Born Marilyn Louis in Hollywood in 1923, knockout redhead Rhonda Fleming was a natural for films and began making rounds at the studios while still in her teens. Studios began to take note of the beautiful girl, and soon she was working in films as a bit player. After two years of small roles, producer David O. Selznick put her under contract, changing her name to Rhonda Fleming in the process. Her first film for Selznick was the wartime drama Since You Went Away (1944), along with another young Selznick discovery, Guy Madison. The producer also cast her in two thrillers: Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945) and Robert Siodmak's
The Spiral Staircase (1946). Both films were very important in Fleming's career, especially her terrific performance as a mental patient in Spellbound. In 1947, Fleming signed with Paramount; her first film for the studio was the adventure flick Adventure Island (1947), shot in color. With her green eyes and auburn tresses, Fleming photographed so beautifully that she soon became known as the "Queen of Technicolor."
Beautiful photos of Rhonda Fleming
the films of rhonda fleming
Hong Kong (1951)
With Ronald Reagan in the Paramount adventure Hong Kong
Little Egypt (1951)
Fleming as Izora in Universal's Little Egypt
Inferno (1953)
With William Lundigan in the 20th Century Fox thriller Inferno. This film was originally released in 3-D
Yankee Pasha (1954)
Fleming clocks Mamie Van Doren in this scene from Universal-International's costume adventure Yankee Pasha
Tennessee's Partner (1955)
With John Payne and Ronald Reagan in the western Tennessee's Partner, released by RKO
Slightly Scarlet (1956)
With Arlene Dahl in the RKO film-noir thriller Slightly Scarlet
Bullwhip (1958)
With Guy Madison in the Allied Artists western Bullwhip
The Big Circus (1959)
With Kathryn Grant in the Allied Artists drama The Big Circus
Follow the Sun (1961-1962 ABC TV Series)
Fleming with Gary Lockwood in a March 1962 guest spot on the ABC TV series Follow the Sun
The Crowded Sky (1961)
Fleming gets cozy with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in the Warner Bros. adventure The Crowded Sky
The Nude Bomb (1980)
Fleming as Edith Von Secondberg in the Get Smart comedy The Nude Bomb, released by Universal
rhonda fleming today
In 1957, Fleming left Paramount in order to freelance. She married her third husband, actor Lang Jeffries, in 1960, and the couple starred in the adventure flick Revolt of the Slaves in 1961. But the marriage was over by the following year. Afterward, Fleming cooled her acting career, taking on roles sporadically throughout the 1960s and 1970s. She married producer Hal Bartlett in 1966 and divorced him in the early 1970s. In 1977, she married producer and theatre-chain owner Ted Mann. Rhonda Fleming officially retired from the screen after her appearance in The Nude Bomb (1980). She is now a philanthropist whose contributions to society include the Rhonda Fleming Mann Resource Center for Women with Cancer.
Since You Went Away [DVD](1944) DVD Powerhouse tearjerker about a homefront family coping with hardship and tragedy during World War II, written and produced by David O. Selznick. Exceptional cast includes Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple, Joseph Cotten, Monty Woolley and Lionel Barrymore. 177 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French. Abilene Town (1946)/Santa Fe Trail [DVD](1940) DVD Conflict between cattlemen and the ever-increasing numbers of settlers threatens to tear Abilene apart, and only marshal Randolph Scott can keep the peace. Top-notch frontier drama also stars Rhonda Fleming, Ann Dvorak, Edgar Buchanan. Then, this frontier drama set in pre-Civil War Kansas during John Brown's anti-slavery raids stars Errol Flynn as military leader Jeb Stuart, Ronald Reagan as George Armstrong Custer, and Olivia de Havilland as the woman they both love. Sweeping tale co-stars Raymond Massey, Alan Hale; Michael Curtiz directs. 199 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono. Abilene Town [VHS](1946) VHS Conflict between cattlemen and the ever-increasing numbers of settlers threatens to tear Abilene apart, and only marshal Randolph Scott can keep the peace. Top-notch frontier drama also stars Rhonda Fleming, Ann Dvorak, Edgar Buchanan. 89 min. The Spiral Staircase [DVD](1946) DVD Compelling suspenser stars Dorothy McGuire as a servant, left mute by a childhood trauma, caring for invalid Ethel Barrymore in a Victorian New England mansion. As the nearby town is rocked by the murders of handicapped women, it quickly becomes clear that McGuire could be the killer's next victim. George Brent, Kent Smith, Gordon Oliver also star. 84 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French. Out Of The Past [DVD](1947) DVD The classic "film noir" mystery that was remade as "Against All Odds." Robert Mitchum is a detective hired by gangster Kirk Douglas to track down girlfriend Jane Greer, who Douglas says ran off after stealing $40,000. Tracking Greer to Mexico, Mitchum falls for her and tries to help her elude Douglas and his henchmen, but who can be trusted? With Steve Brodie, Rhonda Fleming; Jacques Tourneur directs. 