Dorris Bowdon

Dorris Estelle Bowdon (December 27, 1914 – August 9, 2005) was an American actress, best known for her role as Rosasharn in the film adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath, starring Henry Fonda.

Dorris Bowdon
As Rosasharn in The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Born(1914-12-27)December 27, 1914
Coldwater, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedAugust 9, 2005(2005-08-09) (aged 90)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupationfilm actress
Years active1938–1943
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1939; died 1977)​
Children3

Life and career

Early life

Dorris Estelle Bowdon was born on December 27, 1914 in Coldwater, Mississippi, one of seven children of Lillian and James Bowdon. She attended Louisiana State University.[1]

Career

Bowdon was an actress in the 1930s and 1940s. When she was 20 years old, talent scout Ivan Kahn found her in Memphis, Tennessee, and brought her to Hollywood, California, for a screen test with 20th Century Fox. She "didn't fare so well" in her first test, so she was given another try.[2]

Personal life

She was married to Nunnally Johnson from 1939 until his death in 1977, and they had three children together, the first of whom was born in 1942, which prematurely ended Bowden's acting career. They resided in a mansion located at 625 Mountain Drive in Beverly Hills, California.[3] It was designed by architect Paul R. Williams and built from 1937 to 1938 by O' Neal and Son.[3]

Death

She died in Los Angeles at the age of ninety of a stroke and heart failure. She was cremated and a portion of her ashes were scattered at sea and another portion interred with her husband Nunnally Johnson in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Legacy

Actor Jack Johnson is her grandson.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1938Always GoodbyeMinor RoleUncredited
1938Down on the FarmTessie Moody
1939Young Mr. LincolnCarrie SueUncredited
1939Drums Along the MohawkMary Reall
1940The Grapes of WrathRosasharn
1940JennieLottie Schermer
1943The Moon Is DownMolly Morden(final film role)

References
  1. Nelson, Valerie J. (August 12, 2005). "Dorris Bowdon, 90; Actress Best Known for 'Grapes of Wrath'". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  2. "Talent Scouts Scouring Country for New Faces to Go Into Movie Mills". The San Bernardino County Sun. California, San Bernardino. Associated Press. March 20, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved July 3, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Victoria Talbot, 'Beverly Hills Cultural Heritage Commission Splits 2 To 2 on Mountain Drive Landmark Vote', The Beverly Hills Courier, October 03, 2014, Vol. XXXXVIIII, No. 39, p. 4


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