Jean Hagen

Jean Hagen
Hagen in 1955
Born
Jean Shirley Verhagen

(1923-08-03)August 3, 1923
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedAugust 29, 1977(1977-08-29) (aged 54)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma materNorthwestern University
OccupationActress
Years active1945–1977
Spouse
Tom Seidel
​
​
(m. 1947; div. 1965)​
Children2

Jean Hagen (born Jean Shirley Verhagen;[a] August 3, 1923 – August 29, 1977) was an American actress. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain (1952), and for three Primetime Emmy Awards for playing Margaret Williams on the first three seasons (1953–56) of the television sitcom The Danny Thomas Show (when titled as Make Room for Daddy).[2] She was also known for her role as Doll Conovan in the classic film noir The Asphalt Jungle (1950).

Early life and education

Hagen was born August 3, 1923, in Chicago, Illinois, to Christian Verhagen, a Dutch immigrant, and Marie, his Chicago-born wife. The family moved to Elkhart, Indiana, when she was 12, and she graduated from Elkhart High School.

She studied drama at Northwestern University, where she was a roommate of actress Patricia Neal. Hagen graduated from Northwestern in 1945.[3] She also worked as an usher.[4]

Career

Hagen in Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Radio

Hagen's career began on radio in the 1940s, performing in Light of the World, Hollywood Story, and other programs.[5] Billed under her birth name, she played Betty Webster on Those Websters.[6]

Stage

Hagen first appeared on Broadway in Swan Song. She acted in Another Part of the Forest, Ghosts, and The Traitor.[7] She was the understudy for Judy Holliday in Born Yesterday, and replaced her in the latter part of the run.[5][8]

Film and television

Her film debut was as a comical femme fatale in the 1949 Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn film Adam's Rib, directed by George Cukor. The Asphalt Jungle (1950) provided Hagen with her first starring role. Hagen played "Doll" Conovan, a woman who sticks by criminal Dix's side until the bitter end. She appeared in the film noir Side Street (1950), playing a gangster's sincere but dim girlfriend. Hagen gave a memorable comic performance in Singin' in the Rain as the vain, spoiled, and talentless silent film star Lina Lamont. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance.[9]

Thomas and Hagen in Make Room for Daddy (1955)

By 1953, she had joined the cast of the television sitcom Make Room for Daddy. After she left the show, Marjorie Lord was cast as Danny's second wife and played opposite Thomas for the remainder of the series.

In 1957, Hagen co-starred in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents titled "Enough Rope for Two", portraying a woman who accompanies two thieves trying to retrieve stolen money from a desert mine shaft. She then appeared as Elizabeth in the 1960 episode "Once Upon a Knight" on The DuPont Show with June Allyson; Also in 1960, Hagen was Marie Brandt on Wagon Train in the episode "The Marie Brandt Story"; and in 1963 Hagen portrayed Sarah Proctor on Wagon Train in the episode “The Sarah Proctor Story”. The following year, she guest-starred on The Andy Griffith Show in the episode "Andy and the Woman Speeder".

Although she made frequent guest appearances in television series, Hagen was unable to resume her film career in starring roles. Her health began to decline due to an alcohol problem and she spent many years hospitalized or under medical care in the 1960s.[10] After appearing with Fred MacMurray in the Disney comedy The Shaggy Dog (1959), for the remainder of her career she played supporting roles, such as Marguerite LeHand, personal secretary to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in Sunrise at Campobello (1960) and the friend of Bette Davis in Dead Ringer (1964).

Much later, in 1976, she made a comeback of sorts playing character roles in episodes of the television series Starsky and Hutch and The Streets of San Francisco. She made her final acting appearance the next year in the television movie Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn.

Honors

Hagen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1502 Vine Street for her contributions to television.[11]

Personal life

Jean Hagen married actor Tom Seidel in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on June 12, 1947. He originated the role of Dr. Sanderson in the play Harvey. The couple had two children, Christine Patricia and Aric Phillip. According to Lorraine LoBianco, Seidel divorced Hagen and gained custody of their children in order to dissuade her from drinking. Hagen's alcoholism, instead, turned more severe. In 1968, her addiction left her hospitalized and in a coma at UCLA Medical Center. Her daughter said that after Hagen recovered, she never drank again.[12]

Later life and death

Hagen was later diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Patricia Neal wrote in her autobiography that Hagen went to Germany "'for laetrile, a supposed cure unavailable in the United States. But she was bubbly and bright and so much the way I remembered her from the old days.'"[13]

