Carol Lynley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carol Lynley
Lynley in 1965
Born	Carole Ann Jones (1942-02-13)February 13, 1942 New York City, U.S.
Died	September 3, 2019(2019-09-03) (aged 77) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Carolyn Lee
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1956–2006
Spouse(s)	Michael Selsman ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1964)​
Children	1

Carol Lynley, born Carole Ann Jones on February 13, 1942, was an American actress. She became well-known for her roles in movies like Blue Denim (1959) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972).

Carol started her career as a child model. She then began acting and quickly gained attention. She won a Theatre World Award in 1957 for her acting in the play The Potting Shed. Her first movie was the Disney film The Light in the Forest in 1958. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award twice as a "Most Promising Newcomer – Female" for her early films. Carol Lynley passed away on September 3, 2019.

Early Life

Carol Lynley was born Carole Ann Jones in Manhattan, New York City. Her father was from Ireland, and her mother was from New England. Carol learned to dance when she was a child. Her parents divorced when she was young. Her mother worked as a waitress until Carol's modeling jobs earned enough money to support their family.

Carol first appeared on a local TV show. At 14, she signed a contract to be a child model. She then appeared on live TV shows like the Goodyear Television Playhouse and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

She started her modeling career using the name Carolyn Lee. When she was 15, she appeared on the cover of Life magazine in 1957. When she began acting, she found out that another actress named Carolyn Lee had already registered that name. So, she changed her name to Carol Lynley. She took the last part of "Carolyn" and combined it with "Lee."

As a teenager, Carol Lynley appeared in many advertisements for brands like Clairol and Pepsodent. These ads were seen all over the country.

Acting Career

Starting Out

In 1955, Carol Lynley first appeared on stage in a Broadway play called Anniversary Waltz. When she was 15, she played a role in the Broadway play The Potting Shed (1957).

Carol quickly became known for her work on Broadway and in Hollywood movies. She was especially praised for her role in the drama Blue Denim (1959). She won the Theatre World Award for being one of the most promising new actors. This award helped her get a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox, a major movie studio.

Movie Roles

Lynley as Jean Harlow in 1965's Harlow

Carol Lynley's movie career began in 1958 with the Disney film The Light in the Forest. She then appeared in Holiday for Lovers (1959). In 1959, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as a "Most Promising Newcomer – Female." She received another Golden Globe nomination in 1960 for her role in Blue Denim.

She acted in many films for 20th Century Fox, including Holiday for Lovers, Blue Denim, and Hound-Dog Man (all in 1959). She also starred in Return to Peyton Place (1961).

Carol Lynley often played characters who seemed sweet but had a hidden wild side. Some of her most famous movie roles include Return to Peyton Place (1961), The Cardinal (1963), The Pleasure Seekers (1964), and the thriller Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965). She also starred in The Poseidon Adventure (1972). In The Poseidon Adventure, she lip-synced the famous song "The Morning After."

In 1965, The Hollywood Reporter said that Lynley was at the peak of her career. She starred in the thriller Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965). She also played the famous actress Jean Harlow in the movie Harlow (1965). However, Harlow did not do well at the box office.

Her career slowed down in the late 1960s. In 1967, she had big roles in the horror film The Shuttered Room and the spy movie Danger Route, but these films were not very successful. She then took on smaller roles and appeared in lower-budget movies.

In 1972, she made a brief comeback. She had supporting roles in Night Stalker, TheThe Night Stalker, a TV movie that was very popular, and The Poseidon Adventure, which was one of the highest-earning films of the year. However, she could not keep up this success. She continued to act in various films, including The Four Deuces (1975) and Bad Georgia Road (1977). In 1992, she played a nun in a low-budget thriller called Spirits. Many of her later movies were released directly to video.

Television Roles

Carol Lynley also appeared in many TV shows. She was in the pilot episodes for Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Fantasy Island. She made guest appearances on popular shows like The Big Valley, Mannix, It Takes a Thief, Night Gallery, The Invaders, Kojak, Hawaii Five-O, Tales of the Unexpected, Hart to Hart, and Charlie's Angels. She also appeared in a two-part episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

In 2000, Carol Lynley talked in an interview about how hard it was for actresses her age to find roles. She hoped to make a comeback when she was older. In 2006, she appeared in a short film called Vic, which was co-written and directed by Sage Stallone.

Personal Life and Death

In 1960, Carol Lynley married a publicist named Michael Selsman. They had one child, a daughter named Jill Selsman, who later became a director of short films. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1964.

Carol Lynley died at her home in Pacific Palisades, California, on September 3, 2019. She was 77 years old and passed away from a heart attack. Her ashes were scattered at sea off the coast of Southern California.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Carol Lynley para niños