Isabel Jewell, like other actresses in Hollywood in the 1930s, sufferedfrom chronic typecasting. The diminutive, platinum-haired daughter of adoctor and medical researcher seemed to be often playing hard-boiled,tough-talking broads: gangster's molls, dumb blondes, prostitutes and,of course, poor "white trash" Emmy Slattery inKaze to tomo ni sarinu (1939). However, she also played ordinary 'nice' next-door girl types, for example in Marked Men.While stardom eluded her for the most part, she nonetheless remained abusy supporting actress with an impressive array of A-budget films toher credit. Signed as an MGM contract player, she reputedly earned upto $3,000 a week -- a small fortune at the time. Isabel was educated atSt. Mary's Academy in Minnesota and at Hamilton College in Kentucky.After years in stock companies (including an 87-week stint in Lincoln,Nebraska), she hit the big time after getting a part on Broadway in "UpPops the Devil" (1930). With just three hours of rehearsal time, shedelivered her performance to great critical acclaim and had even betterreviews as a fast-talking telephone operator in "Blessed Event". Shereprised this role in the screen version ofBlessed Event (1932) and her moviecareer was effectively launched. While her parts were often small, theycould also be memorable, as inCeiling Zero (1936) andMarked Woman (1937). Other actinghighlights include her consumptive prostitute finding salvation inUshinau hareta chiheisen (1937), and herpoignant against-type performance as an ill-fated seamstress on her wayto the guillotine inA Tale of Two Cities (1935).

In the 1940s and '50s, her roles diminished from small to bits touncredited and she fell on hard times: in 1959 she got into troublewith the law in Las Vegas for passing bad checks and, two years later,spent five days in jail for drunk driving. She was found dead in herhome in April 1972, aged just 64. One of her two former husbands waswriter-producer-directorOwen Crump(1903-1998). A lasting memory of Isabel Jewell is her star on theHollywood Walk of Fame on Vine Street.