This girl-next-door actor, discovered while in college at UCLA, briefly played leads in Hollywood in the early 1950s and returned as supportive wives in Disney's family films of the 60s. Although she had no acting experience, Olsen played a role in "Canadian Pacific" (1949) and attracted attention as the second female lead in Billy Wilder's brilliant black comedy, "Sunset Boulevard" (1950). Although she was outshone by Gloria Swanson, William Holden and Erich von Stroheim, Olson was on hand to sound the film's one note of normality as a young woman romantically involved with a cynical gigolo writer, and she received a supporting Oscar nomination for her work. Holden was in his troubled Everyman stage and Paramount was eager to build up a co-starring team using the earnest-looking Olson as a loving wife screen rival to June Allyson. The pair made four films together in 1950-51, but stardom eluded Olson.
Olson played romantic leads in several other films, but neither the mild "The Boy from Oklahoma" (1954) nor the dreadful and paranoid actioner "Big Jim McLain" (1952) got much attention. By then married to songwriter Alan Jay Lerner, Olson, after playing several second leads ("So Big" 1953; a TV version of "The Women" 1955, with Olson as the gentle Peggy), retired from acting. After divorcing Lerner, she returned with the first of five films for Disney over the next dozen years, "Pollyanna" (1960), and was back to helpful homemaker parts for "The Absent-Minded Professor" (1960), "Son of Flubber" (1963) and "Smith!" (1969).
Olson has subsequently played a handful of film roles in the timid, gay-themed love triangle, "Making Love" (1982) and the all-star "Airport 1975" (1975, as Linda Blair's mother). Occasional TV work came along too: "Kingston: Confidential" (1977), starring Raymond Burr, found Olson atypically cast as the head of a company, while "Paper Dolls" (1984) saw her back in form as the wife of a ruthless CEO (Lloyd Bridges).
Family
FATHER: Henry J Olson.
SON: Christopher Livingston. Director, screenwriter. Born on November 13, 1964; directed and co-wrote feature "Hit and Runway" (1999).
Companion
HUSBAND: Alan Jay Lerner. Songwriter. Married on March 19, 1950; divorced in 1957; was Lerner's third wife.
HUSBAND: Alan Livingston. Record executive, former songwriter. Was at one time president of Capitol Records.
Milestone
Was active in theater in college; discovered while at UCLA
1949: Made feature film debut in a supporting role in the 20th Century-Fox melodrama, "Canadian Pacific"
Signed by Paramount Pictures
1950: Played breakthrough role as the second female lead in the acclaimed Billy Wilder drama, "Sunset Boulevard"; received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress; also marked the first of four films in which she was William Holden's romantic interest
1950: First film as female lead, "Union Station", also opposite Holden
1951: Parted company with Paramount
1951: Last of four film opposite Holden, "Submarine Command"
1953: Began playing supporting roles in features with "So Big", which starred Jane Wyman
1954: Earliest TV work included the ingenue role of Gwen Cavendish in a TV presentation of the classic Broadway comedy, "The Royal Family of Broadway"
1955: Temporarily retired from films
1956: One of last TV appearances for some years, the CBS musical special, "High Tor"
1960: Began her association with Walt Disney Studios with her return to films, "Pollyanna", in which she played a supporting role
Appeared on the ABC drama series, "Channing
1972: Last of five features for Walt Disney Studios over the course of a dozen years, "Snowball Express"
1977: Played Jessica Frazier on the NBC drama series, "Kingston: Confidential", starring Raymond Burr; series lasted half a season
1982: Last feature film to date, "Making Love"
1984: Played Marjorie Harper on the ABC primetime serial drama, "Paper Dolls"; series lasted half a season
1986: Was a co-chair for the panel which helped hold the tribute, "The American Film Institute Salute to Billy Wilder", which aired on NBC-TV
1989: Appeared as one of the interviewees on the Cinemax documentary special, "William Holden: The Golden Boy"
Education
University of California at Los Angeles - Los Angeles, California
University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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