97 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish, French; audio commentary. Adventure Island [DVD](1947) DVD Anchoring on a distant South Pacific island, a party of scruffy adventurers is besieged by a lunatic who rules the natives as a god. Rory Calhoun, Rhonda Fleming, Paul Kelly, and Alan Napier team up for this revamping of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Ebb Tide." 66 min. Adventure Island [VHS](1947) VHS Anchoring on a distant South Pacific island, a party of scruffy adventurers is besieged by a lunatic who rules the natives as a god. Bat-Butler Alan Napier, Rory Calhoun, and Rhonda Fleming team up in this revamping of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Ebb Tide." 66 min. A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court (1949)/The Emperor Waltz [DVD](1948) DVD Bing Crosby stars in this fanciful musical version of Mark Twain's immortal classic, as a blacksmith is thrown back in time to 6th-century Camelot. He's immediately pegged a wizard by Merlin and forced to joust Sir Lancelot for the hand of King Arthur's niece (Rhonda Fleming). Co-stars Sir Cedric Hardwicke and William Bendix. Songs include "If You Stub Your Toe on the Moon," "When Is Sometime?," more. Next up is fluffy entertainment from writer-director Billy Wilder, featuring Crosby as a phonograph salesman in Austria who tries to pitch his product to the country's ruler while attempting to woo the emperor's niece (Joan Fontaine). Tunes include "I Kiss Your Hand, Madame," "Friendly Mountains" and the title song. 214 min. total. Standard; S The Great Lover [DVD](1949) DVD Returning from Europe by steamship, scoutmaster Bob Hope intervenes when a card sharp cleans out an amiable old Duke, making himself the hero of the Duke's beautiful daughter and the target of the crooked gambler's goons. Rhonda Fleming, Roland Young, Jim Backus co-star. 80 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby mono; biographies; filmography; scene access. Cavalry Charge [DVD](1951) DVD Two brothers find themselves on opposite sides in the frontier during the Civil War, but join forces to save a Union fort from an Apache attack, in this well-mounted Western drama. Ronald Reagan, Bruce Bennett, Rhonda Fleming and Noah Beery, Jr. star. 88 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English; 3 bonus shorts. Cavalry Charge (The Last Outpost) [VHS](1951) VHS Two brothers find themselves on opposite sides in the frontier during the Civil War, but join forces to save a Union fort from an Apache attack, in this well-mounted Western drama. Ronald Reagan, Bruce Bennett, Rhonda Fleming and Noah Beery, Jr. star. 88 min. Slightly Scarlet [DVD](1955) DVD Intriguing film noir drama (and one of the few of that genre to be shot in color) stars John Payne as a hood working for big-city crime boss Ted de Corsia. Sent to dig up incriminating information on a reform-minded mayoral candidate, Payne falls for the politician's secretary, redhead Rhonda Fleming, and decides to turn in his boss...if he lives that long. With Arlene Dahl, Kent Taylor; based on a James L. Cain novel. 99 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; audio commentary; theatrical trailer; scene access. Slightly Scarlet [VHS](1955) VHS Intriguing film noir drama (and one of the few of that genre to be shot in color) stars John Payne as a hood working for big-city crime boss Ted de Corsia. Sent to dig up incriminating information on a reform-minded mayoral candidate, Payne falls for the politician's secretary, redhead Rhonda Fleming, and decides to turn in his boss...if he lives that long. With Arlene Dahl, Kent Taylor; based on a James L. Cain novel. 99 min. Tennessee's Partner [DVD](1955) DVD Ronald Reagan's the fast-triggered gunslinger, John Payne's the quick-witted cardsharp, and Rhonda Fleming's the high-living dancehall owner who comes between them, in this frontier drama based on a Bret Harte story. With Colleen Gray, Chubby Johnson; look for a young Angie Dickinson. 87 min. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby mono; theatrical trailer. Tennessee's Partner [VHS](1955) VHS Ronald Reagan's the fast-triggered gunslinger, John Payne's the quick-witted cardsharp, and Rhonda Fleming's the high-living dancehall owner who comes between them, in this frontier drama based on a Bret Harte story. With Colleen Gray, Chubby Johnson; look for a young Angie Dickinson. 87 min. Gunfight At The O.K. Corral [DVD](1957) DVD Superbly mounted, landmark western that authentically depicts the famous showdown between Wyatt Earp and "Doc" Holliday and the Clanton Gang, while exploring the friendship between the rugged marshal (Burt Lancaster) and the dentist turned gunfighter (Kirk Douglas). Co-stars Rhonda Fleming, John Ireland; directed by John Sturges and written by Leon Uris. 122 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English. The Revolt Of The Slaves [VHS](1961) VHS Rhonda Fleming is Fabiola, the nasty daughter of a Roman aristocrat, who whips a Christian slave after he refuses to partake in a wrestling match. Eventually, she falls in love with the servant and learns of the Christians' hard times in the empire. Lang Jeffries and Gino Cervi also star in this Euro-spectacle. 102 min. The Patsy [DVD](1964) DVD An inept hotel bellhop is groomed for stardom by a late comedian's management and writing team in this madcap Jerry Lewis feature. Peter Lorre (his last film), Keenan Wynn, Everett Sloane and Ina Balin co-star. 101 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, Spanish; audio commentary; theatrical trailer.
