Marie McDonald

Marie moved to Hollywood in 1940, where she found work as a dancer. A chance encounter with band leader Tommy Dorsey led to a singing job on his radio show. She later signed with Universal and then Paramount. Her career took off when she dyed her hair platinum blonde, earning her the nickname "The Body." She became one of the most popular pin-up girls of the 1940s, posing for countless cheesecake pictures. Her film roles included costarring with Paulette Goddard in I Love A Soldier and with Alan Ladd in Lucky Jordan. She also starred in the comedy Getting Gertie's Garter. Despite her success, her personal life was tumultuous. She married and divorced several times, including a marriage to shoe tycoon Harry Karl, with whom she had three children. She battled health problems and a serious addiction to prescription drugs.

Marie attempted a comeback with an album called The Body Sings and a nightclub act. Her last film was the 1963 comedy Promises! Promises!. She married its producer, Donald F. Taylor, in November 1963. The marriage was violent, but they reconciled. On October 21, 1965, Marie died from an overdose of pills at age 42. Her death was ruled an accident, though many believed it was suicide. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Marie was a talented actress and singer, and a devoted mother to her three children.