Arlene Dahl facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arlene Dahl
Dahl in 1953
Born	Arlene Carol Dahl (1925-08-11)August 11, 1925 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	November 29, 2021(2021-11-29) (aged 96) New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Minnesota
Occupation	Actress businesswoman columnist
Years active	1944–2012
Spouse(s)	Lex Barker ​ ​ (m. 1951; div. 1952)​ Fernando Lamas ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1960)​ Christian R. Holmes ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1964)​ Alexis Lichine ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1969)​ Rounsevelle W. "Skip" Schaum ​ ​ (m. 1969; div. 1976)​ Marc Rosen ​ ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	3, including Lorenzo Lamas
Relatives	AJ Lamas (grandson) Shayne Lamas (granddaughter)

Arlene Carol Dahl (born August 11, 1925 – died November 29, 2021) was an American actress. She became famous in films starting in the late 1940s. She was one of the last movie stars from the Classical Hollywood cinema era.

Arlene Dahl was also a writer and a successful businesswoman. She started two companies: Arlene Dahl Enterprises and Dahlia, which made perfumes.

She had three children. Her oldest child is the actor Lorenzo Lamas.

Biography

Early Life and Talents

Arlene Dahl was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on August 11, 1925. Her parents, Idelle and Rudolph Dahl, were from Norway. Her father worked as an executive for Ford Motor Company.

When she was a child, Arlene took lessons in speaking clearly and dancing. She loved being in plays at her schools. After high school, she worked in a local drama group. She also modeled clothes for department stores. Arlene briefly attended the University of Minnesota.

Starting Her Acting Career

After high school, Arlene lived in Chicago. She worked as a buyer for a store there. Later, she moved to New York City and became a model. In 1945, she got a part in a musical play called Mr. Strauss Goes to Boston.

This led to a main role in another play, Questionable Ladies. A talent scout from Hollywood saw her perform. This was her big chance to become a movie star!

Becoming a Star at MGM

Arlene Dahl had a small, uncredited role in the movie Life with Father (1947). Soon after, she got a main role in My Wild Irish Rose (1947). This movie was very popular. Because of its success, MGM, a big movie studio, offered her a long-term contract.

At MGM, she played a supporting role in The Bride Goes Wild (1948). She also starred as the main female character in the comedy A Southern Yankee (1948). She worked with famous actors like Van Johnson and Red Skelton.

Arlene also starred in Reign of Terror (1949). She continued to make many movies for MGM. These included Scene of the Crime (1949) with Van Johnson. She also appeared in Ambush (1950) and The Outriders (1950). She even danced with Fred Astaire in Three Little Words (1950). Most of these movies made good money for MGM.

Adventure Films and New Ventures

Arlene Dahl and Fernando Lamas, by Virgil Apger, 1954

Arlene Dahl signed a contract to make several adventure movies. She starred in Caribbean Gold (1952), a movie about pirates and adventure.

She then joined Alan Ladd in Desert Legion (1953), a story about the French Foreign Legion. She also made Jamaica Run (1953) and Sangaree (1953). In Sangaree, she starred with Fernando Lamas, who she would later marry.

She also appeared in the comedy Here Come the Girls (1953) with Bob Hope. Arlene and Fernando Lamas worked together again in The Diamond Queen (1953).

In 1952, Arlene started writing a beauty column for newspapers. In 1954, she opened her own company, Arlene Dahl Enterprises. This company sold cosmetics and fancy lingerie (underwear).

Arlene also started appearing on television shows. These included Lux Video Theatre and The Ford Television Theatre. She was a guest and a panelist on the game show What's My Line?. In 1953, she hosted The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse.

She made a film noir movie called Slightly Scarlet (1956). She also filmed movies in England, like Wicked as They Come (1956).

Arlene hosted a TV series called Opening Night (1958). She also had a main role in the adventure movie Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959). This movie, starring James Mason, became one of her most successful films.

Career in the 1960s and 1970s

In 1960, Arlene appeared in the TV series Riverboat. She married Christian Holmes that same year. She announced she would stop acting, but she continued to work. Arlene became a speaker and a beauty expert.

She had a role in Kisses for My President (1964). She also appeared in Land Raiders (1969) and The Pleasure Pit (1969). She was also on TV shows like Burke's Law.

By this time, she was focusing more on her business career. In 1967, she became a vice president at an advertising agency.

In the early 1970s, Arlene returned to Broadway (theatre). She took over the role of Margo Channing in the musical Applause.

She also acted in the soap opera One Life to Live. She made guest appearances on shows like Love, American Style, Fantasy Island, and The Love Boat. She also starred in a TV movie, The Deadly Dream (1971).

Later Career and Business

Dahl in 2000

From 1981 to 1984, Arlene Dahl played Lucinda Schenck Wilson on the soap opera One Life to Live. In 1988, she starred in the film A Place to Hide.

Her last movie role was in Night of the Warrior (1991). In this film, she acted alongside her son, Lorenzo Lamas.

In the 1980s, Arlene also became interested in astrology. She wrote a newspaper column about it. She also wrote more than twenty books on beauty and astrology.

She made guest appearances on TV shows starring her son, including Renegade and Air America.

Business Ventures

Arlene Dahl was a smart businesswoman. In 1951, she started writing a beauty column for a newspaper.

In the mid-1950s, she created Arlene Dahl Enterprises. This company sold her own line of lingerie, nightgowns, and cosmetics. She even invented a special knitted sleeping cap for women called the Dahl Beauty Cap.

In 1970, Arlene worked for Sears Roebuck as the director of beauty products. She earned a lot of money in this role. In 1975, she left Sears to start her own perfume company called Dahlia.

Personal Life

Arlene Dahl was married six times. Her husbands included:

• Actor Lex Barker. They were married from 1951 to 1952.
• Actor Fernando Lamas. They married in 1954. Their son, Lorenzo Lamas, was born in 1958. They divorced in 1960.
• Christian R. Holmes. They were married from 1960 to 1963. They had one daughter, Christina Carole Holmes.
• Wine writer Alexis Lichine. They were married from 1964 to 1969.
• TV producer Rounsevelle W. "Skip" Schaum. They were married from 1969 to 1976. Their son, Rounsevelle Andreas Schaum, was born during this marriage.
• Packaging designer Marc Rosen. They were married from 1984 until her death.

Arlene had six grandchildren, including AJ Lamas and Shayne Lamas. She also had two great-grandchildren.

Arlene Dahl passed away in her New York City apartment on November 29, 2021. She was 96 years old.

Filmography

Television Work

Radio Appearances

Images for kids

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  Dahl in 1953

See Also

In Spanish: Arlene Dahl para niños