The attractive daughter of Austrian-Jewish émigrés who fled their homeland to Paris in 1937 before coming to America, "B" actress Vanessa Brown grew up exceptionally fluent in German, French, Italian and English. She auditioned for Lillian Hellman at age 13 sporting a perfect Teutonic accent and earned the chance to understudy Ann Blyth on Broadway...
May 21, 1999, Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Vienna, Austria
Profession
Actress
Spouse
Mark Sandrich Jr. (m. 1959–1989), Robert Alan Franklyn (m. 1950–1957)
Children
Cathy Sandrich, David Sandrich
Star Sign
Aries
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Quote
1
I mean if I'm in the middle of a field with my keyboard and some headphones and I feel inspired to write something, I'll just write something really beautiful and mellow.
2
I actually write film music because I'm classically trained on the piano so as well as songwriting I also write actual film music that could be used for movies like war movies and love movies.
3
So film music is something I absolutely wanna get involved in.
4
I think it's so important to feed your brain you know. Sometimes you've just got to read.
5
The thing about being in America is when you are driving with the sun on your back, there's hip hop. I never used to be into hip hop, but there's hip hop in the food, soul food, there's hip hop in the cars.
#
Fact
1
A lover of music, she often wrote her own songs and instrumentals for her own pleasure (none of which were ever recorded).
2
Was a naturalized citizen of the United States.
3
She was an ardent conservative-minded Republican.
4
Upon her death, she was cremated and her ashes were scattered in the Garden of Roses located in Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, California.
5
Played the girl upstairs, the neighbor of Tom Ewell, in the original Broadway production of "The Seven Year Itch", the part Marilyn Monroe later played with Ewell in the Billy Wilder film, The Seven Year Itch (1955).
6
Her first husband, Dr. Robert Franklyn, was a popular Hollywood plastic surgeon. She apparently divorced him when she refused to go under the knife.
7
Lost her home in the 1989 Los Angeles earthquake.
8
Daughter Cathy Sandrich Gelfond (born in 1961) became a top casting director, and son David Sandrich (born in 1964) became a linguistic major and computer whiz.
9
Wrote the play "Europa and the Bull" and a non-fiction work entitled "The Manpower Policies of Secretary of Labor, Willard Wirtz." There was also a novel and an unfinished autobiography.
10
Directed "Meg," a prize-winning play, in Los Angeles in 1978.
11
Played a minor role of a maid in the film, The Heiress (1949), starring Oscar-winner Olivia de Havilland. Interestingly, she played the "de Havilland" part on radio, a few years later.
12
Ex-daughter-in-law of director/producer Mark Sandrich.
13
Ex-sister-in-law of director/producer Jay Sandrich.
14
She was a regular on the radio show "Quiz Kids" for two years.
15
Had an I.Q. of 165.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
True Colors
1991
TV Series
Waitress
The Wonder Years
1990
TV Series
Punch Lady
Murder, She Wrote
1989
TV Series
Alma Goodrich
Dallas
1985
TV Series
Lady Tailor
The Twilight Zone
1985
TV Series
Aunt Beulah (segment "A Message from Charity")
Call to Glory
1985
TV Series
Miss Rochemond
General Hospital
1980
TV Series
Mrs. DeFreest
Charleston
1979
TV Movie
1st Evans Twin
All That Glitters
1977
TV Series
Peggy Horner
The Witch Who Came from the Sea
1976
Cathy
Police Story
1975
TV Series
Mrs. Baxter / Mrs. Smythe
Bless the Beasts & Children
1971
Mrs. Goodenow
Arnie
1971
TV Series
Shirley
Rosie!
1967
Edith Shaw
The Chevy Mystery Show
1960
TV Series
Carol Penn
One Step Beyond
1960
TV Series
Elsa Schuldorf
General Electric Theater
1959
TV Series
Shelly
Perry Mason
1959
TV Series
Donna Kress
Goodyear Theatre
1959
TV Series
Paula King
The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen
1959
TV Series
The Red Skelton Hour
1958
TV Series
Mary Lou Talbot
Wagon Train
1958
TV Series
Sally Potter
Climax!
1955-1957
TV Series
Marian / Marie Bannerman / Vera
Schlitz Playhouse
1957
TV Series
Betty
Matinee Theatre
1957
TV Series
Pamela Wright
The Loretta Young Show
1956
TV Series
Miss Phinney
The Millionaire
1956
TV Series
Louise Williams
My Favorite Husband
1955
TV Series
Liz Cooper
Justice
1955
TV Series
Annie
Stage 7
1955
TV Series
Julia
The Revlon Mirror Theater
1953
TV Series
I'll Buy That
1953
TV Series
The Bad and the Beautiful
1952
Kay Amiel
The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse
1952
TV Series
The Fighter
1952
Kathy
Lights Out
1951
TV Series
Dede
Robert Montgomery Presents
1951
TV Series
Ann Kimball
Lux Video Theatre
1951
TV Series
Girl
The Basketball Fix
1951
Pat Judd
Pulitzer Prize Playhouse
1951
TV Series
Three Husbands
1950
Mary Whittaker
Tarzan and the Slave Girl
1950
Jane
The Heiress
1949
Maria
The Secret of St. Ives
1949
Floria Gilchrist
Big Jack
1949
Patricia Mahoney
The Foxes of Harrow
1947
Aurore D'Arceneaux
Mother Wore Tights
1947
Bessie
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
1947
Anna Muir as an Adult
The Late George Apley
1947
Agnes Willing
I've Always Loved You
1946
Georgette 'Porgy' Sampter at 17
Margie
1946
Wanda (uncredited)
The Girl of the Limberlost
1945
Helen Brownlee
Youth Runs Wild
1944
Sarah Taylor (as Tessa Brind)
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Österreicher in Hollywood
1994
TV Short documentary
Herself
Eight Steps to Peace: Membership in the U.N.
1957
Documentary short
Narrator
Eight Steps to Peace: The Answer Now
1957
Documentary
Narrator
Leave It to the Girls
1953
TV Series
Herself
The Ezio Pinza Show
1952
TV Series
Herself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1960
Star on the Walk of Fame
Walk of Fame
Motion Picture
On 8 February 1960. At 1621 Vine Street.
1960
Star on the Walk of Fame
Walk of Fame
Television
Awarded February 8, 1960 at 6528 Hollywood Blvd.
Known for movies
General Hospital (1980) as Mrs. DeFreest
The Heiress (1949) as Maria
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) as Anna Muir as an Adult
$250,000
