Jeff Donnell

Biography

Jeff Donnell was an American actress who was signed by Columbia Pictures while she was working with the Farragut Playhouse in New Hampshire; her first film was My Sister Eileen (1942). She stayed with the studio for five years, in comedies, mysteries, westerns and musicals, and was often the house tomboy, the plain-speaking sidekick to the glamorous ingenue, though she showed a flair for comedy. Once her contract ended she took freelance work at other studios, largely in low-budget action pictures, then came back to Columbia in 1950; Lucille Ball brought her into The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). She appeared in In a Lonely Place (1950), The Blue Gardenia (1953), Sweet Smell of Success (1957) and My Man Godfrey (1957), and on television she played George Gobel's wife Alice on The George Gobel Show. From 1979 to 1988 she was Stella Fields on General Hospital.

66years old at death

Born July 10, 1921Windham
Died April 11, 1988Hollywood
Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22

Movie Career

Films: 16
Career span: 37 years1942 to 1979

Genres

Drama50%, 8 films
Crime44%, 7 films
Comedy31%, 5 films
Film-Noir25%, 4 films
Action13%, 2 films

First and latest

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About the name
Donnell chose the nickname Jeff as a child, taken from a character in Mutt and Jeff, the comic strip she liked best. She was sometimes billed as (Miss) Jeff Donnell so people would not confuse her gender.
Early training
After finishing Towson High School in Maryland in 1938, Donnell went on to the Leland Powers School of Drama in Boston, Massachusetts, and afterward studied at the Yale School of Drama.

Jeff Donnell movies on Netflix

Murder by Natural Causes1979IMDb rating 7.5as Mrs. Mathews
Spider-Man1977IMDb rating 5.3as Aunt May Parker
Congratulations, It's a Boy!1971IMDb rating 5.7as Rose
My Man Godfrey1957IMDb rating 6.3as Molly
Sweet Smell of Success1957IMDb rating 8.0as Sally
The Guns of Fort Petticoat1957IMDb rating 6.3as Mary Wheller
The Blue Gardenia1953IMDb rating 6.8as Sally Ellis
Because You're Mine1952IMDb rating 5.9as Patty Ware
In a Lonely Place1950IMDb rating 7.9as Sylvia Nicolai
Walk Softly, Stranger1950IMDb rating 6.5as Gwen
Easy Living1949IMDb rating 6.3as Penny McCarr
Mr. District Attorney1947IMDb rating 6.5as Miss Miller
Night Editor1946IMDb rating 6.7as Martha Cochrane
The Power of the Whistler1945IMDb rating 6.3as Frances 'Francie' Lane
My Sister Eileen1942IMDb rating 7.0as Helen Loomis
The Boogie Man Will Get You1942IMDb rating 5.8as Winnie Slade

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Sweet Smell of Success1957 Drama, Film-Noiras Sally
IMDb rating 8.041K votes
In a Lonely Place1950 Drama, Film-Noir, Mysteryas Sylvia Nicolai
IMDb rating 7.940K votes
The Blue Gardenia1953as Sally Ellis
IMDb rating 6.87.3K votes
The Guns of Fort Petticoat1957as Mary Wheller
IMDb rating 6.31.9K votes
Night Editor1946as Martha Cochrane
IMDb rating 6.71.2K votes
The Boogie Man Will Get You1942as Winnie Slade
IMDb rating 5.81.5K votes
The Power of the Whistler1945as Frances 'Francie' Lane
IMDb rating 6.3895 votes
Walk Softly, Stranger1950as Gwen
IMDb rating 6.51.6K votes

Most often with

Alexander Hall directed two of these films, Lew Landers two. Ten actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Frank Puglia

Don Beddoe

Steven Geray

Paul Stewart

Spring Byington

Richard ErdmanAlexander HallDirector, 2 films Lew LandersDirector, 2 films

Films together

Frank Puglia2 films together, 1942 to 1950
Frank Puglia's page
- Walk Softly, Stranger1950IMDb rating 6.5Donnell as GwenPuglia as A.J. Corelli
- The Boogie Man Will Get You1942IMDb rating 5.8Donnell as Winnie SladePuglia as Silvio Baciagalupi
Don Beddoe2 films together, 1942 to 1949
Don Beddoe's page
- Easy Living1949IMDb rating 6.3Donnell as Penny McCarrBeddoe as Jaeger
- The Boogie Man Will Get You1942IMDb rating 5.8Donnell as Winnie SladeBeddoe as J. Gilbert Brampton
Steven Geray2 films together, 1947 to 1950
Steven Geray's page
- In a Lonely Place1950IMDb rating 7.9Donnell as Sylvia NicolaiGeray as Paul
- Mr. District Attorney1947IMDb rating 6.5Donnell as Miss MillerGeray as Berotti
Paul Stewart2 films together, 1949 to 1950
Paul Stewart's page
- Walk Softly, Stranger1950IMDb rating 6.5Donnell as GwenStewart as Whitey Lake
- Easy Living1949IMDb rating 6.3Donnell as Penny McCarrStewart as Dave Argus
Spring Byington2 films together, 1950 to 1952
Spring Byington's page
- Because You're Mine1952IMDb rating 5.9Donnell as Patty WareByington as Mrs. Edna Montville
- Walk Softly, Stranger1950IMDb rating 6.5Donnell as GwenByington as Mrs. Brentman
Richard Erdman2 films together, 1949 to 1953
Richard Erdman's page
- The Blue Gardenia1953IMDb rating 6.8Donnell as Sally EllisErdman as Al
- Easy Living1949IMDb rating 6.3Donnell as Penny McCarrErdman as Buddy Morgan
Alexander HallDirector, 2 films, 1942 to 1952
All films by Alexander Hall
- Because You're Mine1952IMDb rating 5.9Donnell as Patty Ware
- My Sister Eileen1942IMDb rating 7.0Donnell as Helen Loomis
Lew LandersDirector, 2 films, 1942 to 1945
All films by Lew Landers
- The Power of the Whistler1945IMDb rating 6.3Donnell as Frances 'Francie' Lane
- The Boogie Man Will Get You1942IMDb rating 5.8Donnell as Winnie Slade
Also two films together4 more actors
- Gordon JonesEasy Living (1949) and My Sister Eileen (1942)
- Ann SothernCongratulations, It's a Boy! (1971) and The Blue Gardenia (1953)
- Frank SullyMy Sister Eileen (1942) and The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942)
- Janis CarterNight Editor (1946) and The Power of the Whistler (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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