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Robin Raymond
Robin Raymond
Robin Raymond
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Robin Raymond, sometimes credited as Robyn Raymond (October 4, 1916 – June 20, 1994[citation needed] ) was an American film actress. Though she later claimed she was born as Rayemon Robin,[1] census records show her birth name was Eleanor Rae Robin. Her father had changed his name from Rubin to Robin around 1920.[2]

Key Information

Early life

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Raymond graduated from Northwestern University with a BA degree and worked as a press agent in Chicago.[3]

Career

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On Broadway, Raymond portrayed Blossom Le Verne in See My Lawyer (1939).[4]

She signed a movie contract with MGM in 1941 and was cast in incidental roles for one year. The she began freelancing, ultimately appearing in more than 40 films including Johnny Eager (1942) and as a slave girl in Arabian Nights (1942). Her screen personality was usually that of a hard-boiled glamour girl, in the manner of the better known Iris Adrian. Her voice and manner were so similar to Adrian's that when PRC's Iris Adrian feature Shake Hands with Murder was successful and the studio wanted a sequel, Adrian wasn't available so PRC substituted Robin Raymond (in her one starring role, the 1944 feature Rogues' Gallery.)

One of Raymond's more memorable roles may have been that of a good-hearted burlesque dancer Tanya Zakoyla in the film noir The Glass Wall (1953). She appeared in Episode 32 (Alpine, Texas) of Trackdown, and was featured on the Perry Mason program in the 1957 episode "The Case of the Hesitant Hostess." Raymond also appeared in a 1958 episode of Dragnet "The Big Perfume Bottle".

Personal life

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Raymond married nightclub owner Norman E. Heeb in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 15, 1941. They were divorced on November 28, 1941.[5] On January 26, 1947, she married multimillionaire Harry A. Epstein in Yuma, Arizona. They were divorced on February 16, 1955.[6]

Partial filmography

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Robin Raymond and Frank Sinatra in 1955

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Robin Raymond

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Robin Raymond (October 4, 1916 – June 20, 1994) was an American actress who appeared in over 40 and numerous television shows from the 1940s to the 1980s. Born Eleanor Robin in Chicago, , she earned a degree from and initially worked as a press agent in the city before being discovered by director and making her film debut in Home on the Rage (1938). Raymond's highlights included supporting roles in notable Hollywood productions such as Johnny Eager (1941) opposite Robert Taylor and Lana Turner, Moontide (1942) with Jean Gabin, Arabian Nights (1942) as a slave girl, and A Letter for Evie (1946), where she portrayed the straight-laced Eloise Edgewaters. She continued with appearances in like There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), The Glass Wall (1953), The Web (1947), Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956) directed by Fritz Lang, and Jailhouse Rock (1957) featuring Elvis Presley. On television, she guest-starred in episodes of Perry Mason, The Abbott and Costello Show (1952), and other series. A member of the Screen Actors Guild, she also engaged in philanthropy and political activism through the Hollywood Democratic Committee.

Early life

Childhood and family background

Robin Raymond was born Eleanor Robin on October 4, 1916, in , , USA. She was raised in a working-class in a modest household. Limited records exist on her immediate family dynamics, including parental occupations or siblings. These early years in shaped her formative environment before her transition to formal education at .

Education

Robin Raymond attended in , graduating with a degree in the late . Her university studies equipped her with foundational skills in communication and , which she initially applied in a post-graduation role as a press agent in before pivoting to .

Career

Stage and Broadway beginnings

Following her graduation from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Robin Raymond initially worked as a press agent in Chicago before relocating to to pursue opportunities in theater. Raymond's Broadway debut came in 1939 with the comedy See My Lawyer by and Harry Clork, which premiered on September 27, 1939, at the Biltmore Theatre (later renamed the ). In the production, she portrayed Blossom Le Verne, a supporting role in the cast that also featured , Eddie Nugent, and ; the play enjoyed a successful run of 199 performances, closing on April 6, 1940. This appearance marked her entry into the competitive world of New York stage acting, where she navigated the demands of live performance amid a vibrant era of Broadway comedies.

