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Doris Davenport
Davenport in a Japanese advertisement from the 1940 film The Westerner
Born	(1917-01-17)January 17, 1917 Moline, Illinois, U.S.
Died	June 18, 1980(1980-06-18) (aged 63) Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Other names	Doris Jordan (model)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1934–1940
Notable work	The Westerner
Spouse	Garland Weaver ​ ​(m. 1938; div. 1941)​

Doris Davenport, also known as Doris Jordan (January 1, 1917 – June 18, 1980) was an American actress in movies of the 1930s and early 1940s.

Early years

Davenport was born in Moline, Illinois, and lived in Davenport, Iowa, before she and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California. She wanted to be an actress when she was five years old, and her parents supported that desire by providing voice training and classes in drama.

Career

Davenport's first film was Kid Millions (1934). After that, however, she said, "It looked as if my career had begun and ended all at once." A stock contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer disappointed her after she realized "it wasn't any better than extra work". Over a span of approximately four years she applied her acting abilities on radio and in little theater.

From 1934 to 1939, she appeared in five films and worked in New York City as a model between films. When she was interviewed under the screen name Doris Jordan for the role of Scarlett O'Hara for Gone with the Wind, she received a short-term contract with Warner Bros. She did well enough to become one of the finalists for the role.

Despite not winning that major role, Davenport impressed studio head Samuel Goldwyn. In 1940, he gave a lead role to Davenport in the film The Westerner, starring opposite Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan. The same year, she starred in the movie Behind the News opposite Lloyd Nolan. It was her last role. With no other offers following that film, she retired from acting.

Personal life and death

When she worked as a model, Davenport met photographer V. G. Weaver, Jr. They were married on April 12, 1938, in Fordston, Arizona, and they were divorced on July 18, 1941.

Davenport lived in Santa Cruz, California, for 10 years prior to her death on June 18, 1980, age 63.

Filmography

References

1. "Rhinelander Daily News Archives, Jul 18, 1941, p. 6". newspaperarchive.com. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
2. Porter, Darwin (2004). Katharine the Great (1907-1950): Secrets of a Lifetime--revealed. Blood Moon Productions, Ltd. p. 332. ISBN 978-0-9748118-0-2. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
3. Graham, Sheilah (September 9, 1940). "From Extra Girl to Star in a Year". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. North America Newspaper Alliance. p. 21. Retrieved October 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ Lindeman, Edith (May 13, 1940). "Film Actress Pays Visit To Richmond". Richmond Times Dispatch. p. 7. Retrieved October 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Harrison, Paul (September 13, 1940). "Actress Comes East To Get 'Discovered'". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 24. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Divorce for Doris Davenport Ends Row Over Her Career". Los Angeles Times. July 19, 1941. p. 17. Retrieved October 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Doris Davenport". The San Francisco Examiner. June 26, 1980. p. 29. Retrieved October 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Doris Davenport". Santa Cruz Sentinel. June 24, 1980. p. 26. Retrieved October 24, 2024.

External links

• Doris Davenport at IMDb

• 20th-century American actresses
• Actresses from Illinois
• American film actresses
• People from Moline, Illinois
• Actresses from Los Angeles County, California
• Actresses from Santa Cruz, California
• 1917 births
• 1980 deaths