Birth Name
Carolyn Sue Baker

Date of birth
28 April 1929
Amarillo, Texas, USA

Date of death (due colon cancer)
3 August 1983
West Hollywood, California, USA.

Height
5' 5" (1.65 m)

Spouse
Peter Bailey-Britton (September 1982 - 3 August 1983) (her death)
Herbert S. Greene (1968 - 1977) (divorced)
Aaron Spelling (1953 - 1965) (divorced)

Born April 28th, 1929 in Amarillo, Texas. Her mother was Jeannette, and sister Bette (Moriarty). She was an imaginative child, much like her mother. In 1934, her father abandoned the family and her mother moved them in with her parents, also in Amarillo. As a child she suffered from severe asthma. Although she loved movies she was often too ill to attend, so she listened to her favorites, Danny Kaye and Spike Jones and read as many movie fan magazines as she could. She dreamed of attending the famed Pasadena Playhouse and achieved many awards at school for speech, poetry and dramatics. In 1947 she was accepted as a student at the Pasadena Playhouse and her grandfather agreed to pay for her lessons. She worked in summer stock to supplement her income. She graduated in 1950. She gave herself a complete head to toe makeover including painful cosmetic nose surgery to make herself ready for movie roles. Working as an understudy at the Players Ring Theatre she stepped in when the star left to get married. She was seen by a talent scout from Paramount and given a screen test, which went well. She made her first appearance in Turning Point, The (1952). She did some other work during her 6 month contract, but when it ended Paramount, suffering from television's impact, let it lapse. She quipped, "They let me and 16 secretaries go"!

She started working in television but kept working on stage as well. There, she met Aaron Spelling and they became a couple. She made a breakthrough in the movie, House of Wax (1953) (3D) and earned excellent reviews. Aaron was still struggling so felt he wasn't able to propose to Carolyn so she finally proposed to him. They were married in April 1953. Neither was earning much but they really enjoyed each other and life. Many saw them as an ideal couple. Carolyn decided against children - she felt she could not have a career and children.

Columbia saw her and wanted to test her for the part of Alma Burke in "From Here to Eternity" (1953) but she got extremely sick with pneumonia and the part of the prostitute went to Donna Reed instead. She did, however, achieve success in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), an allegory of the times (McCarthyism). Aaron had little success as an actor, and Carolyn pushed him to become a writer, even threatening to leave him. She constantly promoted his scripts whenever she could and he was finally successful when Dick Powell hired him. Carolyn meanwhile was successful once more in Bachelor Party, The (1957) (famous line, "Just say you love me - you don't have to mean it"). For this role she surprised cast members by dying her hair black and cutting it short. This stunning look served her well for a number of roles. For her 8 minutes on screen she received glowing reviews, and was nominated for an Academy Award but lost.

She followed this with her impressive appearance in King Creole (1958), generally regarded as Elvis's best film. She then gave arguably her best performance ever in the film Career (1959), however the film was not commercially successful. She played the serious role in this, leaving the 'kooky' role she might have played to Shirley MacLaine.

As Aaron's career soared the marriage started to fail. They separated in October 1963 and were amicably divorced in August 1964, with Carolyn asking for no alimony. They remained friends, and those who know him say he never quite got over her. She worked at various roles until she got the part of Morticia Addams in "Addams Family, The" (1964). She spent two years in this role. Her costume was designed to copy the cartoon drawings and possibly inspired many copies such as that of Cassandra Peterson (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark). At this time the show went head to head with "The Munsters" and "Bewitched". This was the role for which she would be most famous. The sexual chemistry between the characters of Morticia and Gomez was shocking for the time, perhaps only matched by the sexuality displayed in "Bachelor Party" and "King Creole". 

