Mari Blanchard

Mari Blanchard

Petite, attractive Mari Blanchard rarely managed to get the lucky breaks. The daughter of an oil tycoon and a psychotherapist, she suffered from severe poliomyelitis from the age of nine, which denied her a hoped-for dancing career. For several years, she worked hard to rehabilitate her limbs from paralysis, swimming and later even performing on the trapeze at Cole Brothers Circus. At the urging of her parents, she then attended the University of Southern California, where she studied international law before dropping out nine units short of a degree. Her university studies did not lead to a career either. Sometime in the late 1940s, she joined the Conover Agency as an advertising model and, at the same time, was promoted by famed cartoonist and writer Al Capp, becoming the inspiration for one of his Li'l Abner characters. As the result of an advertisement on the back page of the Hollywood Reporter, Mari was signed to a contract with Paramount. However, her early experience in the movie business proved an unhappy one, most of her roles being walk-ons and bit parts. Ten Tall Men (1951), for example, limited her to a token stroll down a street, twirling a parasol and smiling seductively at members of the Foreign Legion. It wasn't until Mari joined Universal that her fortunes improved somewhat, with a co-starring role (opposite Victor Mature) in The Veils of Bagdad (1953). After that, it was all downhill again. Burt Lancaster, co-producer and star (with Gary Cooper of the excellent A-grade western Vera Cruz (1954), had requested Mari as his leading lady, but Universal refused her release to United Artists and forbade her to accept the lucrative role (Denise Darcel ended up getting the part). Mari then lost the lead in a much lesser picture,Saskatchewan (1954), to Shelley Winters. Instead, she was cast as Venusian Queen Allura in one of the least exciting outings by Universal's leading comic duo, Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953). Mari did end up with a respectable starring role in the western Destry (1954) opposite Audie Murphy. A remake of the classic Destry Rides Again (1939), she was cast in the Marlene Dietrich part and took great pains to affect a totally different look, darkening her hair so as not to be compared to the great star. Even the name of her character was changed from 'Frenchy' to 'Brandy'. "Destry" was not all smooth sailing. There was tension between her and director George Marshall (who had also directed the original version) and Mari suffered a facial injury as the result of a fight scene. The film was critically well received, but unfortunately Universal failed to renew its contract with Miss Blanchard, and her career then went into free fall. Freelancing for lesser studios, she played a TB victim injected with a serum turning her into a Mr. Hyde-like killer in the lurid She Devil (1957) (during filming she nearly died of acute appendicitis). Mari then appeared for Republic in the eminently forgettable No Place to Land (1958) before briefly starring in her own short-lived adventure series Klondike (1960). Her last role of note was as the cheerful and likeable town madam in the rollicking John Wayne western comedy McLintock! (1963). Sometime that year, Mari Blanchard developed the cancer which was to claim her life in 1970 at the age of just 47.

  • Titlu: Mari Blanchard
  • Popularitate: 3.683
  • Cunoscut pentru: Acting
  • Zi de nastere: 1923-04-13
  • Locul nasterii: Long Beach, California, USA
  • Pagina principala:
  • De asemenea cunoscut ca si: Mary E. Blanchard
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Mari Blanchard Filme

  • 1955
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    Son of Sinbad

    Son of Sinbad

    4.846 1955 HD

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  • 1953
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    Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

    Abbott and Costello Go to Mars

    5.5 1953 HD

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  • 1956
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    The Cruel Tower

    The Cruel Tower

    5.1 1956 HD

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  • 1963
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    Twice-Told Tales

    Twice-Told Tales

    6.2 1963 HD

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  • 1955
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    The Crooked Web

    The Crooked Web

    5.9 1955 HD

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  • 1951
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    The Unknown Man

    The Unknown Man

    4.8 1951 HD

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  • 1951
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    No Questions Asked

    No Questions Asked

    6 1951 HD

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  • 1958
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    Machete

