Evelyn Venable facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Evelyn Venable
Venable in Movie Classic Magazine, 1934
Born	(1913-10-18)October 18, 1913 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Died	November 15, 1993(1993-11-15) (aged 80) Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, U.S.
Alma mater	University of California, Los Angeles
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1933–1943
Notable work	Original voice of The Blue Fairy in Disney's Pinocchio (1940)
Spouse(s)	Hal Mohr ​ ​ (m. 1934; his death 1974)​
Children	2

Evelyn Venable was an American actress. She was born on October 18, 1913, and passed away on November 15, 1993. Many people remember her for playing Grazia in the 1934 movie Death Takes a Holiday. She also gave her voice to a very famous character: The Blue Fairy in Walt Disney's Pinocchio (1940). She was even a model for the Columbia Pictures logo for many years! Evelyn Venable has a special star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This star celebrates her work in movies.

Evelyn Venable's Story

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Evelyn Venable was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the only child of Emerson and Dolores Venable. Her father and grandfather were English teachers. They taught at Walnut Hills High School, where Evelyn also went. While in high school, Evelyn acted in several plays. She played Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Rosalind in As You Like It.

After high school, Evelyn went to Vassar College for a short time. Then, she returned to the University of Cincinnati. She also joined Walter Hampden's traveling theater group. With this group, she performed in famous plays. She played Roxane in Cyrano de Bergerac and Ophelia in Hamlet.

Becoming a Movie Star

While performing in Los Angeles, Evelyn was noticed by movie studios. She was offered several film contracts. At first, she said no to these offers. But in 1932, she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures. Her contract was special. It said she didn't have to cut her hair. It also said she didn't have to pose for certain types of pictures.

Evelyn played the main character or second main character in many films. These movies were made in the 1930s. She said she was the first model for the Columbia Pictures logo. This logo shows a woman holding a torch. However, the movie studio never officially confirmed this.

Fredric March and Evelyn Venable in Death Takes a Holiday (1934)

Meeting Her Husband and The Blue Fairy

Evelyn met Hal Mohr on the set of the movie David Harum in 1934. Hal Mohr was a cinematographer, which means he was in charge of how the movie was filmed. They first argued about her make-up. But the next day, they apologized to each other. By the end of the week, Hal asked Evelyn to marry him.

Evelyn wanted to wait a year before getting married. She was worried about Hollywood divorces. They got married on December 7, 1934. They had two daughters named Dolores and Rosalia.

In 1940, Evelyn Venable lent her voice to a very famous character. She was the voice of The Blue Fairy in Walt Disney's movie Pinocchio.

Life After Acting

In 1943, Evelyn Venable decided to stop acting in movies. She went back to school at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Later, she became a teacher there. She taught ancient Greek and Latin languages. She also helped put on Greek plays for the Classics department at the university.

Her husband, Hal Mohr, passed away in 1974. Evelyn Venable died of cancer on November 15, 1993. She was 80 years old and passed away in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Partial Filmography