Peggy Dow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peggy Dow
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Peggy Dow in Modern Screen magazine (1952)
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| Born |
Peggy Josephine Varnadow
March 18, 1928 Columbia, Mississippi, U.S.
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| Other names | Peggy V. Helmerich |
| Education | University of Southern Mississippi Northwestern University |
| Occupation | Film actress |
| Years active | 1949–1952 |
| Spouse(s) |
Walter Helmerich III
(m. 1951; died 2012) |
| Children | 5 |
Peggy Dow (born Peggy Josephine Varnadow; March 18, 1928) is an American actress and a person who gives money to good causes (a philanthropist). She had a short acting career in Hollywood from 1949 to 1952. She starred in movies for Universal Studios during the "Golden Age" of Hollywood films. She is well-known for playing Nurse Kelly in the movie Harvey (1950) and Judy Greene in Bright Victory (1951).
Early Life and School
Peggy Dow was born in Columbia, Mississippi. When she was four years old, her family moved to Covington, Louisiana. She went to high school and a junior college called Gulf Park College in Gulfport, Mississippi. This college is now part of the University of Southern Mississippi.
After that, she went to Northwestern University in Illinois. She acted in plays while she was there. She earned her degree from Northwestern's School of Speech in 1948.
Acting Career
After college, Peggy did some modeling and worked in radio for a short time. A talent agent noticed her and she got a part in a TV show in February 1949. Soon after, Universal Studios offered her a seven-year contract to act in movies.
Peggy Dow made nine films in total. Some of her most famous roles include Nurse Kelly in Harvey (1950), where she starred with James Stewart. She also acted alongside Arthur Kennedy in Bright Victory (1951). Arthur Kennedy was nominated for an Oscar for his role in that film.
Peggy also appeared in several crime movies. In 1951, she had main roles in two family films: Reunion in Reno and You Never Can Tell.
Life After Acting
After just three years in the movie business, Peggy Dow decided to stop acting. In 1951, she married Walter Helmerich III. He was an oil driller from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Later, he became the head of his family's business, Helmerich & Payne.
Peggy and Walter were married for 60 years. Walter passed away in 2012. They had five sons together. After leaving acting, Peggy became very involved in supporting libraries and other good causes.
There is an award named after her, the Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award. This award is given every year since 1985 to a famous author by the Tulsa Library Trust. Also, the drama school at the University of Oklahoma and an auditorium at Northwestern University School of Communication's Annie May Swift Hall are named in her honor.
Filmography
- Your Show Time (TV anthology series) (1949)
- Undertow (1949)
- Woman in Hiding (1950)
- Shakedown (1950)
- The Sleeping City (1950)
- Harvey (1950)
- Bright Victory (1951)
- You Never Can Tell (1951)
- Reunion in Reno (1951)
- I Want You (1951)
- The Cases of Eddie Drake (TV series) (1952)
See also
In Spanish: Peggy Dow para niños
