Priscilla Lane

Biography

Priscilla Lane was an American actress and the youngest of the singing Lane sisters, born in Indianola, Iowa. She and a sister studied dance in Des Moines and made a first professional stage appearance in 1930. After high school she went to New York, where bandleader Fred Waring heard the sisters harmonizing and signed them to a radio contract; Lane became the group's comedienne. Waring's band then appeared in Varsity Show, and Warner Bros. signed her to a long contract. She appeared in Four Daughters (1938) with her sisters, then in The Roaring Twenties (1939), Blues in the Night (1941), and Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942), where her acting was praised. Frank Capra chose her for Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), completed earlier but held back until the Broadway play closed. She later freelanced and returned for the film noir Bodyguard (1948), her final picture.

79years old at death

Born June 12, 1915Indianola
Died April 4, 1995Andover
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
Also credited as Priscilla Lane (Actress) and Priscilla Howard

Movie Career

Films: 7
Career span: 10 years1938 to 1948

Genres

Crime71%, 5 films
Drama57%, 4 films
Thriller43%, 3 films
Music29%, 2 films
Romance29%, 2 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
Alfred Hitchcock did not want Lane for the lead in Saboteur (1942), feeling she was too much the girl next door, but Universal insisted she and Robert Cummings play the leads.

Priscilla Lane movies on Netflix

Bodyguard1948IMDb rating 6.5as Doris Brewster
Arsenic and Old Lace1944IMDb rating 7.9as Elaine Harper
Saboteur1942IMDb rating 7.1as Patricia (Pat) Martin
Blues in the Night1941IMDb rating 6.7as Ginger 'Character' Powell
Dust Be My Destiny1939IMDb rating 6.8as Mabel Alden
The Roaring Twenties1939IMDb rating 7.9as Jean Sherman
Four Daughters1938IMDb rating 6.9as Ann Lemp

Best known for

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

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Arsenic and Old Lace1944 Comedy, Crime, Thrilleras Elaine Harper
IMDb rating 7.978K votes
Saboteur1942 Thriller, Waras Patricia (Pat) Martin
IMDb rating 7.130K votes
The Roaring Twenties1939as Jean Sherman
IMDb rating 7.918K votes
Four Daughters1938as Ann Lemp
IMDb rating 6.92.5K votes
Blues in the Night1941as Ginger 'Character' Powell
IMDb rating 6.71.7K votes
Bodyguard1948as Doris Brewster
IMDb rating 6.51.4K votes
Dust Be My Destiny1939as Mabel Alden
IMDb rating 6.81.1K votes

Most often with

Frank McHugh appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Frank McHugh

Jack Carson

Eddie Acuff

Elisabeth Risdon

John Garfield

Vera Lewis

Films together

Frank McHugh3 films together, 1938 to 1939
Frank McHugh's page
- Dust Be My Destiny1939IMDb rating 6.8Lane as Mabel AldenMcHugh as Caruthers
- The Roaring Twenties1939IMDb rating 7.9Lane as Jean ShermanMcHugh as Danny Green
- Four Daughters1938IMDb rating 6.9Lane as Ann LempMcHugh as Ben Crowley
Jack Carson2 films together, 1941 to 1944
Jack Carson's page
- Arsenic and Old Lace1944IMDb rating 7.9Lane as Elaine HarperCarson as O'Hara
- Blues in the Night1941IMDb rating 6.7Lane as Ginger 'Character' PowellCarson as Leo Powell
Eddie Acuff2 films together, 1938 to 1939
Eddie Acuff's page
- The Roaring Twenties1939IMDb rating 7.9Lane as Jean ShermanAcuff as Cabbie
- Four Daughters1938IMDb rating 6.9Lane as Ann LempAcuff as Sam
Elisabeth Risdon2 films together, 1939 to 1948
Elisabeth Risdon's page
- Bodyguard1948IMDb rating 6.5Lane as Doris BrewsterRisdon as Gene Dysen
- The Roaring Twenties1939IMDb rating 7.9Lane as Jean ShermanRisdon as Mrs. Sherman
John Garfield2 films together, 1938 to 1939
John Garfield's page
- Dust Be My Destiny1939IMDb rating 6.8Lane as Mabel AldenGarfield as Joe Bell
- Four Daughters1938IMDb rating 6.9Lane as Ann LempGarfield as Mickey Borden
Vera Lewis2 films together, 1938 to 1939
Vera Lewis's page
- The Roaring Twenties1939IMDb rating 7.9Lane as Jean ShermanLewis as Mrs. Gray
- Four Daughters1938IMDb rating 6.9Lane as Ann LempLewis as Mrs. Ridgefield
Also two films together3 more actors
- Jeffrey LynnThe Roaring Twenties (1939) and Four Daughters (1938)
- Billy HalopBlues in the Night (1941) and Dust Be My Destiny (1939)
- Vaughan GlaserArsenic and Old Lace (1944) and Saboteur (1942)
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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