Randy Stuart

Randy Stuart
Stuart with Alan Hale, Jr. in Biff Baker, U.S.A., 1952.
Born	Elizabeth Shaubell (1924-10-24)October 24, 1924 Iola, Allen County Kansas, U.S.
Died	July 20, 1996(1996-07-20) (aged 71) Bakersfield Kern County, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1947 to 1975
Spouse(s)	Kenneth W. Smith (?-1945) Edward Charles George (1947-1954) (divorced) 1 child Lane Allan (1953-1968) (divorced) 3 children Ernest Wallis (1971?-1982) (his death)
Children	Gina Lee Wootten Scott R. Wootten Laurie A. Wootten

Randy Stuart, born as Elizabeth Shaubell (October 24, 1924 – July 20, 1996), was an American actress in film and television. A familiar face in several popular films of the 1940s and 1950s, and later in Western-themed television series, she is perhaps best remembered as Louise Carey, the wife of Scott Carey, played by Grant Williams, in The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), a science-fiction film.

Early years

Stuart's parents, John and Gladys Shaubell,^[1] were itinerant musicians in the American South and the Middle West. She was born in Iola in Allen County in southeastern Kansas, and made her stage debut at the age of three.

The Shaubells relocated to Compton, California, where Stuart went to high school and Compton Junior College.^[1]

Radio

Stuart was a regular on the Jack Carson Show in 1946.^[2]

Film

A screen test in the play The Women led to Stuart being placed under contract at 20th Century Fox. Her film debut was uncredited in the 1947 picture, The Foxes of Harrow.^[3]

In 1948, she played Peggy, a knowing secretary (and collaborator with star Clifton Webb) in the comedy Sitting Pretty.^[4] She also appeared that year (sixth-billed) in Apartment for Peggy with William Holden and Jeanne Crain.

In 1949, she portrayed Lieutenant Eloise Billings, an object of desire for Cary Grant, in the Howard Hawks film I Was a Male War Bride, also starring Ann Sheridan.^[5] That same year, she appeared opposite Jose Ferrer in Otto Preminger's psychological noir, Whirlpool. Stuart was billed on posters as a supporting player in the comedy / musical Dancing in the Dark, starring William Powell and Betsy Drake.^[6]

In 1950, Stuart was briefly in that year's Best Picture, All About Eve, as a telephone friend of Anne Baxter, appearing in the party sequence. (The same scene featured Marilyn Monroe, a classmate of Stuart's from dance training.) She had fourth-billing in the noir comedy Stella,^[7] with Ann Sheridan and Victor Mature.

In 1951, she appeared as Marge Boyd in I Can Get It For You Wholesale,^[8] in what might have been her breakout role. 1952 saw Stuart teaming again with Cary Grant and Betsy Drake in the comedy Room for One More for Warner Brothers.

In 1958, she was cast as Nancy Dawson in the western film, Man from God's Country, starring George Montgomery.^[9] She also guest-starred about that time in Montgomery's short-lived television western television series, Cimarron City.

Television

Stuart's TV career had a solid start with her co-starring role as Louise Baker, the wife of Cold War spy Alan Hale, Jr., in the 26-episode filmed adventure series, Biff Baker, U.S.A., which aired on CBS in the 1952-53 season (and was recently released on DVD).

In 1959 to 1960, Stuart had a recurring role as Nellie Cashman in eleven episodes of the ABC western television series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, with Hugh O'Brian in the title role of Marshal Wyatt Earp. Nellie was briefly a romantic interest for Earp. From 1958 to 1961, Stuart guest starred four times on Clint Walker's ABC/Warner Brothers western, Cheyenne, including a role opposite Robert Colbert in the 1960 episode "Two Trails to Santa Fe". In another 1960 role, she played the mentally unbalanced Claire Russo in the episode "Tangled Trail" of Ty Hardin's ABC/WB series, Bronco, which rotated with Cheyenne. Her other western appearances were twice on Lawman and once each on Bonanza, Cimarron City, Colt .45, and Maverick.^[9]

She appeared on the ABC/WB dramas, including 77 Sunset Strip, as Lucy Norton in the 1962 episode "The Reluctant Spy", Bourbon Street Beat, The Roaring 20s, One Step Beyond, and Hawaiian Eye. She also guest starred on CBS fantasy-drama The Millionaire. She appeared twice on the 1955-1956 NBC comedy It's a Great Life, with Frances Bavier.^[9]

Stuart appeared twice in 1967 and 1968 as Eileen Gannon, wife of Harry Morgan's character, Officer Bill Gannon, on NBC's Dragnet. Her final screen appearance was as Miss Kallman in the 1975 episode "The Covenant" of ABC's Marcus Welby, M.D., with Robert Young in the title role.^[9]

Later years

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stuart (known by her married name, Betty Wallis) was instrumental in developing the alumni program at Chaminade College Preparatory School in West Hills, California.

Personal Life & Death

Stuart was married and divorced three times, with a fourth marriage lasting over a decade, until her husband Ernest Dineen Wallis' death in 1982. Stuart died July 20, 1996, at the age of 71 in Bakersfield, California.^[9]

References