Grahame Family History & Genealogy

Gloria Grahame Born November 28, 1923 in Los Angeles, California, USA Died October 5, 1981 in New York City, New York, USA (stomach cancer with peritonitis) Birth Name Gloria Hallward Height 5' 6" (1.68 m) Gloria Hallward, an acting pupil of her mother (stage actress and teacher Jean Grahame), acted professionally while still in high school. In 1944 Louis B. Mayer saw her on Broadway and gave her an MGM contract under the name Gloria Grahame. Her debut in the title role of Blonde Fever (1944) was auspicious, but her first public recognition came on loan-out in It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Though her talent and sex appeal were of star quality, she did not fit the star pattern at MGM, who sold her contract to RKO in 1947. Here the same problem resurfaced; her best film in these years was made on loan-out, In a Lonely Place (1950). Soon after, she left RKO. The 1950s, her best period, brought Gloria a supporting actress Oscar and typecast her as shady, inimitably sultry ladies in seven well-known film-noir classics. Rumors of being difficult to work with on the set of Oklahoma! (1955) sidelined her film career from 1956 onward. She also suffered from marital and child-custody troubles. Eight years after divorce from Nicholas Ray, who was 12 years her senior (and reportedly had discovered her in bed with his 13 year old son), and after a subsequent marriage to Cy Howard ended in divorce, in 1960 she married her former stepson Anthony Ray who was almost 14 years younger than her. This led Nicholas Ray and Cy Howard to each sue for custody of each's child by Grahame, putting gossip columnists and scandal sheets into overdrive. In 1960 she resumed stage acting, combined with TV work and, from 1970, some mostly inferior films. Gloria was described as a serious, skillful actress; spontaneous, honest, and strong-willed; imaginative and curious; incredibly sexy but insecure about her looks (prompting plastic surgery on her famous lips); loving appreciative male company; "a bit loony." Her busiest period of British and American stage work ended abruptly in 1981 when she collapsed from cancer symptoms during a rehearsal. She returned to New York a few hours before she succumbed on October 5, 1981 at age 57. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Rod Crawford Gloria Hallward was born in Los Angeles, California. She was the daughter of Michael Hallward, an architect, and Jean MacDougall, an actress whose stage name was Jean Grahame. Her mother later became her acting coach. Descended from royalty--King Edward III through her father's side--she was bred for acting at an early age. By the time Gloria was a teenager she had little interest in school; she quit Hollywood High School just short of graduation to join a touring show called "Good Night Ladies". Later she appeared in a couple of Broadway plays, where she was spotted by MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer in 1944. He was impressed enough to offer her a contract with MGM at $250 a week. Her first role was that of Sally Murfin in Blonde Fever (1944), but it was a few years later that her role as Violet in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) set her apart from other actresses. She played the part of the local temptress who sets her sights on James Stewart, and was done for Columbia while she was on loanout from MGM. Although Gloria was extremely talented and sexy, MGM felt she didn't fit its rigid star pattern and sold her contract to RKO. After appearances in such films as It Happened in Brooklyn (1947) and Song of the Thin Man (1947), Gloria hit pay dirt as Ginny Tremaine in Crossfire (1947) for RKO. This was the film that would shoot her into superstardom. She was nominated for an Academy Award but lost out to Celeste Holm for Gentleman's Agreement (1947). After another stellar performance in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), Gloria was nominated for yet another Oscar in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), in which she played Rosemary Bartlow, the wife of a novelist turned screenwriter, opposite Dick Powell. Her performance was absolutely outstanding, and this time she took home the Oscar. The film itself won four additional awards, making it the year's most honored movie. That same year saw her star in Macao (1952) and Sudden Fear (1952), both very well received. The 1950s was a wonderful decade for Gloria, as she appeared in several more hits, including the epic musical Oklahoma! (1955). Then, as with many other performers, her career slowed. She made Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), her last film until Ride Beyond Vengeance (1966). She suffered through another paucity of roles until she landed a part in The Todd Killings (1971).

Billy Grahame was born in January 2005 in United Kingdom. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Billy Grahame.

Gordon Grahame was born in United Kingdom. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Gordon Grahame.

William C Grahame of Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland was born on December 23, 1900, and died at age 80 years old in May 1981.

Deforrest E Grahame of Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma was born on August 30, 1904, and died at age 68 years old in December 1972.

When Lilias Edith "Isobel" Grahame Moore (m. Simard) was born on May 29, 1906, in British Columbia, Canada, her father, John Frederic Moore, was 40, and her mother, Isobel Barbara Moore (nee Grahame), was 36. She married Wilfred Thomas Maurice SIMARD on September 14, 1929, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They had one child, David, during their marriage. She died on May 20, 1997, in Enderby, British Columbia, Canada, at the age of 90.

Lorraine Eil Lorraine Eil (Butcher) Grahame of Lily Australia, got married to Ian Eric Grahame on October 8, 1967 in Victoria, and has children Debra Leanne Grahame, Lisa Marie (Grahame), and Tracey LEANNE Grahame. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lorraine Eil Butcher Grahame.

Ian Eric Grahame of Lily Australia was born on October 8, 1944 in Melbourne, VIC.

Tracey Leanne Grahame of Melbourne, VIC Australia was born on February 16, 1974 in Melbourne. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Tracey LEANNE Grahame.

Lisa Marie (Grahame) James of Melbourne, VIC Australia was born on March 16, 1970 in Melbourne. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lisa Marie (Grahame).

Debra Leanne Grahame of Lily Australia was born in 1968, and died at age 1 year old in 1969 in Lily.

Lorraine Elaine (Butcher) Grahame of Melbourne, VIC Australia was born on March 3, 1947. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lorraine Elaine Grahame.

Margaret De Sinclair-Grahame was born in 1239 at Caithness, Inverness, Scotland, and died at Orkney, Orkney Islands, Scotland. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Margaret De Sinclair-Grahame.

Lilias Jane Grahame was born circa August 3, 1870 at Stirling, Scotland in Stirling County, Scotland United Kingdom, and died at age 83 years old on February 3, 1954. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Lilias Jane Grahame.

Rollin G Grahame of Corinth, Saratoga County, NY was born on September 6, 1900 in Manhattan County, and died at age 78 years old in June 1979.

Married 1862, Geelong, Victoria.

John R Grahame of Fife Lake, Kalkaska County, MI was born on August 12, 1906, and died at age 91 years old on April 1, 1998.

Mabel Grahame of Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey was born on May 12, 1877, and died at age 91 years old in April 1969.

Roberta M Grahame of Amherst, Hampshire County, MA was born on October 11, 1908, and died at age 89 years old on March 22, 1998.