Film roles and studio contracts

Robin Raymond entered Hollywood films in 1939 with an uncredited role as a maid in the comedy For Love or Money. She transitioned from her Broadway beginnings to more prominent screen roles in the early 1940s, leveraging her stage experience to secure auditions under the studio system. Her first credited role came in the MGM crime drama Johnny Eager (1941), where she portrayed Matilda "Matty" Fowler, the cousin of the titular gangster played by Robert Taylor. This role marked her entry into motion pictures, produced by a major studio known for its assembly-line approach to filmmaking during the Golden Age. Throughout the 1940s, Raymond secured supporting parts across various studios, often in dramatic and atmospheric productions. Notable early appearances include Mildred in the Jean Gabin-led waterfront drama (1942) at 20th Century Fox, and an uncredited role as a slave girl in the Universal adventure Arabian Nights (1942), showcasing her versatility in exotic and tense settings. She played the determined reporter Patsy Clark in the low-budget mystery (1944) for PRC Pictures, and earned a more prominent supporting turn as the prim Eloise Edgewaters in MGM's romantic comedy A Letter for Evie (1946), opposite Marsha Hunt and . By the 1950s, Raymond continued freelancing after the decline of long-term studio contracts, accumulating over 40 film credits primarily in bit and supporting capacities. Key later roles included Tanya, a performer entangled in a refugee's plight, in the Columbia film noir (1953), and Terry LaRue, a hostess, in RKO's thriller (1956) directed by . Under the rigid , she was frequently typecast in dramatic or noir-adjacent characters—such as reporters, working-class women, or figures in shadowy underworlds—reflecting the era's constraints on female supporting players, who often received limited and repetitive archetypes to fit production demands.

Television appearances

Robin Raymond transitioned to television in the early amid the growing popularity of the medium, leveraging her film experience to secure guest roles in a variety of episodic formats. Her debut came in 1952 with an appearance on , marking her entry into broadcast comedy. In the late , Raymond appeared in several prominent anthology and western series, showcasing her range in dramatic and character-driven parts. She portrayed Sal Hendricks in two episodes of the western Trackdown: the 1957 installment "Alpine, Texas" (Season 1, Episode 7) and the 1958 episode "The Reward" (Season 1, Episode 13). Later that year, she played the secretary Marge in the episode "The Case of the Hesitant Hostess" (Season 1, Episode 29), a role that highlighted her ability to fit into the legal drama's ensemble dynamics. She also featured as a manager in the 1960 episode "Letter of the Law" (Season 2, Episode 35), contributing to the crime series' noir atmosphere. Throughout the and into the , Raymond continued with episodic television, often in supporting roles within family comedies, westerns, and police procedurals, reflecting the era's diverse small-screen output. Notable credits include Mrs. Clemens in a 1966 episode of the sitcom . She played Miss Maizie in the 1968 The Guns of Will Sonnett episode "Joby" (Season 2, Episode 5), adding to her western portfolio. By 1970, she appeared as Marnie Prout in 's "Log 45: Bright Boy" (Season 3, Episode 4), demonstrating her adaptability to the procedural genre. Her television work extended into the late with roles such as Beth Rakowitz in Switch and Ethel in Starsky and Hutch, concluding her on-screen acting around 1980. This shift from film to television aligned with broader industry changes, where her versatility allowed her to thrive in the episodic format's demand for reliable character actors.

Post-acting endeavors

Following her final acting role in the film (1980), Robin Raymond retired from the entertainment industry. She spent the remaining years of her life in , .

Personal life

Marriages

Robin Raymond's first was to nightclub owner Norman Heeb in June 1941. The union ended in divorce just five months later, in November 1941, with Raymond citing cruelty as the grounds. This brief occurred amid the demands of her burgeoning acting career in Hollywood. In January 1947, Raymond married multimillionaire Harry A. Epstein, known as the "Tungsten King" for his mining interests. The couple shared a life in Hollywood during her active film years, residing in the area where she pursued her studio contracts and roles. Their marriage lasted until February 1955, when Raymond obtained an interlocutory decree of divorce in Santa Monica Superior Court, charging Epstein with cruelty. Neither marriage produced children. The divorces, particularly the second during her peak film period, allowed Raymond to maintain a singular focus on her professional endeavors without familial obligations.

Later residence and health

Raymond resided in , , during her Hollywood career and remained there in her later years. Following her divorces, she led a private life marked by community involvement, acting as a benefactor for libraries and schools while supporting causes through memberships in the Hollywood Democratic Committee, Temple Israel of Hollywood, and the Canyon Theatre Guild; she also contributed to the and . As a hobby after retiring in 1980, she regularly attended autograph conventions. In her final years, Raymond experienced health challenges that culminated in her death on June 20, 1994, at age 77 in from complications of undisclosed causes. She was interred at Hillside Memorial Park in .

