 1948 to First
Monday in October in 1981 and did multiple appearances on TV’s The
Guiding Light in 1969/70.
She loved Hollywood Heritage and was always willing to appear on its behalf. She will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered.