Vicki Lester

Vicki Lester
Lester in 1938
Born
Dorothy Gertrude Day

(1915-04-07)April 7, 1915
New York City, U.S.
DiedMay 7, 2001(2001-05-07) (aged 86)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1937–1942
Spouses
Steven Stanford
​
​
(m. 1945; div. 1946)​
Jack Bernhard
​
​
(m. 1947; died 1997)​

Vicki Lester (born Dorothy Gertrude Day; April 7, 1915 – May 7, 2001) was an American actress. She is best known for appearing in Sky Giant (1938), The Mad Miss Manton (1938) and The Lone Rider and the Bandit (1942).[1][2]

Biography

Born Dorothy Day, Lester took her stage name from Janet Gaynor's character in A Star Is Born (1937).[3] The name change was suggested by Mervyn LeRoy and approved by David Selznick.[4] Alas, she never made the grade as a 'star' in her own right.[5]

Lester attended schools in Manhattan and originally planned to design clothes for a career.[6] She was a student of music and art, and she gained notability as a pianist. She became a model for artists and photographers, leading to her being named one of the "Twelve Most Photographed Girls in America".[3] She was "seen in hundreds of advertisements and on scores of magazine covers".[3]

Lester died in May 2001 in Beverly Hills, California at the age of 86.[7]

Filmography

Tom Neal, Carol Hughes and Vicky Lester in lobby card for The Miracle Kid (1941)

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1937 Walter Wanger's Vogues of 1938 Model (uncredited)
1938 The Patient in Room 18 Nurse Taylor
1938 Maid's Night Out Adele - Bill's Cousin
1938 Fools for Scandal Party Guest (uncredited)
1938 This Marriage Business Nancy Parker
1938 Go Chase Yourself Bit Role (unconfirmed, uncredited)
1938 Having Wonderful Time Camp Guest (uncredited)
1938 Sky Giant Edna, the Colonel's Secretary
1938 The Mad Miss Manton Kit Beverly
1940 The Great Plane Robbery Helen Carver
1941 You're Out of Luck Sonya Varney
1941 Tall, Dark and Handsome Snuggy, Sales Girl
1941 Tom, Dick and Harry Paula
1941 The Miracle Kid Helen Gibbs
1942 The Lone Rider and the Bandit Laura Hicks
1942 Sleepytime Gal Blonde (uncredited)
1942 You're Telling Me Mrs. Adalaide Parks
1942 I Live on Danger Keefe's Secretary

References

  1. ^ "The Lone Rider and the Bandit (1942) - Overview". TCM.com. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  2. ^ "The Lone Rider and the Bandit". Catalog.afi.com. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "Majestic: Vicki Lester". Shamokin News-Dispatch. August 2, 1938. p. 9. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Names Produce Money for Stars and Studios in Motion Picture World". The Dispatch. Illinois, Moline. October 23, 1937. p. 8. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1938) by Chicago, Photoplay Magazine Publishing Company". archive.org.
  6. ^ "'Vicki Lester'". Movienews Weekly. Illinois, Chicago. October 22, 1937. p. 2. Retrieved August 31, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Hans J. Wollstein. "Vicki Lester". AllMovie. Retrieved February 9, 2014.

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vicki Lester.


Stub icon

This article about a United States film and television actor born in the 1910s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.