The show was a great hit and she received all the fame she had craved, however the network decided to cancel the show, despite its success, after only two years. Type cast as Morticia but without the income that a few more years would have provided she found life difficult and roles few. While playing on the road she married her voice coach Herbert Greene, a man who was not much liked, and he persuaded her to retire to Palm Springs, where she lost contact with many friends. After 7 unhappy years she left him and returned to Hollywood, determined to try to restart her career. She was surprisingly successful and performed in several shows, including an episode of "Fantasy Island" in 1978, a show on which Aaron was the producer. She played Myrna Clegg on the TV show "Capitol" (1982) from 1982 to 1983 despite having been diagnosed with colon cancer in 1981. She had aggressive treatment for the cancer, however it returned during her time on the show and she was told it was terminal.

She played some scenes despite being confined to a wheelchair and working in great pain. Although they knew she was dying she married her boyfriend of 5 years, Peter Bailey-Britton, in September 1982. She finally died on August 3rd, 1983. She told her sister that she wanted her epitaph to be, "She gave joy to the world". She certainly had many friends who loved her greatly, and many fans who enjoyed her wonderful performances.

Actress - Filmography

"Capitol" (1982) TV Series .... Myrna Clegg (#1) (1982-1983)
Midnight Lace (1981) (TV) .... Bernadette Chance
Dream Merchants, The (1980) (TV) .... Vera
"French Atlantic Affair, The" (1979) (mini) TV Series .... Peg
Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff (1979) .... Beth
Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977) (TV) .... Morticia Frump Addams
Eaten Alive (1977) .... Miss Hattie
"Roots" (1977) (mini) TV Series .... Mrs. Moore
Little Ladies of the Night (1977) (TV) .... Marilyn Atkins
Color Me Dead (1969) .... Paula Gibson
Dance of Death, The (1969) .... Jenny
Heaven with a Gun (1969) .... Madge McCloud (saloon owner)
"Addams Family, The" (1964) TV Series .... Morticia Addams/Aunt Ophilia
Ticklish Affair, A (1963) .... Tandy Martin
How the West Was Won (1962) .... Julie Rawlings ("The Outlaws")
Sail a Crooked Ship (1961) .... Virginia
Ice Palace (1960) .... Bridie Ballantyne
Career (1959) .... Shirley Drake
Last Train from Gun Hill (1959) .... Linda, Craig's Girl
Hole in the Head, A (1959) .... Shirl
Man in the Net, The (1959) .... Linda Hamilton
King Creole (1958) .... Ronnie
Marjorie Morningstar (1958) .... Marsha Zelenko
Baby Face Nelson (1957) .... Sue
Johnny Trouble (1957) .... Julie Horton
Bachelor Party, The (1957) .... The Existentialist
Opposite Sex, The (1956) .... Pat
Man Who Knew Too Much, The (1956) .... Cindy Fontaine
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) .... Theodora 'Teddy' Belicec
Tender Trap, The (1955) .... Helen
Seven Year Itch, The (1955) .... Miss Finch (night nurse)
East of Eden (1955) (uncredited)
Desirée (1954) .... Mme. Tallien
Three Hours to Kill (1954) .... Polly
Shield for Murder (1954) .... Beth, Girl at Bar
Saracen Blade, The (1954) .... Elaine of Siniscola
Geraldine (1954) .... Kitty
Make Haste to Live (1954) .... Mary Rose
Big Heat, The (1953) .... Doris
War of the Worlds, The (1953) (uncredited) .... Blonde
House of Wax (1953) .... Cathy Gray
Off Limits (1953) .... Deborah
... aka Military Policemen (1953) (UK)
Road to Bali (1952) .... Eunice
Turning Point, The (1952) .... Woman


