Nina Foch

Actor

About

Also Known As

Nina Consuelo Maud Fock

Birth Place

Leyden, Netherlands

Born

April 20, 1924

Died

December 04, 2008

Biography

Filmography

LaVyrle Spencer's Family Blessings (1999)

Director

Back When We Were Grownups (2004)

How to Deal (2003)

Pumpkin (2002)

LaVyrle Spencer's Family Blessings (1999)

Peg Hillier

Hush (1998)

Photos & Videos

View All

Cry Of The Werewolf (1944) -- (Movie Clip) She Struck Her Husband Down

Cry Of The Werewolf (1944) -- (Movie Clip) It Is Your Destiny

Family & Companions

Michael Dewell

Husband

Producer, writer, translator. Married 1966, divorced 1993; born c. 1931, died March 4, 1994 of lung cancer; mounted theatrical classics on tour and on Broadway and translated many plays into English; was a co-founder of the National Repertory Theater; founded the Los Angeles Free Shakespeare Festival in 1973; held a bachelor's degree from Yale, and a master's from the University of London; also studied at RADA, London.

Biography

Tall, blonde B-film lead of the 1940s turned character actress from the 1950s on, most typically as cool, aloof women whose surface sophistication only thinly masks their insecurity. Foch made a good impression as one of Bela Lugosi's victims in the enjoyable "Return of the Vampire" (1943) and played another victimized heroine in cult director Joseph H. Lewis's unnerving Gothic noir, "My Name Is Julia Ross" (1945). Foch is perhaps best known for her striking performance as Milo ("as in Venus de"), the wealthy arts patron who attempts to snare painter Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) with her money in Vincente Minnelli's Oscar-winning "An American in Paris" (1951). She was also quite fine in her Oscar-nominated turn as the loyal secretary in the all-star "Executive Suite" (1954) and as one of the fleeing Israelites in Cecil B. DeMille's holiday favorite, "The Ten Commandments" (1956).

Extremely active on TV from the late 1940s on, Foch appeared in many of the live anthology dramas of the 1950s as well as several quiz and news programs. Increased theatre work, some of it in administrative and directing capacities, took up the slack in her film career in the 1960s. She also began teaching film and drama at both USC and the American Film Institute. An Emmy nominee for a guest stint on "Lou Grant," Foch has also graced periodic TV and feature films in more recent years, including "Mahogany" (1975), "Rich and Famous" (1981) and "Sliver" (1993).

Filmography

Life Events

1943

Signed by Columbia Pictures; made her film debut in "Return of the Vampire"

1947

Broadway debut, "John Loves Mary"

1951

Panelist for the current events game show, "It's News to Me"; hosted by Walter Cronkite and John Daly

1951

Appeared with Gene Kelly in the award-winning musical "An American in Paris"

1954

Received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Executive Suite"

1956

Played Pharaoh's sister who found the baby Moses in Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments"

1956

Regular on John Houseman's CBS "Playhouse 90" television series

1959

Served as George Stevens' associate director for the film, "The Diary of Anne Frank"

1960

Last film for over a decade, "Spartacus" opposite Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier

1962

Played Mrs. Danvers in a TV adaptation of "Rebecca" starring James Mason and Joan Hackett

1967

Directed the stage play, "Ways and Means"

1971

Returned to films with a supporting role in Otto Preminger's black comedy, "Such Good Friends"

1975

Appeared in the film "Mahogany" starring Diana Ross

1985

Played Dr. Julianna Moorhouse on the short-lived occult drama series, "Shadow Chasers"

1992

Received screen credit as an acting coach for "Encino Man"

Photo Collections

Scaramouche - Publicity Stills

Here are several publicity stills from MGM's Scaramouche (1952), starring Stewart Granger, Eleanor Parker, and Janet Leigh. Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

The Undercover Man - Movie Posters

The Undercover Man - Lobby Card Set

Johnny O'Clock - Lobby Card Set

The Undercover Man - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Johnny O'Clock - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Executive Suite - Group Publicity Stills

Here is a series of publicity stills taken of the all-star cast of Executive Suite (1954). Publicity stills were specially-posed photos, usually taken off the set, for purposes of publicity or reference for promotional artwork.

My Name is Julia Ross - Lobby Cards

Here are a few Lobby Cards from My Name is Julia Ross (1945), starring Nina Foch. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

My Name is Julia Ross - Movie Posters

Here are a few movie poster images from Columbia Pictures' My Name is Julia Ross (1945), starring Nina Foch and directed by Joseph H. Lewis.

My Name is Julia Ross - Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Here are a number of photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of Columbia Pictures' My Name is Julia Ross, starring Nina Foch, George Macready, and Dame May Whitty, and directed by Joseph H. Lewis.