    Machete

    5.9 1958 HD

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  • 1954
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    Destry

    Destry

    6 1954 HD

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  • 1957
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    She Devil

    She Devil

    5.5 1957 HD

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  • 1956
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    Stagecoach To Fury

    Stagecoach To Fury

    5 1956 HD

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  • 1957
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    Jungle Heat

    Jungle Heat

    4.3 1957 HD

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  • 1952
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    The Brigand

    The Brigand

    5.5 1952 HD

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  • 1954
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    Rails Into Laramie

    Rails Into Laramie

    6.3 1954 HD

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  • 1951
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    Bannerline

    Bannerline

    6 1951 HD

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  • 1955
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    The Return of Jack Slade

    The Return of Jack Slade

    6 1955 HD

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  • 1962
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    Don't Knock the Twist

    Don't Knock the Twist

    4.7 1962 HD

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  • 1952
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    Back at the Front

    Back at the Front

    1 1952 HD

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  • 1956
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    Canasta de Cuentos Mexicanos

    Canasta de Cuentos Mexicanos

    6.8 1956 HD

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  • 1951
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    Overland Telegraph

    Overland Telegraph

    6.7 1951 HD

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  • 1958
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    No Place to Land

    No Place to Land

    3 1958 HD

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  • 1954
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    Black Horse Canyon

    Black Horse Canyon

    5.9 1954 HD

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  • 1963
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    McLintock!

    McLintock!

    6.531 1963 HD

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  • 1958
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    Karasu

    Karasu

    1 1958 HD

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  • 1951
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    On the Riviera

    On the Riviera

    5.974 1951 HD

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  • 1953
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    The Veils of Bagdad

    The Veils of Bagdad

    6 1953 HD

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  • 1952
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    Something to Live For

    Something to Live For

    6.8 1952 HD

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  • 1951
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    Ten Tall Men

    Ten Tall Men

    6.2 1951 HD

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  • 1952
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    Assignment: Paris

    Assignment: Paris

    5.5 1952 HD

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  • 1958
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    77 Sunset Strip

    77 Sunset Strip

    6.7 1958 HD

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  • 1963
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    Burke's Law

    Burke's Law

    6 1963 HD

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  • 1959
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    Mr. Lucky

    Mr. Lucky

    7 1959 HD

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  • 1957
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    Perry Mason

    Perry Mason

    7.7 1957 HD

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  • 1959
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    Hawaiian Eye

    Hawaiian Eye

    5.2 1959 HD

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  • 1958
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    Sea Hunt

    Sea Hunt

    6.5 1958 HD

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  • 1960
    imgS1 E17

    Klondike

    Klondike

    6.25 1960 HD

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  • 1959
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    Rawhide

    Rawhide

    7.1 1959 HD

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  • 1955
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    The Millionaire

    The Millionaire

    5 1955 HD

    O serie de antologie care a explorat modurile în care bogăția bruscă și neașteptată a schimbat viața în bine și în rău. A...

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  • 1962
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    The Virginian

    The Virginian

    6.4 1962 HD

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  • 1954
    imgS4 E37

    Climax!

    Climax!

    3 1954 HD

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  • 1958
    imgS4 E18

    Bronco

    Bronco

    4.8 1958 HD

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  • 1957
    imgS4 E9

    Sugarfoot

    Sugarfoot

    4.8 1957 HD

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  • 1958
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    The Texan

    The Texan

    5.5 1958 HD

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  • 1959
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    The Detectives

    The Detectives

    5.6 1959 HD

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  • 1952
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    Terry and the Pirates

    Terry and the Pirates

    3 1952 HD

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  • 1963
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    Breaking Point

    Breaking Point

    7.3 1963 HD

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  • 1960
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    The Roaring 20's

    The Roaring 20's

    1 1960 HD

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  • 1959
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    Not for Hire

    Not for Hire

    1 1959 HD

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