filmography
The Nude Bomb (1980) with Don Adams, Sylvia Kristel, Dana Elcar, Bill Dana, and Vittorio Gassman Love for Rent (1979) with Annette O'Toole, David Selby, Darren McGavin, and Catherine Hicks Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) Last Hours Before Morning (1975) with Robert Alda, Thalmus Rasulala, Don Porter, and Victoria Principal Backtrack! (1969) with Neville Brand, Peter Brown, Philip Carey, Gary Clarke, Fernando Lamas, Ida Lupino, Doug McClure, and William Smith Run for Your Wife (1966) with Ugo Tognazzi and Juliet Prowse The Patsy (1964) with Jerry Lewis, Phil Harris, Keenan Wynn, Peter Lorre, John Carradine, and Hans Conried The Revolt of the Slaves (1961) with Fernando Rey and Burt Nelson The Crowded Sky (1961) with Dana Andrews, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Anne Francis, Troy Donahue, and Pasty Kelly The Big Circus (1959) with Victor Mature, Kathryn Grant, Red Buttons, Vincent Price, Gilbert Roland, Peter Lorre, and David Nelson Alias Jesse James (1959) with Bob Hope, Wendell Corey, and Gloria Talbott Home Before Dark (1958) with Jean Simmons Bullwhip (1958) with Guy Madison and Burt Nelson The Buster Keaton Story (1957) with Donald O'Connor and Ann Blyth Gun Glory (1957) with Stewart Granger Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas Odongo (1956) with Macdonald Carey Slightly Scarlet (1956) with John Payne, Arlene Dahl, and Lance Fuller While the City Sleeps (1956) with Vincent Price, Dana Andrews, and Sally Forrest The Killer Is Loose (1956) with Joseph Cotten Tennessee's Partner (1955) with John Payne, Ronald Reagan, and Coleen Gray The Queen of Babylon (1955) with Ricardo Montalban Yankee Pasha (1954) with Jeff Chandler, Mamie Van Doren, and Rex Reason Jivaro (1954) with Fernando Lamas and Brian Keith Inferno (1953) with Robert Ryan and Carl Betz Pony Express (1953) with Charlton Heston and Jan Sterling Serpent of the Nile (1953) with Raymond Burr and Julie Newmar Those Redheads from Seattle (1953) with Gene Barry Tropic Zone (1953) with Ronald Reagan The Golden Hawk (1952) with Sterling Hayden Crosswinds (1951) with John Payne Hong Kong (1951) with Ronald Reagan Little Egypt (1951) with Mark Stevens Cry Danger (1951) with Dick Powell and William Conrad The Last Outpost (1951) with Ronald Reagan, Bruce Bennett, and Hugh Beaumont The Eagle and the Hawk (1950) with John Payne The Redhead and the Cowboy (1950) with Glenn Ford The Great Lover (1949) with Bob Hope and George Reeves A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1949) with Bing Crosby Out of the Past (1947) with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas Adventure Island (1947) with Rory Calhoun The Spiral Staircase (1946) with Dorothy McGuire and George Brent Abilene Town (1946) with Randolph Scott and Lloyd Bridges Spellbound (1945) with Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, and Leo G. Carroll When Strangers Marry (1944) with Robert Mitchum Since You Went Away (1944) with Claudette Colbert, Shirley Temple, and Guy Madison
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