Carolyn Jones

Carolyn Jones
Carolyn Jones
	Jones in 1956
Born	Carolyn Sue Jones; April 28, 1930; Amarillo, Texas, U.S.
Died	August 3, 1983 (aged 53); West Hollywood, California, U.S.
Resting place	Melrose Abbey Memorial Park Cemetery, Anaheim, California, U.S.
Occupations	Actress; singer;
Years active	1952–1983
Spouses	; Don Donaldson (m. 1950; div. 1951) ; Aaron Spelling (m. 1953; div. 1964) ; Herbert Greene (m. 1968; div. 1977) ; Peter Bailey-Britton (m. 1982)

Carolyn Sue Jones (April 28, 1930 – August 3, 1983) was an American actress of television and film.^[1]^[2] She began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party (1957) and a Golden Globe Award as one of the most promising new actresses of 1959. Her film career continued for another 20 years. In 1964, Jones began playing the role of matriarch Morticia Addams in the black and white television series The Addams Family.

Early life

Carolyn Jones was born in Amarillo, Texas to homemaker Chloe Jeanette Southern (1906–1979),^[3] and Julius Alfred Jones (1897–1979), a barber.^[1]^[4]^[5] After their father abandoned the family in 1934, Carolyn and her younger sister, Bette Rhea Jones (1934–2020),^[3] moved with their mother into her maternal grandparents' Amarillo home.^[6] Jones suffered from severe asthma that often restricted her childhood activities, and when her condition prevented her from going to the movies, she became an avid reader of Hollywood fan magazines and aspired to become an actress. She enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse in California at age 17, with her grandfather, Charles W. Baker, paying her tuition.^[7]^[8]^[9]

Film

After being spotted by a talent scout at the Playhouse, Jones secured a contract with Paramount Pictures and made her first film, an uncredited part in The Turning Point (1952);^[9] had an uncredited bit part as a nightclub hostess in The Big Heat (1953); and a role in House of Wax (also 1953) as the woman who is converted by Vincent Price's character into a Joan of Arc statue. She played Beth in Shield for Murder (1954), earning $500 per day for playing the role.^[11]

Jones was cast in the film From Here to Eternity (1953) in the role of Alma "Lorene" Burke. A bout of pneumonia forced her to withdraw; the role earned Donna Reed the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.^[12]

In 1956 she appeared in Invasion of the Body Snatchers and in the Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much, a remake of one of the director's earlier films.

In 1958, Jones was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Bachelor Party (1957), and she also shared the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress with Sandra Dee and Diane Varsi, and appeared with Elvis Presley in King Creole (1958).

Jones played opposite Frank Sinatra in Frank Capra's A Hole in the Head, Dean Martin in Career, and Anthony Quinn and Kirk Douglas in Last Train from Gun Hill (all 1959).

In the epic Western How the West Was Won (1963), she played the role of Sheriff Jeb Rawlings' (George Peppard) wife. She appears with Peppard and Debbie Reynolds in the final speaking/singing scenes of the film.

Television

She made her television debut on the DuMont series Gruen Playhouse in 1952. Jones appeared in several episodes of Dragnet starring Jack Webb from 1953-1955, credited as ‘’Caroline Jones’’. She appeared in two Rod Cameron syndicated series, City Detective and State Trooper, as Betty Fowler in the 1956 episode, "The Paperhanger of Pioche”. Jones also appeared on the CBS anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents in the episode "The Cheney Vase" (1955), as a secretary assisting her scheming boyfriend Darren McGavin in attempting an art theft, and opposite Ruta Lee.

In 1957 she had the lead in the episode "The Girl in the Grass" on CBS's Schlitz Playhouse, once again with Ray Milland and Nora Marlowe.

Jones guest-starred three times on the television series Wagon Train: in the first-season episode "The John Cameron Story" (1957) and in later color episodes "The Jenna Douglas Story" (1961) and "The Molly Kincaid Story" (1963). Also in 1963 she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star - Female for portraying quadruplets—one the murder victim and the others suspects—in the Burke's Law episode "Who Killed Sweet Betsy?"

