Elyse Knox
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Elyse Knox, YANK magazine, 1943 |
Elyse Knox (born
December 14,
1917 in
Hartford, Connecticut) is an
American actress. She studied at the
Traphagen School of Fashion in
Manhattan then embarked on a career in
fashion design. Her good looks enabled her to model some of her own creations for
Vogue magazine that led to a contract offer from
Twentieth Century Fox film studio in 1937. Knox performed mainly in minor or secondary roles until 1942 when she had a leading role with
Lon Chaney, Jr. in
The Mummy's Tomb, one of the series of "Mummy"
horror films made by
Universal Studios. Knox appeared as herself in the Universal Studios 1944 production
"Follow the Boys," one of the
World War II morale-booster films made for both the soldiers serving overseas as well as civilians at home. Knox also was a
pin up girl during the War, appearing in such magazines as
YANK, a weekly put out by the
United States Military.
Knox continued to do modeling work for print ads and while appearing on the
Bing Crosby radio show she met
football star and decorated soldier
Tom Harmon. They married in 1944 and remained together until his death in 1990. They are the parents of:
*
Kristin Harmon (b.1945), actress and painter who at seventeen married recording artist
Ricky Nelson;
*
Kelly Harmon (b. 1948), who modeled and also acted in film and television and was once married to automaker
John DeLorean;
*
Mark Harmon (b.1951), film and television actor.
In late 1945 she was signed by
Monogram Pictures to portray Anne Howe, the love interest of fictional
boxer Joe Palooka in
"Joe Palooka, Champ." Based on the very popular
comic strip, the instant success of the May 1946 film led to Elyse Knox appearing in another five
Joe Palooka productions. After acting in thirty-nine films, Elyse Knox retired in 1949 following her performance in the
musical film "There's a Girl in My Heart."
