Lizabeth Scott obit

Actress Lizabeth Scott, femme fatale in 1940s-1950s film noir movies, dies

She was not on the list.

 Husky-voiced blonde Lizabeth Scott, who played the femme fatale in numerous film noir movies of the 1940s and 1950s alongside leading men including Humphrey Bogart, Burt Lancaster and Charlton Heston, has died at age 92, according to media reports.

Scott, who was often compared to her Hollywood contemporary Lauren Bacall during a career sidetracked by scandal, died on Jan. 31 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the media reports said. The Los Angeles Times quoted a longtime friend, Mary Goodstein, as saying Scott died of congestive heart failure.

Officials at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center were not immediately available for comment.


Scott excelled in playing beautiful but duplicitous women who ensnare the disillusioned men who populated film noir, a genre of dark-themed American crime and detective movies popular during the 1940s and 1950s that reflected society's insecurities during and after World War Two.


Scott physically resembled Bacall and even appeared opposite Bacall's husband Bogart in the 1947 film noir entry "Dead Reckoning" about a military veteran who encounters her in his quest to solve his war buddy's murder.


Her other noteworthy films included "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck and Kirk Douglas; "Desert Fury" (1947) with Lancaster; "I Walk Alone" (1948) with Lancaster and Douglas; "Dark City" (1950) with Heston; "The Racket" (1951) with Robert Mitchum; and "Bad for Each Other" (1953) with Heston.


She appeared in more than 20 movies but her career never recovered after her unsuccessful $2.5 million lawsuit in 1955 against a gossip magazine called Confidential that published allegations she was a lesbian.

Her film career all but ended after she starred opposite Elvis Presley in "Loving You" (1957), the rocker's second film. Scott made only one more film appearance, alongside Michael Caine and Mickey Rooney in the 1972 comedy-thriller "Pulp."

While her fame faded with time, she was recognized as one of the most important and prolific film noir actresses.

"What you call film noir I call psychological drama," Scott once said. "It showed all these facets of human experience and conflict - that these women could be involved with their heart and yet could think with their minds."

She was born as Emma Matzo on Sept. 29, 1922, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She later took "Elizabeth Scott" as her stage name but changed her first name to "Lizabeth" to make it more distinctive. She worked as a model and stage actress in New York City as a young woman before meeting Hollywood producer Hal Wallis and entering the movies.

Wallis cast Scott in the 1945 romance "You Came Along," which led him to use her in a succession of film noir movies.


Her filmography:
Films:
1 1945 You Came Along Ivy Hotchkiss Paramount,

Hal Wallis John Farrow, Ayn Rand Ivy "Hotcha" Hotchkiss Robert Cummings Don DeFore,

Charles Drake, Helen Forrest, Kim Hunter

2 1946 The Strange Love of Martha Ivers* Toni Marachek Hal Wallis Productions/

Paramount, Hal Wallis Lewis Milestone, Robert Rossen Antonia "Toni" Marachek Van Heflin Barbara Stanwyck, Kirk Douglas

3 1947 Dead Reckoning 'Dusty' Chandler Columbia,

Sidney Biddell John Cromwell, Steve Fisher Coral "Dusty" Chandler Humphrey Bogart Morris Carnovsky, William Prince, Marvin Miller

4 1947 Desert Fury Paula Haller Paramount,

Hal Wallis Lewis Allen, Robert Rossen Paula Haller John Hodiak Burt Lancaster,

Mary Astor, Wendell Corey, Kristine Miller

5 1947 Variety Girl Lizabeth Scott Paramount,

Daniel Dare George Marshall, Monte Brice Herself Burt Lancaster Mary Hatcher,

Olga San Juan

6 1947 I Walk Alone Kay Lawrence Paramount,

Hal Wallis Byron Haskin, Charles Schnee Kay Lawrence Burt Lancaster Kirk Douglas,

Kristine Miller, Wendell Corey

7 1948 Pitfall Mona Stevens United Artists,

Samuel Bischoff Andre DeToth, Karl Kamb Mona Stevens Dick Powell Jane Wyatt,

Raymond Burr, Byron Barr, Ann Doran

8 1949 Too Late for Tears Jane Palmer United Artists,

Hunt Stromberg Byron Haskin, Roy Huggins Jane Palmer Don DeFore Dan Duryea,Arthur Kennedy, Kristine Miller