Notable TV Guest Appearances

"Fantasy Island" (1978) playing "Elli" in episode: "Daddy's Little Girl/The Whistle" (episode # 5.14) 30 January 1982
"Fantasy Island" (1978) playing "Clora McAllister" in episode: "The Chateau/White Lightning" (episode # 4.14) 7 February 1981
"Quincy" (1976) playing "Victoria Sawyer" in episode: "Stain of Guilt" (episode # 6.8) 14 January 1981
"Fantasy Island" (1978) playing "Jessie DeWinter" in episode: "With Affection, Jack the Ripper/Gigolo" (episode # 4.6) 29 November 1980
"Fantasy Island" (1978) playing "Ellie Simpson" in episode: "Tattoo's Romance/Handy Man" (episode # 3.8) 10 November 1979
"Love Boat, The" (1977) playing "Margaret Jerome" in episode: "Cindy/Play By Play/What's a Brother For?" (episode # 3.8) 27 October 1979
"Quincy" (1976) playing "Sylvia Preston" in episode: "Last of the Dinosaurs" (episode # 3.12) 16 December 1977
"Quincy" (1976) playing "Nurse Barbara Grayson" in episode: "Valleyview" (episode # 2.12) 13 May 1977
"Wonder Woman" (1976) playing "Queen Hippolyta" in episode: "Wonder Woman in Hollywood" (episode # 1.14) 16 February 1977
"Wonder Woman" (1976) playing "Queen Hippolyta" in episode: "The Feminum Mystique: Part 2" (episode # 1.6) 8 November 1976
"Wonder Woman" (1976) playing "Queen Hippolyta" in episode: "The Feminum Mystique: Part 1" (episode # 1.5) 6 November 1976
"Kolchak: The Night Stalker" (1974) playing "The Registrar" in episode: "Demon in Lace" (episode # 1.16) 7 February 1975
"Ironside" (1967) in episode: "Raise the Devil: Part 2" (episode # 8.2) 19 September 1974
"Ironside" (1967) in episode: "Raise the Devil: Part 1" (episode # 8.1) 12 September 1974
"New Perry Mason, The" (1973) in episode: "The Case of the Frenzied Feminist" (episode # 1.12) 16 December 1973
"Match Game 73" (1973) playing "Herself" 8 August 1973
"Ghost Story" (1972) playing "Martha Alcott" in episode: "The Summer House" (episode # 1.5) 13 October 1972
"This Is Your Life" (1971) playing "Herself" in episode: "Jackie Coogan" 2 February 1972
"Virginian, The" (1962) playing "Annie Spencer" in episode: "The Legacy of Spencer Flats" (episode # 9.17) 27 January 1971
"Name of the Game, The" (1968) playing "Lydia" in episode: "Why I Blew Up Dakota" (episode # 3.12) 4 December 1970
"Love, American Style" (1969) in episode: "Love and the Geisha" (episode # 1.7b) 10 November 1969
"Mod Squad, The" (1968) playing "Lisa Whittaker/Jenny" in episode: "Lisa" (episode # 2.6) 4 November 1969
"Storybook Squares, The" (1969) playing "Morticia" (episode # 1.1) 1969
"Rango" (1967) in episode: "What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing Holding Up a Place Like This?" (episode # 1.6) 17 February 1967
"Batman" (1966/II) playing "Marsha" in episode: "Penguin's Disastrous End" (episode # 2.44) 2 February 1967
"Batman" (1966/II) playing "Marsha" in episode: "Penguin Sets a Trend" (episode # 2.43) 1 February 1967
"Batman" (1966/II) playing "Marsha" in episode: "Penguin Is a Girl's Best Friend" (episode # 2.42) 26 January 1967
"Batman" (1966/II) playing "Marsha" in episode: "Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds" (episode # 2.24) 24 November 1966
"Batman" (1966/II) playing "Marsha" in episode: "Marsha, Queen of Diamonds" (episode # 2.23) 23 November 1966
"DuPont Show of the Week, The" (1961) playing "Jo Jo" in episode: "Jeremy Rabbitt - The Secret Avenger" (episode # 3.12) 5 April 1964
"Burke's Law" (1963) playing "Carole" in episode: "Who Killed Madison Cooper?" (episode # 1.18) 24 January 1964
"Burke's Law" (1963) playing "Betsy Richards/Meredith Richards/Jane Richards/Olivia Manning" in episode: "Who Killed Sweet Betsy?" (episode # 1.7) 1 November 1963
