Lois January | WatchedThis
Lois January
Acting
Biography
Lois January was an American actress who performed small roles in several B-movies during the 1930s. Lois also had a secondary part in the Wizard Of Oz, towards the end of the movie, holding a Siamese cat in her arms. Toto jumps out of the basket of the hot air balloon that was supposed to take him, Dorothy and the Wizard away from the Land of Oz. January's first credited role was in 1933, in the film UM-PA. Her most famous role, however, is probably as the Emerald City manicurist in The Wizard of Oz who sings to Dorothy that "we can make a dimpled smile out of a frown". Although the character was unnamed, many fans believe it to be an incarnation of novel character Jellia Jamb. During the 1930s she played in numerous westerns as the heroine, usually opposite Johnny Mack Brown, Bob Steele, Tim McCoy and Bob Baker, among others. In 1935 she starred opposite Reb Russell in Arizona Badman, and in 1936 she starred with Brown in Rogue of the Range, and alongside Tim McCoy in Border Caballero. While under contract with Universal Pictures she continued to play heroine roles in westerns, and in 1937 she starred opposite Bob Baker in Courage of the West. The reissuing of the 1935 exploitation film The Pace That Kills (under the title Cocaine Fiends) would eventually lend January even more exposure, however limited. January's Broadway credits include High Kickers (1941) and Yokel Boy (1939). By the mid-1940s, her starring roles had waned but she continued to act in non-starring parts. In 1942 she was the "poster girl" for Chesterfield cigarettes. From 1960 through 1987 she played numerous small roles on television, to include roles on My Three Sons and Marcus Welby, M.D. Her last acting role was in 1987, on the television movie Double Agent. During the 1980s she attended several western film festivals.
Filmography Movies
Acting
The Pace That Kills
A drug dealer on the run from the law meets an innocent young girl and her brother, and turns them into “cocaine fiends”.
The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come
Director Andrew V. McLaglen's 1961 drama, based on John William Fox's novel, is the tale of a young man returning home after fighting in the Civil War. The cast includes Jimmie Rodgers, Luana Patten, Chill Wills, George Kennedy, Neil Hamilton and Morris Ankrum.
Life Returns
A doctor who has spent his career working on ways to revive the dead sees his chance to prove his theory by performing his procedures on a recently deceased dog.
Border Caballero
Tex Weaver is working under cover to bring in a gang of bank robbers. When he is killed, Tim Ross, a marksman with Doc Shaw's traveling show, takes over. Posing as a Mexican he lays a trap for the gang.
Lightnin' Bill Carson
A lawman captures the notorious "Pecos Kid", who is tried and hanged for his crimes--then starts to have doubts as to whether the Kid actually committed the crimes.
Rogue of the Range
Doran and the Sheriff have a scheme to bring in an outlaw gang. Doran is sent to prison so he and the gang leader Mitchell can break out. This gets him into the gang but he is in trouble when it's revealed he is working with the Sheriff.
Umpa
Jack Osterman is smitten with a woman on a park bench, and cannot stop saying the word "Umpa" for the rest of the film, which involves his treatment by a doctor and his singing and dancing temptress nurses. Somewhere between utterly silly and consummately brilliant with its fully rhyming dialogue, "Umpa" is the catchword for that enduring urge that makes people do ludicrous things with absolute determination.
The Trusted Outlaw
Dan Ward, reformed and last member of an outlaw family, meets Molly Clark in a rocky draw near town. Ted Wells, a henchman for Dan's enemy Jim Swain, attempts to shoot Dan but is outdrawn and killed by the latter. Molly disappears and Dan learns that she and Wells had ridden there together. Sheriff Bob Larimer tells Dan that Molly is in love with Bert Gilmore and tried to have him ambushed. Dan takes a risky job with mine owner Pember of getting the $10,000 payroll through to the mine. Swain suspects that Dan is carrying the payroll, but his gang is unable to stop Dan. Betty Pember disregards Dan's warning that the hills are filled with Swain's men and she starts for town. She is kidnapped by Gilmore and Molly and Dan ride to her rescue.
Bar-Z Bad Men
Jim Waters arrives at Ed Parks' ranch to find Parks' cattle herd mysteriously increased. Hamp Harvey has been losing cattle and he suspects Parks. But the culprit is Harvey's foreman Brent who gets his orders from the town's leading citizen Sig Barstell. Barstell wants Harvey's ranch and after trying to frame Harvey by killing Parks, Waters takes over and goes after both the killer and the rustlers.
By Candlelight
A beautiful woman mistakes a Prince's butler for the Prince.
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