Hagen died of cancer on August 29, 1977, at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital just 26 days after turning 54.[5]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1949 Adam's Rib Beryl Caighn
1950 Ambush Martha Conovan
Side Street Hariette Sinton
The Asphalt Jungle "Doll" Conovan
A Life of Her Own Maggie Collins
1951 Night Into Morning Girl Next Door
No Questions Asked Joan Brensen
1952 Shadow in the Sky Stella Murphy
Singin' in the Rain Lina Lamont
Carbine Williams Maggie Williams
1953 Arena Meg Hutchins
Latin Lovers Anne Kellwood
Half a Hero Martha Dobson
1955 The Big Knife Connie Bliss
1957 Spring Reunion Barna Forrest
1959 The Shaggy Dog Freeda Daniels
1960 Sunrise at Campobello Marguerite "Missy" LeHand
1962 Panic in Year Zero Ann Baldwin
1964 Dead Ringer Dede Marshall

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1953–56 Make Room for Daddy Margaret Williams Main cast; Seasons 1–3
1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Madge Griffin Episode: "Enough Rope for Two"
1960 Wagon Train Marie Brandt Episode: "The Marie Brandt story"
1962 Wagon Train Sarah Proctor Episode: "The Sarah Proctor Story"
1961 The Andy Griffith Show Elizabeth Crowley Episode: "Andy and the Woman Speeder"
1976 Starsky & Hutch Belle Kates Episode: "The Hostages"
The Streets of San Francisco Ms. Unger Episode: "Judgement Day"
1977 Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn Landlady Television film

Radio appearances

YearProgramEpisode/source
1952Stars in the AirThe Yearling[14]

Partial stage appearances

Year Title Role Venue Notes Ref.
1946-47 Another Part of the Forest Laurette Sincee Fulton Theatre, New York City [15]
1946-49 Born Yesterday Billie Dawn Lyceum Theatre, New York City Understudy
Replacement after November 1948
Henry Miller's Theatre, New York City
1948 Ghosts Regina Engstrand Cort Theatre, New York City
1949 The Traitor Eva McKeon 48th Street Theatre, New York City

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Work Result Ref.
Academy Award 1953 Best Supporting Actor Singin' in the Rain Nominated [16]
Primetime Emmy Award 1955 Best Supporting Actress in a Regular Series Make Room for Daddy Nominated [17][18]
1956 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated
Best Actress - Continuing Performance Nominated

Notes

  1. ↑ Her birth name is also reported under the spelling ver Hagen.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Hess, Earl J.; Dabholkar, Pratibha A. (2009). Singin' in the Rain: The Making of an American Masterpiece. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-7006-1656-5.
  2. ↑ Obituary Variety, September 7, 1977, p. 111.
  3. ↑ "Northwestern Co-Eds Train For The Stage; Inspired By Achievements Of Some Grads". Lubbock Evening Journal. January 12, 1950. p. 11. Retrieved June 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Hagen, Ray; Wagner, Laura (2004). Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Film Dames. McFarland & Co. p. 81. ISBN 978-0786418831.
  5. 1 2 3 "Jean Hagen, former actress, dies at 54". The Lowell Sun. August 31, 1977. p. 43. Retrieved June 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ↑ ""Those Websters," American Family Heard Fridays at 9:30 P.M. on WHP". Harrisburg Telegraph. March 3, 1945. p. 15. Retrieved June 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ↑ "Broadway Openings: The Traitor". Billboard. April 9, 1949. p. 57. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Jean Hagen Is Delighted To Get Bad Woman Role". Corsicana Daily Sun. May 6, 1955. p. 9. Retrieved June 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  9. ↑ "The 25th Academy Awards | 1953". www.oscars.org. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 4, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
  10. ↑ Hagen, Ray; Wagner, Laura (2004). Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Film Dames. McFarland & Co. p. 87. ISBN 978-0786418831.
  11. ↑ "Jean Hagen". Hollywood Walk of Fame. October 25, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  12. ↑ The dark tale of Jean Hagen: From Singin’ in the Rain to The Danny Thomas Show To Obscurity and Alcoholism thelifeandtimesofhollywood.com Archived December 26, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ "Jean Hagen Profile", Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Turner Broadcasting System, New York, N.Y. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  14. ↑ Kirby, Walter (February 10, 1952). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. The Decatur Daily Review. p. 38. Retrieved June 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ↑ "Jean Hagen – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  16. ↑ "The 25th Academy Awards | 1953". www.oscars.org. October 4, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
  17. ↑ "'Emmy' Award Nominations Announced" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 27, 1956. p. 93. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Jean Hagen | Emmy Awards and Nominations". Television Academy. Retrieved July 29, 2026.
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