Sondra Rodgers

Sondra Rodgers
Born	Fenella Jewell Rodgers February 3, 1903 Trimble County, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	July 22, 1997 Los Angeles, California U.S.
Other names	Sondra Arleaux
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1944 - 1970 (film)

Sondra Rodgers (born Fenella Jewell Rodgers; 1903–1997) was an American film and television actress.[1]

Early years

Born Fenella Jewell Rodgers,[2] she grew up on the family farm in Trimble County, Kentucky.[3] She was the daughter of J.L. Rodgers[4] and his wife, Lacy Rodgers. When she was 17, she moved to New York and began modeling for a commercial photographer.[3]

Radio

Rodgers left the stage to work in radio in 1934.[4] She was heard often in the United States on broadcasts of Miniature Theater of the Air and on a number of soap operas.[3]

She also worked in radio in Europe. Although she was employed by Radio Luxembourg, she was based in London. Her programs were recorded and shipped to Luxembourg for broadcast.[4] After concluding her work in Europe, she returned to Kentucky and wrote scripts for WLAP in Lexington.[4]

Stage

Rodgers' early acting experience came in New York when she worked (using the name Sondra Arleaux)[4] in stock theater with Jessie Bonstelle. She appeared on Broadway in Riddle Me This (1933).[5]

Rodgers spent time in Europe studying with playwrights, then returned to the United States, where she directed plays at the Pasadena Playhouse with Gilmour Brown as her supervisor.[4]

Later, in Los Angeles, Rodgers acted in plays, including No Time for Comedy, Heaven Can Wait, Cry Havoc, an dFamily Portrait.[3]

Film

Rodgers signed her first film contract, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, in May 1944.[6] Her film debut came in Marriage Is a Private Affair (1944).[7]

Television

Rodgers portrayed Mrs. Appleby in the 1961 episode "A Doctor Comes to Town" of the television series Window on Main Street.^[citation needed]. She played the prudish (unnamed) mother of daughters Elmira and Dodie on "Wagon Train" in S1 E18 "The Gabe Carswell Story" which aired 1/14/1958.

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1944	Marriage Is a Private Affair	Nurse	Uncredited
1944	Lost in a Harem	Zaida	Uncredited
1945	Keep Your Powder Dry	WAC Hodgekins
1945	Anchors Aweigh	Jean	Uncredited
1945	The Hidden Eye	Helen Roberts
1946	Up Goes Maisie		Uncredited
1946	Easy to Wed	Attendant
1946	Boys' Ranch	Mrs. O'Neill	Uncredited
1948	Tap Roots	Shellie Dabney
1951	As You Were	WAC Captain
1963	Tammy and the Doctor	First Nurse
1966	Country Boy	Mrs. Byrd
1970	Airport	Margaret Rogers - Passenger	Uncredited, (final film role)

References

1. Erickson p.385
2. McCollum, Konnie (July 2007). "Trimble County native found fame in Hollywood". RoundAbout. Archived from the original on 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
3. Ransdell, Gail M. (October 2, 1949). "An Old Kentucky Home Is The Setting". The Courier-Journal. Kentucky, Louisville. p. 77. Retrieved February 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Cabins for 300 Negro slaves used to ring the homestead". The Courier-Journal. Kentucky, Louisville. October 2, 1949. p. 78. Retrieved February 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "("Sondra Arleaux" search results)". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
6. "Lure of Hollywood Proves Too Strong". The Pittsburgh Press. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. May 12, 1944. p. 29. Retrieved February 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Screen Newcomer". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. August 2, 1944. p. 20. Retrieved February 11, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.

Bibliography

• Erickson, Hal. Military Comedy Films: A Critical Survey and Filmography of Hollywood Releases Since 1918. McFarland, 2012.

External links

• Sondra Rodgers at IMDb