Mari Blanchard
Blanchard inMcLintock! (1963)
Born	Mary E. Blanchard (1923-04-13)April 13, 1923 Long Beach, California, U.S.
Died	May 10, 1970(1970-05-10) (aged 47) Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1947–1968
Spouses	Reese Hale Taylor, Jr. ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1961)​ George Shepard ​ ​ (m. 1965; div. 1966)​ Vincent J. Conti ​ ​ (m. 1967)​

Mari Blanchard (bornMary E. Blanchard, April 13, 1923 – May 10, 1970) was an American film and television actress, known foremost for her roles as aB moviefemme fatale in American productions of the 1950s and early 1960s.

Blanchard was born on April 13, 1923, inLong Beach, California^[1] (although some reference sources cite her birth year as 1927^[2]) Apolio survivor at age nine,^[3] Blanchard's health eventually improved enough that she ran away from home and joined a circus in her teens. She then attended theUniversity of Southern California,University of California, Los Angeles andSanta Barbara State College.^[4]

In the late 1940s, Blanchard became a successful print model and film extra; however, after a producer saw her in an advertisement for bubble bath, she began to have some limited success as an actress on the "big screen." From 1950 to 1951, she took small roles in a number of films atMGM,RKO, andParamount, until she was signed byUniversal-International in 1952. Her first film at Universal wasBack at the Front, followed by the 1953 romantic adventureThe Veils of Bagdad in which she co-starred withVictor Mature.^[5]

One of Blanchard's more memorable film roles, however, was her portrayal of a Venusian queen, Allura, in the 1953 comedyAbbott and Costello Go to Mars.^[6] She then starred in 1954 inDestry, aWestern withAudie Murphy, reprising a character whomMarlene Dietrich had played in the story's original 1939 version,Destry Rides Again, but changing the character's name from "Frenchy" to "Brandy."

Some other films of the 1950s in which she is featured includeSon of Sinbad (1955),Stagecoach to Fury (1956),She Devil (1957),Jungle Heat (1957),No Place to Land (1958), andMachete (1958). Following her work on these films, Blanchard began to focus increasingly on performing on television, although she did appear in a few other films in the 1960s, including a small but flamboyant role as Camille inMcLintock! (1963), directed byAndrew MacLaglen and starringJohn Wayne.^[7]

On television, Blanchard appeared in "Escape From Fear" (1955), an episode of the anthology seriesClimax!. She made guest appearances in various television series through the late 1960s, includingRawhide 1959 and (1961) – Laura Carter in S3:E14, "Incident of the Big Blowout",Bachelor Father (1959),Tales of Wells Fargo (1960),Laramie (1960),Sea Hunt (1960),Hawaiian Eye (1961),77 Sunset Strip (1961: two episodes, two different characters),Perry Mason (1963, as the murder victim Irene Chase in the episode "The Case of the Melancholy Marksman"),Burke's Law (1965),The Virginian (1967), andIt Takes a Thief (1968). She was a series regular in the short-livedKlondike (1960–1961: 12 episodes).

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Blanchard was married three times: to lawyer Reese Hale Taylor, Jr. (1960–1961); George Shepard (1965–1966); and to photographer Vincent J. Conti (1967–1970). All the unions were childless.^[8]

In an interview withLos Angeles Times beauty columnist Lydia Lane in 1955,^[9] Blanchard was asked about how often she has had to change her hair coloring for various film roles, and the conversation leads to not only an analysis by Blanchard about perceptions people have of "blonds vs brunettes" but also reveals that she had been studying international law at the University of Southern California USC. Lydia asks "Were you seriously thinking of being a lawyer?" Blanchard responded "I was until I discovered the extent to which they discriminate against women."^[10]

Retiring from film work after the release ofMcLintock! in 1963, Blanchard continued to perform on a few television series until her failing health finally forced her to end her career. Her last credited performance was in 1968, playing the part of Madame Gamar on the seriesIt Takes a Thief.

Diagnosed with cancer in 1963, she struggled with the disease in those final performances and during her remaining years.^[1]

On May 10, 1970, aged 47, she died inWoodland Hills, California; and in accordance with her wishes, her remains were cremated and scattered at sea.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMari Blanchard.

• Mari Blanchard atIMDb

• 1923 births
• 1970 deaths
• American film actresses
• American television actresses
• Deaths from cancer in California
• Actresses from California
• Actresses from Greater Los Angeles
• 20th-century American actresses
• American people of French descent
• Polio survivors

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