Fay Spain
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[edit] Chose Movies Over College
Fay Spain (October 6, 1933-May 8, 1983) was an American actress in motion pictures and television. She was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She began living alone in her English teacher's attic at the age of 14. The teacher had a daughter who was affiliated with an acting stock company in Maryland. She gave Fay a job which combined the duties of acting apprentice and babysitting. At 16 Miss Spain was in New York, New York residing in an $8-a-week room on the West Side. She was employed in a tie shop where an associate of Walter Winchell became acquainted with her and mentioned her name in a column. Fay received a call from Columbia Pictures, yet failed to receive a contract, because she wasn't pretty enough for Hollywood. Within two months she found work with a stock company in the Catskill Mountains. From them she obtained an Equity Card which enabled her to continue her career as an actress. Having attended high school in Washington, DC, Spain eschewed a college scholarship to pursue her stock company apprenticeship.
[edit] Ubiquitous Actress Of The 1950s and 1960s
As a film aspirant her first screen test was made with James Garner. The test was unfavorable, stating that she was not photogenic. Miss Spain continued to pursue acting, unimpeded by rejection. She accepted any parts which came along, all while learning the techniques of the acting trade. By the middle and late 1950s she was making frequent appearances on tv. She acted in episodes of Cheyenne, Conflict, Dragnet, Whirlybirds, Perry Mason, The Millionaire, M Squad, The Texan, Pursuit, Playhouse 90, 77 Sunset Strip, Bat Masterson, and The Restless Gun.
Fay first came to prominence with movie audiences in 1958 when she played the role of Darlin Jill in the film version of God's Little Acre by Erskine Caldwell. The motion picture marked the debut of Tina Louise, and featured actors Robert Ryan, Jack Lord, Buddy Hacket, Aldo Ray, and Vic Morrow. Spain followed this success with her role as Maureen Flannery in Al Capone, with actor Rod Steiger.
In 1959 the actress married west coast abstract painter John Altoon. Their honeymoon was in Reno, Nevada. Both Fay and her husband led busy lives and enjoyed time away from their careers, relaxing in a home they remodeled in the San Fernando Valley of California. Altoon was an art instructor in Los Angeles, California. Aside from painting he contributed the art for a series of record album covers. Miss Spain had a five-year-old son from a previous who lived with her in California.
Fay always preferred being a free agent rather than being tied to a single studio. In the 1960s she continued to be seen frequently in such television series as The Greatest Show On Earth (1963), Dr Kildaire (1964), The Fugitive (1965), The Rat Patrol (1966), The Iron Horse (1967), and Hogan's Heroes (1969). Her final appearance as an actress came in the TV miniseries The Godfather (1977).
Fay Spain died of cancer in Los Angeles in 1983.
[edit] References
- The Fremont, California Argus, Fay Spain, May 17, 1975, Page 40.
- Reno Evening Gazette, Fay Spain Comes Back To Reno, Friday, February 6, 1959, Page 22.
