Kristine Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kristine Miller
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Kristine Miller in 1957
|
|
| Born |
Jacqueline Olivia Eskesen
June 13, 1925 Buenos Aires, Argentina
|
| Died | Late 2015 (aged 90) Monterey, California, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | San Francisco State College |
| Occupation | Film actress |
| Years active | 1945–1961 |
| Spouse(s) |
William Schuyler
(m. 1953; died 2013) |
| Children | 2 |
Kristine Miller (born Jacqueline Olivia Eskesen, June 13, 1925 – 2015) was an American actress. She was known for her roles in detective movies and Westerns. A famous producer named Hal B. Wallis discovered her. She appeared in movies like I Walk Alone (1948) and Too Late for Tears (1949). She was also in the TV series Stories of the Century (1954–55).
Contents
Early Life and Acting Dreams
Kristine Miller was born Jacqueline Olivia Eskesen in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her father was a Danish oil executive, and her mother was a singer from Fresno, California. Kristine had an older sister named Dorothea.
Her family moved a lot when she was young. They lived in Argentina, New Orleans, Fresno, and Copenhagen, Denmark. When she was 7, they moved to Denmark. In 1938, before World War II started in Europe, her mother and sisters moved to Long Island, New York. Later, they went back to Fresno, then to San Francisco, California. Kristine became a US citizen in 1942.
Because she lived in different countries, Kristine spoke English, Spanish, and Danish very well. She also knew some Portuguese and German. As a child, she wasn't interested in acting. But her mother, who was a singer, wanted her to be in entertainment. When Kristine played a main role in her high school play, The American Way, she started to like show business.
In 1944, when Kristine was 18, she heard that a talent scout from Warner Brothers would visit her school. The scout didn't come, so she sent a letter and photo to the studio. She got a screen test at Warner Brothers and changed her name to Kristine Miller. Even though she didn't pass the test, producer Hal Wallis noticed her. He later brought her to Paramount Pictures.
Starting Her Career at Paramount
.jpg)
Kristine Miller made her first movie appearance at Paramount in You Came Along (1945). She played a showgirl, but her role wasn't credited. She appeared in five movies with another new actress, Lizabeth Scott.
In 1946, Kristine worked for another studio, Monogram Pictures. She played a model in the movie Suspense. Around this time, she lived in a house with other young actresses. It was called "The House of the Seven Garbos." One of the women living there said Kristine was calm and refined. She believed Kristine had a great future as an actress.
Hal Wallis, the producer, wanted Kristine to star in a movie called Beggars Are Coming to Town. He thought it would be her big break. But another actress, Lizabeth Scott, wanted the main role and got it. Kristine said, "Lizabeth got whatever she wanted—from Hal Wallis!" So, Kristine played a different role, Alexis Richardson, in the movie, which was renamed I Walk Alone (1948). She was worried about playing a "mean" character. But film experts often remember her as playing the "good girl."
First Main Roles and TV Work
.jpg)
In 1948, Kristine got her first main role in the movie Jungle Patrol. She played Jean Gillis, a Broadway actress who entertains soldiers during World War II. This was the only movie where Kristine had the top billing. She said it was her favorite film.
Kristine later found it harder to get big roles. Many actors were returning from the war, and the film industry was changing. She met a producer named Mark Hellinger, who thought she could become a star. But he died suddenly in 1947.
Kristine continued to get smaller roles. In Sorry, Wrong Number (1948), her role was changed and became much smaller. She also appeared with Lizabeth Scott again in Too Late for Tears (1949). Kristine played Kathy Palmer, who suspects her sister-in-law of murder.
By 1949, Kristine's contract with Paramount Pictures ended. She started working as a freelancer, meaning she wasn't tied to one studio. She worked for smaller studios like Monogram and Republic Pictures. She also started acting in television shows, which was a new and growing medium.
Busy Years in the 1950s
.jpg)
The 1950s were Kristine's busiest years, even as she started a family. She showed a wider range of acting skills during this time. She played a younger sister in Shadow on the Wall (1950). She also started to become known for Westerns, playing the main female role in Young Daniel Boone (1950) and High Lonesome (1950).
In 1951, she acted in a Cold War thriller called The Steel Fist (1952). She played Marlina, a young woman hiding a student from communists. Because she knew many languages, Kristine could do different accents for her roles. She used these skills in TV shows like Dangerous Assignment and The Millionaire.
In 1953, Kristine had a small, uncredited role in the famous movie From Here to Eternity. She said most of her scenes were cut. On July 27, 1953, Kristine married William Schuyler. They had their first child, Linda Elizabeth, in February 1954.
In 1954, Kristine played the second main female role in three movies: Flight Nurse (1954), Geraldine (1954), and the Western Hell's Outpost (1954). She also appeared in two episodes of the TV series The Lone Wolf.
Starring in Stories of the Century
In 1955, Kristine Miller took on her most famous role as Margaret "Jonesy" Jones in the TV series Stories of the Century. The show was about railroad detectives solving cases in the old West. Kristine's character, Jonesy, would often do detective work before the main character, Matt Clark (played by Jim Davis), arrived. This made it seem like they weren't working together.
Kristine was supposed to star in the series from the beginning, but she was pregnant. So, another actress, Mary Castle, played the role for the first 26 episodes. After Mary Castle left, Kristine took over. Even with the change, Stories of the Century won an Emmy Award in 1955 for being the best Western. Despite its popularity, the series was canceled.
After Stories of the Century, Kristine appeared in other TV shows, including four episodes of Science Fiction Theater. She also made three more Western films: Thunder over Arizona (1956), Domino Kid (1957), and The Persuader (1957). Her last film role was in The Heart Is a Rebel (1958).
Kristine also appeared in two episodes of CBS's The Texan and two episodes of The Donna Reed Show. Her last TV appearance was in 1961 in an episode of Tales of Wells Fargo.
Life After Acting
Kristine Miller stopped acting because she wanted to focus on her family and her husband's business. In the early 1960s, the Schuylers moved from Los Angeles to the San Francisco Bay Area. Her husband, William, was setting up television stations in Northern California.
Together, Kristine and William started two TV stations in Monterey, California. One was KMST, and the other was KSMS, a Spanish-language station that Kristine was especially interested in. The family settled in Monterey in 1969.
In the 1990s, the Schuylers lived in Idaho and started two more TV stations there. They returned to Monterey in 2001. Kristine often gave talks about her experiences in film and television. She also helped with local charity events.
Kristine Miller passed away in late 2015 at the age of 90 in Monterey, California. A memorial service was held for her in February 2016. Her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.
Images for kids
-
Kristine Miller in The Domino Kid (1957)
See also
In Spanish: Kristine Miller para niños