She guest-starred in CBS's The DuPont Show with June Allyson, with James Best and Jack Mullaney, in the episode "Love on Credit" (1960).

In the 1962–1963 season, Jones guest-starred on CBS's The Lloyd Bridges Show, created by her second husband, television producer Aaron Spelling. While married to Spelling, she appeared on the NBC program Here's Hollywood.^[13]

In 1964, Jones donned a long coal-black wig to play Morticia Addams in the television series The Addams Family, a role which brought her a Golden Globe Award nomination and success as a comedian. She guest-starred on the 1960s TV series Batman, playing Marsha, the Queen of Diamonds,^[5] and in 1976 appeared as the title character's mother, Hippolyta, in the Wonder Woman TV series. In Tobe Hooper's movie Eaten Alive (1976), she played a madam running a rural whorehouse. The film also featured Neville Brand, Roberta Collins, and Robert Englund. Her last role was that of Myrna, the scheming matriarch of the Clegg clan, on the soap opera Capitol from the first episode in March 1982 until March 1983, though she already knew that she was dying of cancer. During her occasional absences, veteran actress Marla Adams subbed for her.

Her acting career declined after The Addams Family ended in 1966. Sporadic roles in the 1970s included that of Mrs. Moore, the wife of the plantation owner in the miniseries Roots.

Personal life

Jones was married four times and had no children. While studying at the Pasadena Playhouse, she married Don Donaldson, a 28-year-old fellow student. The couple soon divorced.^[14]

She converted to Judaism upon marrying Aaron Spelling; the marriage lasted from 1953 until their 1964 separation and divorce.^[15]

Her third marriage, in 1968, was to Tony Award-winning Broadway musical director, vocal arranger and co-producer Herbert Greene (who was her vocal coach); she left him in 1977.^{[citation needed]}

Final years and death

Jones gained the role of the power-driven political matriarch Myrna Clegg in the CBS daytime soap opera Capitol in 1981. The following year, shortly after Capitol debuted, she was diagnosed with colon cancer, and played many of her scenes in a wheelchair.^[16] The cancer spread quickly to her liver and stomach. Despite the pain, Jones finished the first season.^[17]

Even after being diagnosed with cancer, Jones continued to work, telling colleagues that she was being treated for ulcers.^[18] After a period of apparent remission, the cancer returned in 1982.

In July 1983, she fell into a coma at her home in West Hollywood, California, where she died on August 3. Her body was cremated the next day and a memorial service was held at Glasband-Willen Mortuary in Altadena, California, on August 5. Her ashes were interred in her mother's crypt at Melrose Abbey Memorial Park & Mortuary in Anaheim, California. She donated her Morticia costume and wig to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, while a collection of The Addams Family scripts was donated by Bailey-Britton to UCLA.^[19]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1952	The Turning Point	Miss Lillian Smith	Uncredited
1952	Road to Bali	Eunice	Uncredited
1953	Off Limits	Deborah	Also known as: Military Policeman (UK title). Uncredited
	The War of the Worlds	Blonde Party Guest	Uncredited
	House of Wax	Cathy Gray
	The Big Heat	Doris
	Geraldine	Kitty
1954	Make Haste to Live	Mary Rose
	The Saracen Blade	Elaine of Siniscola
	Shield for Murder	Girl at Bar
	Three Hours to Kill	Polly	Her character says: "I don't look so good in black"
	Désirée	Mme. Tallien	Uncredited
1955	The Seven Year Itch	Nurse Finch
1955	The Tender Trap	Helen
1956	Invasion of the Body Snatchers	Theodora 'Teddy' Belicec
	The Man Who Knew Too Much	Cindy Fontaine
	The Opposite Sex	Pat
1957	The Bachelor Party	The Existentialist	Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
	Johnny Trouble	Julie Horton
	Baby Face Nelson	Sue Nelson
1958	Marjorie Morningstar	Marsha Zelenko	Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress (with Sandra Dee and Diane Varsi)
1958	King Creole	Ronnie
1959	The Man in the Net	Linda Hamilton
	Last Train from Gun Hill	Linda
	A Hole in the Head	Shirl
	Career	Shirley Drake
1960	Ice Palace	Bridie Ballantyne
1961	Sail a Crooked Ship	Virginia
1962	How the West Was Won	Julie Rawlings
1963	A Ticklish Affair	Tandy Martin
1969	Heaven with a Gun	Madge McCloud
1969	Color Me Dead	Paula Gibson
1976	Eaten Alive	Miss Hattie	Also known as: Death Trap, Horror Hotel, and Starlight Slaughter
1979	Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff	Beth