"Wagon Train" (1957) playing "Molly Kincaid" in episode: "The Molly Kincaid Story" (episode # 7.1) 16 September 1963
"Dick Powell Show, The" (1961) playing "Cleo Plowright" in episode: "The Sea Witch" (episode # 2.5) 23 October 1962
"Dr. Kildare" (1961) playing "Evy Schaller" in episode: "The Mask Makers" (episode # 2.4) 18 October 1962
"Frontier Circus" (1961) playing "Amy Tyson" in episode: "Stopover in Paradise" (episode # 1.16) 22 February 1962
"Dick Powell Show, The" (1961) playing "Hannah Cole" in episode: "Goodby, Hannah" (episode # 1.9) 21 November 1961
"Wagon Train" (1957) playing "Jenna Douglas" in episode: "The Jenna Douglas Story" (episode # 5.6) 1 November 1961
"Dick Powell Show, The" (1961) playing "Julie Greer" in episode: "Who Killed Julie Greer?" (episode # 1.1) 26 September 1961
"Zane Grey Theater" (1956) playing "Julie Whiting" in episode: "Blood Red" (episode # 5.16) 29 January 1961
"DuPont Show with June Allyson, The" (1959) playing "Lena Murchak" in episode: "Love on Credit" (episode # 2.8) 17 November 1960
"Zane Grey Theater" (1956) playing "Sal" in episode: "Picture of Sal" (episode # 4.17) 28 January 1960
"This Is Your Life" (1952) playing "Herself" in episode: "Frank Capra" 10 June 1959
"Playhouse 90" (1956) in episode: "The Last Man" (episode # 2.18) 9 January 1958
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1951) in episode: "High Barrier" (episode # 7.6) 18 October 1957
"Wagon Train" (1957) playing "Julie Cameron" in episode: "The John Cameron Story" (episode # 1.3) 2 October 1957
"Millionaire, The" (1955) in episode: "The Matt Kirby Story" (episode # 4.1) 18 September 1957
"General Electric Theater" (1953) playing "Phyllis" in episode: "The Man Who Inherited Everything" 19 May 1957
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1951) in episode: "The Girl in the Grass" (episode # 6.22) 15 March 1957
"Wire Service" (1956) in episode: "Dateline Las Vegas" (episode # 1.22) 4 March 1957
"Zane Grey Theater" (1956) playing "Ella" in episode: "Until the Man Dies" (episode # 1.17) 25 January 1957
"Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre" (1955) playing "Madeline Novak" in episode: "The Little Black Lie" (episode # 2.16) 1 January 1957
"20th Century-Fox Hour, The" (1955) playing "Rita Kirby" in episode: "The Hefferan Family" (episode # 1.18) 13 June 1956
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1955) playing "Pamela Waring" in episode: "The Cheney Vase" (episode # 1.13) 25 December 1955
"Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre" (1955) playing "Patient" in episode: "The Key" (episode # 1.12) 15 November 1955
"20th Century-Fox Hour, The" (1955) playing "Fanny Bridges" in episode: "Cavalcade" (episode # 1.1) 5 October 1955
"Dragnet" (1951) in episode: "The Big Note" (episode # 4.36) 5 May 1955
"Millionaire, The" (1955) playing "Emily Short" in episode: "The Story of Emily Short" (episode # 1.5) 16 February 1955
"Four Star Playhouse" (1952) in episode: "The Answer" (episode # 3.13) 23 December 1954
"Studio 57" (1954) in episode: "Storm Signal" (episode # 1.12) 30 November 1954
"Dragnet" (1951) (as Caroline Jones) in episode: "The Big Producer" (episode # 4.1) 26 August 1954
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" (1951) in episode: "Prisoner in the Town" (episode # 3.36) 7 May 1954
"Dragnet" (1951) (as Caroline Jones) in episode: "The Big Frame" (episode # 3.34) 22 April 1954
"Mr. & Mrs. North" (1952) in episode: "Busy Signal" (episode # 2.12) 13 April 1954
"Dragnet" (1951) (as Caroline Jones) in episode: "The Big Girl" (episode # 3.31) 1 April 1954
 

Bio Archive

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