Legacy

Notable performances

One of Robin Raymond's early breakthroughs in live performance occurred on Broadway, where she portrayed the lively Blossom Le Verne in the musical comedy See My Lawyer (1939), a role that demonstrated her aptitude for spirited ensemble work in a production starring Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson. Running for 224 performances at the Biltmore Theatre, the play allowed Raymond to hone her timing and charisma on stage, contributing to the show's humorous take on legal mishaps and vaudeville-style antics. This appearance solidified her foundation in theater before shifting to film, showcasing her range in fast-paced comedic scenarios. In film, Raymond's standout comedic role was as the straight-laced Eloise Edgewaters in A Letter for Evie (1946), where her precise delivery and understated reactions provided key amid the romantic mix-up plot involving a wartime letter correspondence. Directed by , the production featured Raymond contrasting the leads Marsha Hunt and John Carroll with her character's prim demeanor, enhancing the film's lighthearted wartime romance through her effective timing in ensemble scenes. Critics noted the movie's harmless comedic charm, with Raymond's performance adding to its breezy appeal as a of an earlier . Raymond displayed a marked dramatic turn as the good-hearted burlesque dancer Tanya Zakoyla in the film noir The Glass Wall (1953), a role that addressed post-World War II social themes of and struggles in America. In the story, her character aids protagonist Peter Kaban (), a Hungarian desperately seeking legal entry after jumping ship, underscoring themes of and bureaucratic barriers faced by war survivors. This performance highlighted Raymond's versatility, moving from to a more empathetic, noir-inflected portrayal in a narrative that critiqued American policies through interpersonal . Her adaptability to serialized television drama was evident in a guest spot as company secretary Marge in the Perry Mason episode "The Case of the Hesitant Hostess" (1958), where she delivered a poised, efficient supporting turn in the legal mystery. Amid the episode's intrigue involving a murdered nightclub hostess and corporate secrets, Raymond's character facilitates key interactions, blending seamlessly into the procedural format while drawing on her film-honed subtlety. This appearance exemplified her transition to episodic TV, contributing to the show's reputation for tight ensemble dynamics in courtroom thrillers.

Cultural impact and recognition

Robin Raymond's contributions as a supporting in Hollywood helped shape the archetype of the relatable, girl-next-door character in both and productions, providing depth to ensemble casts during the studio era. Her performances exemplified the versatility required of secondary female roles, blending humor and dramatic tension in films that defined the period's entertainment landscape. She garnered early recognition as a 1947 Hollywood Deb Star, an accolade from the Hollywood Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild honoring up-and-coming actresses poised for prominence. This honor underscored her potential influence within the industry, though her career remained focused on supporting parts rather than leading stardom. Raymond's roles in culturally resonant films, such as the exotic adventure Arabian Nights (1942) and the taut courtroom noir Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956), have earned mentions in film histories for enhancing the narrative texture of these genres. Posthumously, her work continues to be appreciated in retrospectives on Golden Age Hollywood supporting players, highlighting her understated yet essential presence. Despite her involvement in drama instruction later in life, detailed accounts of Raymond's teaching legacy and final years remain sparsely documented, pointing to gaps in archival coverage of mid-tier actresses from her era.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0713358/
  2. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/167604710/robin-raymond
  3. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166650/
  4. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77829543/the-los-angeles-times/
  5. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/see-my-lawyer-13191
  6. https://www.playbill.com/production/see-my-lawyer-biltmore-theatre-vault-0000001593
  7. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031328/
  8. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033774/
  9. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038034/
  10. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037870/
  11. https://watch.plex.tv/person/robin-raymond
  12. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049006/
  13. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/trackdown/s01/e07/cast-and-crew
  14. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0732754/
  15. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0673296/
  16. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0673632/
  17. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058840/
  18. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0593917/
  19. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0505334/
  20. https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/robin-raymond/credits/3030031730/
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080462/
  22. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77827797/robin-raymond/
  23. https://calisphere.org/item/8feae68f556f7e628b2808891673160b/
  24. https://newspaperarchive.com/long-beach-independent-feb-17-1955-p-28/
  25. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/robin-raymond-114177
  26. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037870/fullcredits
  27. https://dennisschwartzreviews.com/aletterforevie/
  28. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045824/fullcredits
  29. https://filmnoir.art.blog/2010/09/29/the-noir-vignette-dont-forget-your-dead-father-was-a-lousy-foreigner/
  30. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0673296/fullcredits
  31. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0673296/plotsummary
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