9 1949 Easy Living Liza Wilson RKO,

Robert Sparks Jacques Tourneur, Irwin Shaw Liza "Lize" Wilson Victor Mature Lucille Ball, Sonny Tufts, Lloyd Nolan, Jack Paar

10 1950 Paid in Full Jane Langley Paramount,

Hal Wallis William Dieterle, Robert Blees Jane Langley Robert Cummings Diana Lynn,

Eve Arden, Ray Collins

11 1950 Dark City Fran Garland Paramount, Hal Wallis William Dieterle,

John Meredyth Lucas Fran Garland Charlton Heston Viveca Lindfors, Dean Jagger,

Don DeFore, Jack Webb, Harry Morgan

12 1951 The Company She Keeps Joan Willburn RKO, John Houseman John Cromwell,

Ketti Frings Joan Willburn Dennis O'Keefe Jane Greer, Fay Baker, John Hoyt

13 1951 Two of a Kind Brandy Kirby Columbia,

William Dozier Henry Levin, Lawrence Kimble Brandy Kirby Edmond O'Brien Terry Moore,

Alexander Knox, Griff Barnett

14 1951 The Racket Irene Hayes RKO, Edmund Grainger John Cromwell,

William Wister Haines Irene Hayes Robert Mitchum Robert Ryan, Ray Collins,

William Talman, Joyce Mackenzie, Robert Conrad

15 1951 Red Mountain Chris Paramount,Hal Wallis William Dieterle, George W. George Chris Alan Ladd Arthur Kennedy, John Ireland, Jeff Corey, Neville Brand

16 1952 Stolen Face Alice Brent / Lily Conover Hammer/Lippert, Anthony Hinds Terence Fisher, Martin Berkeley Alice Brent/ Lily Conover Paul Henreid André Morell, Mary Mackenzie

17 1953 Scared Stiff Mary Carroll Paramount, Hal Wallis George Marshall, Herbert Baker Mary Carroll Dean Martin Jerry Lewis, Carmen Miranda

18 1953 Bad for Each Other Helen Curtis Columbia, William Fadiman Irving Rapper, Irving Wallace Helen Curtis Charlton Heston Dianne Foster, Mildred Dunnock, Ray Collins

19 1954 Silver Lode Rose Evans RKO, Benedict Bogeaus Allan Dwan, Karen DeWolf Rose Evans John Payne Dan Duryea, Dolores Moran, Alan Hale Jr., Stuart Whitman

20 1956 The Weapon Elsa Jenner Periclean Productions, Irving H. Levin Val Guest, Fred Freiberger Elsa Jenner Steve Cochran Jon Whiteley, Herbert Marshall George Cole

21 1957 Loving You Glenda Markle Paramount, Hal Wallis Hal Kanter, Herbert Baker Glenda Markle Elvis Presley Wendell Corey, Dolores Hart

22 1972 Pulp Betty Cippola United Artists, Michael Klinger Mike Hodges (both) Princess Betty Cippola Michael Caine Mickey Rooney, Lionel Stander,Nadia Cassini (final film role)


Radio

During the Golden Age of Radio, Scott would reprise her film roles in abridged radio versions. Typical were her appearances on Lux Radio Theatre: You Came Along with Van Johnson in the Robert Cummings role and I Walk Alone. Scott would also recreate on radio the original film roles of other actresses such as Loretta Young (The Perfect Marriage) and Veronica Lake (Saigon). Scott would even reprise Barbara Stanwyck's role in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. One notable radio performance was the Molle Mystery Theatre episode, Female Of The Species, in which Scott is Eva Lester, the owner of a beauty salon. Lester tries to murder the rich wife of a man she is having an affair with. Scott was also a guest host/narrator on Family Theater.

1 Lux Radio Theatre "You Came Along" (January 7, 1946) CBS Fred MacKaye,

Robert Smith Ivy "Hotcha" Hotchkiss Van Johnson Don DeFore, Colleen Collins, Jeff Corey,

Betty Bryan

2 Molle Mystery Theatre "Female Of The Species"

(June 7, 1946) NBC Irene Winslow (script-writer) Eva Lester

3 Family Theater "The Perfect Wife" (November 13, 1947) Family Theater Productions James Fee (script-writer) Herself (hostess/narrator) Ralph Morgan Spring Byington

4 Proudly We Hail "The Triumphant Road" (1948) US Army/Air Force Eddie Skrivanek (director)

5 The Screen Guild Theater "Desert Fury"(January 12, 1948) CBS, Bill Lawrence Bill Lawrence(director) Paula Haller John Hodiak Burt Lancaster, Mary Astor, Wendall Corey