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1952	Chevron Theatre	?; ?	2 episodes: "An Affair at the Embassy" and "Call the Police"
1952–1954	Mr. and Mrs. North	Grace Wilson; Mrs. Janet Ferber; Ellen	3 episodes: "A Good Buy", "Dead Man's Tale" and "Model for Murder"
1953–1955	Dragnet	?; Donna Stewart; Marian Fuller; Laura Osborne; ?	5 episodes; billed as Caroline Jones on first 4 episodes
1954	The Colgate Comedy Hour	Hazel	Season 4, Episode 21
	Lux Video Theatre	?	Episode: "The Outside Witness"
	The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse	Alice; ?; Karen Brook	3 episodes: "Account Closed", "The Silence" and "Doubled in Danger"
	Four Star Playhouse	Dolores	Episode: "The Answer"
1954–1955	City Detective	Linda; Alene	2 episodes: "On the Record" and "A Girl's Best Friend"
	Treasury Men in Action	?; Judy King; Eadie Starr	Also known as: Federal Men. 3 episodes
	Studio 57	Corinna Rogers; Carol Marshall; Diana Flagg; Maria	4 episodes
	My Favorite Husband	Janie Cooper	Season 1, Episode 40; Season 3, Episode 9: "The Painting"
1954–1957	Schlitz Playhouse of Stars	June Sardo; Sarah; Girl; Wealthy Wife	4 episodes
1955	Meet Mr. McNutley	Risa Powell	Episode: "Mr. Sargent and the Lady"
	The Man Behind the Badge	Louise	Episode: "The Case of the Desperate Moment"
	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Pamela Waring	Episode: "The Cheney Vase"
1955–1956	The 20th Century Fox Hour	Marcia Bridges; Rita Kirby	2 episodes: "Cavalcade" and "The Heffron Family"
1955–1957	Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre	Patient; Madeline Kovak	2 episodes: "The Key" and "The Little Black Lie"
1955–1957	The Millionaire	Emily Short; Carol Fletcher	2 episodes: "The Emily Short Story" and "The Matt Kirby Story"
1956	Star Stage	?	Episode: "Screen Credit"
	Passport to Danger	Sally Towne; Celia	2 episodes: "Batavia" and "Athens"
	State Trooper	Betty Fowler	Episode: "The Paperhanger of Pioche"
1957	Wire Service	Eve	Episode: "Dateline Las Vegas"
	Panic!	Janet Hunter	Episode: "The Airline Hostess"
	General Electric Theater	Phyllis	Episode: "The Man Who Inherited Everything"
	Climax!	Helen	Episode: "The Disappearance of Amanda Hale"
1957–1961	Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre	Ella Clanton; Sal - Rue Royale Proprietor; Julie Whiting	3 episodes: "Until the Man Dies", "Picture of Sal" and "Blood Red"
1957–1963	Wagon Train	Julie Cameron; Jenna Douglas; Molly Kincaid	3 episodes: "The John Cameron Story", "The Jenna Douglas Story" and "The Molly Kincaid Story"
1958	Playhouse 90	Julie Reynolds	Episode: "The Last Man"
1959	The David Niven Show	Girl	Episode: "Portrait"
1960	The DuPont Show with June Allyson	Lena Murchak	Also known as: The June Allyson Show. Episode: "Love on Credit"
1961–1962	The Dick Powell Show	Julie Greer; Hannah Cole; Cleo Plowright	3 episodes: "Who Killed Julie Greer?", "Goodbye, Hannah" and "The Sea Witch"
1962	Frontier Circus	Amy Tyson	Episode: "Stopover in Paradise"
	The Lloyd Bridges Show	Cathy	Episode: "Just Married"
