Born on January 1, 1928, Helen Westcott's journey in the entertainment industry began at the tender age of four, when she took to the stage alongside her mother, a talented vaudevillian who played piano and drums. Her father, Gordon Westcott, was a handsome Warner Bros. actor, who shared the screen with notable stars such as Bette Davis, Joe E. Brown, Joan Blondell, William Powell, and James Cagney. Tragically, Gordon's life was cut short at the age of 31 due to a horse polo accident, leaving Helen, then just seven years old, fatherless. Despite this devastating loss, Helen's father's connections at Warner Bros. helped her secure roles in a couple of films, including the western "Thunder Over Texas" (1934) and the fantasy film "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1935),where she played a little fairy.
After taking time off to focus on her education, Helen returned to films in the late 1940s, embodying the role of a beautiful young ingénue. She appeared in a range of films, including lead and secondary roles, such as playing Gregory Peck's estranged wife in the classic "The Gunfighter" (1950),the damsel-in-distress in "Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1953),and the spurned wife of Aldo Ray in the steamy drama "God's Little Acre" (1958). Helen also played plucky co-eds in light comedies and musicals, and provided feminine diversion in "B" adventure showcases starring Errol Flynn, George Montgomery, Guy Madison, Lex Barker, and Dale Robertson.
As her cinematic career began to slow down significantly in the late 1950s, Helen shifted her focus to television, appearing in popular dramas such as "Perry Mason" (1957),"Wanted: Dead or Alive" (1958),"Bonanza" (1959),"The Twilight Zone" (1959),and "M Squad" (1957). She also returned to the live stage, becoming a founding member of the Stage Society and performing in plays such as "The Golden Fleece" (1968). In the 1970s, Helen could still be glimpsed occasionally on film and television. Tragically, her life was cut short due to complications from cancer, and she passed away on March 17, 1998, at the age of 70, far removed from the limelight.
