Marvel Marilyn Maxwell, the lesser-known yet undeniably talented sex symbol of the 1940s and 1950s, was born on August 3, 1920, in Clarinda, Iowa. Initially using her full name professionally, she later adopted her middle name, Marilyn, at the suggestion of Louis B. Mayer.
As a teenager, Maxwell worked as an usher at the Rialto Theater in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and later as a radio singer. Her early career was marked by a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1942, which led to appearances on popular radio shows such as "The Abbott and Costello Show", "Beat the Band", and "Stars Over Hollywood".
Maxwell made her movie debut in the star-studded World War II propaganda film Stand by for Action (1942) and went on to star in numerous films throughout the 1940s and 1950s, including Thousands Cheer (1943),Lost in a Harem (1944),Champion (1949),Key to the City (1950),The Lemon Drop Kid (1951),and Rock-a-Bye Baby (1958).
During World War II and the Korean War, Maxwell accompanied her frequent co-star and off-screen lover, Bob Hope, on USO tours to entertain troops. Her extensive filmography also includes appearances in television shows such as The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950),General Electric Theater (1953),The Red Skelton Hour (1951),The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956),and Playhouse 90 (1956).
In the 1960s, Maxwell continued to focus on television, appearing on shows like Wagon Train (1957),The Danny Thomas Show (1953),Burke's Law (1963),The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962),and The Bob Hope Show (1950),as well as game shows such as I've Got a Secret (1952) and Stump the Stars (1947).
Maxwell's most notable role during this period was as diner owner Grace Sherwood on the series Bus Stop (1961),which she left after one season due to her dissatisfaction with the limited scope of her character.
Throughout her life, Maxwell was married three times, each marriage ending in divorce, and had one son, Matthew, born in 1956, with her third husband, Jerry Davis. Tragically, Maxwell passed away on March 20, 1972, at the age of 51, from an apparent heart attack, leaving behind her 15-year-old son.