6 Lux Radio Theatre "The Perfect Marriage" (December 4, 1948) CBS Jenny Williams Ray Milland

7 Lux Radio Theatre "I Walk Alone" (May 24, 1948) CBS Kay Lawrence Burt Lancaster Kirk Douglas, Wendell Corey

8 Lux Radio Theatre "Pitfall" (November 8, 1948) CBS Mona Stevens Dick Powell Jane Wyatt

9 Radio City Playhouse "Machine" (August 18, 1949) NBC,

Richard P. McDonough Harry W. Junkin (director and script-writer) Mary Hillman

10 Lux Radio Theatre "Saigon" (September 5, 1949) CBS Susan Cleaver John Lund

11 Lux Radio Theatre "California" (January 30, 1950) CBS Lily Bishop Ray Milland

12 Stars Over Hollywood "Night Operator" (March 29, 1952) CBS Paul Pierce (director) Laurie Ann McCrae Harry Bartell Verna Felton, Don Diamond, Louise Arthur, Sidney Miller

13 Stars In The Air "The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers" (April 17, 1952) CBS Harry Cronman (director, script-writer) Martha Ivers Dan Duryea Joseph Kearns, Herb Vigran, Bob Sweeney

14 Guest Star "The Coward" (March 20, 1955) US Treasury Department Louis Graf (director) John Larch Dick Beals, Frank Nelson

Television

Lizabeth Scott transitioned from the radio versions of programs she previously voiced. She continued to guest host for the television version of Family Theater, as well as acting in the then new Lux Video Theatre. Returning to her vaudeville origins, she also appeared in variety programs like the Colgate Comedy Hour and made her singing debut on The Big Record. The 1960s saw Scott continuing to guest-star on television, including a notable 1960 episode of Adventures in Paradise, "The Amazon," opposite Gardner McKay. In Burke's Law "Who Killed Cable Roberts?" (1963), she appears as the widow of a celebrity big game hunter. Scott returned to 20th Century Fox to film "The Luck of Harry Lime" (1965), an episode of The Third Man. She was directed by her former costar Paul Henreid from Stolen Face. She also appeared on the occasional game show opposite actors like John Wayne and George Hamilton.

1 Family Theater "The Denver Express" (August 31, 1949)* St. Paul Films Herself

(hostess, narrator) Regis Toomey

2 The Colgate Comedy Hour (October 19, 1952) NBC, Colgate Palmolive Edward Sobel;

John Grant, Elwood Ullman Herself (and characters in sketches) Abbott and Costello Gisele MacKenzie The Four Pipers, Les Dassie, Sid Fields, Dudley Dickerson, Milt Bronson, Bobby Barber

3 Lux Video Theatre "Amo, Amas, Amat" (December 1, 1952) J. Walter Thompson Agency,

Cal Kuhl Richard Goode, Anne Howard Bailey Margaret Bailey Ralph Meeker Oliver Thorndike

4 Lux Video Theatre "Make Believe Bride" (June 11, 1953) J. Walter Thompson Agency,

Cal Kuhl Howard Loeb, Anne Howard Bailey Betsy Don DeFore Glenn Anders

5 Studio 57 "I'll Always Love You, Natalie" (December 12, 1955) Revue Productions Lawrence Kimble(screenwriter) Clara Townsley Patric Knowles William Roerick, Edward Platt, Ed Reimers

6 The 20th Century Fox Hour "Overnight Haul" (May 16, 1956) 20th Century Fox Television,

Peter Packer Jules Bricken, Leonard Freeman Frances Fowler Richard Conte Richard Eyer

7 Adventures in Paradise "The Amazon" (March 21, 1960) 20th Century Fox Television,

Richard Goldstone Joseph Lejtes, William Froug Carla MacKinley Gardner McKay Claude Akins, Tom Drake

8 Burke's Law "Who Killed Cable Roberts?" (October 4, 1963) Four Star, Aaron Spelling Jeffrey Hayden, Gwen Bagni Mona Roberts Gene Barry Paul Lynde, Mary Astor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, John Saxon

9 The Third Man "The Luck of Harry Lime" (August 27, 1965) 20th Century Fox Television,

John Llewellyn Moxey Paul Henreid, Gene Wang Diane Masters Michael Rennie Jonathan Harris, Willis Bouchey