	Dr. Kildare	Evy Schaller	Episode: "The Mask Makers"
1963–1964	Burke's Law	The Richards quadruplets; Carole Durand	2 episodes: "Who Killed Sweet Betsy?" and "Who Killed Madison Cooper?" Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star - Female^{[broken anchor]} (1963)
1964	The DuPont Show of the Week	Jo Jo	Episode: "Jeremy Rabbitt - The Secret Avenger"
1964–1966	The Addams Family	Morticia Addams; Ophelia Frump; Lady Fingers	Main role, 64 episodes
1966–1967	Batman	Marsha, Queen of Diamonds	5 episodes
1967	Rango	Belle Starker	Episode: "What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing Holding Up a Place Like This?"
1967	The Danny Thomas Hour	Stacey McCall	Episode: "Fame Is a Four-Letter Word"
1969	Bracken's World	Paula Shannon	Episode: "King David"
	The Mod Squad	Ginny / Lisa Whittaker	Episode: "Lisa"
	Storybook Squares	Morticia Addams	Series debut
1969–1970	Love, American Style	Vera	Segment: "Love and the Geisha". 2 episodes
1970	The Name of the Game	Lydia Mulholland	Episode: "Why I Blew Up Dakota"
1971	The Men from Shiloh	Annie Spencer	Episode: "The Legacy of Spencer Flats"
1971	Dan August	Margo	Episode: "The Assassin"
1972	The New Scooby-Doo Movies	Morticia Addams (voice)	Episode: "Wednesday Is Missing"
1972	Ghost Story	Martha Alcott	Episode: "The Summer House"
1973	The New Perry Mason	Marian Ryan	Episode: "The Case of the Frenzied Feminist"
1974	Ironside	Justine Cross	2 episodes: "Raise the Devil: Parts 1 & 2"
1975	Kolchak: The Night Stalker	The Registrar	Episode: "Demon in Lace"
1976	Ellery Queen	Rita Radcliffe	Episode: "The Adventure of the Hardhearted Huckster"
1976–1977	Wonder Woman	Queen Hippolyta	3 episodes: "The Feminum Mystique: Parts 1 & 2" and "Wonder Woman in Hollywood"
1977	Roots	Mrs. Moore	Television miniseries
	Halloween with the New Addams Family	Morticia Addams; Ophelia Frump	Television film
	Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels	Additional voices	Episode: "The Mystery Mansion Mix-Up"
	Little Ladies of the Night	Marilyn Atkins	Television film
1977–1981	Quincy, M.E.	Nurse Barbara Grayson; Sybil Presstin; Victoria Sawyer	3 episodes: "Valleyview", "Last of the Dinosaurs" and "Stain of Guilt"
1979	The French Atlantic Affair	Peg	Television miniseries
1979	The Love Boat	Margaret Jerome	Episode: "Play by Play / Cindy / What's a Brother For?" (Segment: "Cindy")
1979–1982	Fantasy Island	Ellie Simpson; Jessie DeWinter; Clora McAllister; Ellie Ackland	4 episodes
1980	The Dream Merchants	Vera	Television miniseries
1980	Whew!	Herself	5 episodes
1981	Midnight Lace	Bernadette Chance	Television film. Remake of 1960 feature film
1982	Tattletales	Herself	5 episodes
1982–1983	Capitol	Myrna Clegg	Main role (until becoming ill in April 1983); her final acting role

Honors


Year	Award	Category	Title of work	Result
1958	Academy Award	Best Supporting Actress	The Bachelor Party	Nominated
1959	Golden Globe Award	New Star of the Year – Actress	Marjorie Morningstar	Won
1963	Golden Globe Award	Best TV Star - Female^{[broken anchor]}	Burke's Law	Nominated