Marjorie Riordan

Biography

Marjorie Riordan was an American actress who began her screen career after being spotted while modeling in Los Angeles. Born in Washington, D.C., she grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Wisconsin, where she studied drama, before moving to Los Angeles. Small uncredited film appearances led to a role in the wartime melodrama Parachute Nurse (1942), and the producer Sol Lesser then signed her as a contract player. She made her debut in his morale boosting musical Stage Door Canteen (1943), playing Lon McAllister's love interest, before her contract moved to Warner Bros., where she appeared as Bette Davis's daughter in Mr. Skeffington (1944). She later acted and sang opposite Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce in Pursuit to Algiers (1945). Riordan continued in supporting roles into the 1950s while studying speech pathology, later becoming a clinical psychologist, and she gave up acting. She died in 1984.

63years old at death

Born January 24, 1921Washington, D.C.
Died March 8, 1984Los Angeles
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18

Movie Career

Films: 4
Career span: 8 years1943 to 1951

Every film, newest first

1951The HoodlumIMDb rating 6.2
1946Three StrangersIMDb rating 6.9
1944Mr. SkeffingtonIMDb rating 7.5
1943Stage Door CanteenIMDb rating 6.3

Genres

Photos

Did you know?!

A change of course
Before film work, Riordan took a job as a doctor's secretary and assistant, hunting for film-related jobs in her spare time.
Big break
After Marjorie Riordan asked producer Sol Lesser about possible roles, he signed her as a contract player. She made her debut in his film Stage Door Canteen (1943), playing Lon McAllister's girl of interest.
A first
On June 25, 1945, California's department of motor vehicles gave Riordan the title "Share - the - Ride - Girl" to encourage motorists to share cars for the war effort.