Marjorie Reynolds, born Marjorie Goodspeed, was a vibrant and lively individual who began her life on August 12, 1917, in Idaho. Raised in Los Angeles by her homemaker mother and doctor father, Marjorie made her film debut at the tender age of six, only to retire from acting after a few years to pursue a regular education.
As a teenager, Marjorie returned to the film industry in the mid-1930s, taking on various extra and bit roles for major studios, initially billed as Marjorie Moore. Her first speaking role was in the 1937 film "Murder in Greenwich Village," where she was billed as Marjorie Reynolds, her husband's last name, which she would maintain throughout her career.
Marjorie's early acting career was marked by a non-challenging prairie-flower phase, where she starred opposite Hollywood's top western stars, including Tex Ritter, Buck Jones, Roy Rogers, and Tim Holt. However, her career took a significant turn when she won the top female role opposite Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire in the seasonal film classic "Holiday Inn" (1942),a role originally designed for Mary Martin. This iconic film remains Marjorie's most popular and cherished role on screen, but it did not secure her a permanent spot in "A" quality films.
Throughout the 1940s, Marjorie continued to appear in a range of films, including "Up in Mabel's Room" (1944),"Meet Me on Broadway" (1946),and "Heaven Only Knows" (1947). She also had the opportunity to work with renowned directors, such as Fritz Lang, on the film "Ministry of Fear" (1944).
As she matured and entered the 1950s, Marjorie transitioned to television, starring as William Bendix's patient and resourceful wife on the comedy series "The Life of Riley" (1953). This role brought her significant recognition, and she became a semi-household name. However, her career began to decline following the show's demise in 1958, and she was only sporadically seen in films, commercials, and TV guest spots thereafter.
Marjorie was married twice, first to Jack Reynolds, an assistant casting director for Samuel Goldwyn, with whom she had a daughter, Linda, before divorcing in 1952 after 16 years. Her second husband, John Whitney, was a film editor who worked as an actor in the 1940s. They were married for 32 years until his death in 1985.
After a long and fulfilling life, Marjorie passed away in 1997 due to congestive heart failure, having collapsed while walking her dog. Although she may not have reached her full potential as a serious actress, Marjorie's gentle charm and obvious beauty certainly enhanced the 60+ films in which she appeared.
