Marla English

Biography

She was born Marleine Gaile English in San Diego, California. As a teenager, she worked as a model and performed locally.

English was originally signed to a contract by Paramount Pictures in 1952 after winning a San Diego beauty pageant to be "Fairest of the Fair". She was paid $150 per week to appear in such films as Red Garters (1954) and Rear Window (1954). She was often cut out of these films. Her contract went up to $200 a week.

Her breakthrough role came when she was borrowed by Aubrey Schenck to appear in Shield for Murder (1954).

She received a major break when she was cast opposite Spencer Tracy in The Mountain, a film which was to be made in France. English was given a smallpox...