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May Wynn

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May Wynn
Wynn in The Caine Mutiny (1954)
Born
Donna Lee Hickey

(1928-01-08)January 8, 1928
New York City, U.S.
DiedMarch 22, 2021(2021-03-22) (aged 93)
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1937–1960
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1956; div. 1964)​
Jack W. Custer
​
​
(m. 1968; div. 1979)​
[1]

Donna Lee Custer (née Hickey, January 8, 1928[2] – March 22, 2021), better known as May Wynn, was an American dancer, singer, and actress.[3]

Early life

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Wynn was born in New York City.[2] She grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, and was descended from a line of performers: Her grandfather, Bertie Black, worked as a musician in vaudeville, and her father, Ray Hickey, was a song-and-dance performer in vaudeville. She was of Irish descent. Her early jobs included modeling, working in a department store, and being a page at La Guardia Field. Outside of work, she won a variety of talent contests.[4]

Career

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Wynn began performing under her birth name at New York's Copacabana nightclub at 17.[5] She was tested for a key supporting role in From Here to Eternity (1953), but Donna Reed played the part.[4] In 1954, she adopted the stage name of May Wynn[6] after she played a character of that name in The Caine Mutiny (1954). Wynn later was cast as the lead actress in the feature films The Man Is Armed and The White Squaw (both 1956), and in Jack Webb's NBC television series, Noah's Ark, in which she played opposite Paul Burke and Victor Rodman. She guest-starred on Perry Mason as Donna Sherwood in "The Case of the Glittering Goldfish" (1959).[citation needed] In 1958, she starred with her then-husband Jack Kelly in The Hong Kong Affair.

Wynn worked in real estate after leaving acting, and in 1989, she began work as a part-time aide with Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic School in Newport Beach, California. In January 2018, Wynn, then known as Donna Custer, was feted by the school on her 90th birthday. A Los Angeles Times profile stated that she "now uses her experience to help students at Our Lady Queen of Angels build confidence during her after-school public speaking classes."[3]

Personal life

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Wynn married actor Jack Kelly in October 1956.[4] The couple divorced in 1964.[7] She was married to Jack W. Custer from 1968 to 1979, when they were divorced.[8]

Wynn died in Newport Beach, California in March 2021 at the age of 93.[2]

Selected filmography

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References

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  1. ^ "May Wynn – The Private Life and Times of May Wynn. May Wynn Pictures". Glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Barnes, Mike (April 29, 2021). "May Wynn, Actress in 'The Caine Mutiny,' Dies at 93". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Vega, Priscella (January 8, 2018). "Newport school surprises longtime aide — a former film actress and Copacabana showgirl — with a 90th-birthday celebration". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Alexander, Linda J. (2015). A Maverick Life – The Jack Kelly Story. BearManor Media. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  5. ^ Thomas, Bob (December 9, 1953). "'Caine's' Female Star Changed Name, Luck". Miami News. Associated Press. Retrieved September 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Lane, Lydia (March 3, 1957). "May Wynn's Discovery". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013.
  7. ^ "Divorce Granted to May Wynn". Los Angeles Times. October 20, 1964. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  8. ^ Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen: May Wynn profile
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