Biography

Coleen Gray

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Coleen Gray was born in Staplehurst, Nebraska, in 1922. After graduating from high school she studied dramatics at Hamline University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She then decided to see America and traveled to California, stopping off at La Jolla where she worked as a waitress. After several weeks there, she moved to L.A. and enrolled in a drama school. Her performances attracted a talent scout from 20th Century-Fox, with whom she signed a contract after a screen test. Although Fox put her in several good pictures (Kiss of Death (1947), Nightmare Alley (1947), The Razor's Edge (1946) in which she acquitted herself well, many of the roles they gave her were not worthy of her talent and she never became as big a star as many thought she should have. Still, she has an extensive list of credits in films, TV, radio and on the stage.
- IMDb mini biography by: Bill hafker, pakhuntz@runestone.net (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)

She was in a relationship with John Payne from 1952 to 1953.
In November 2008 she attended an event at the American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre marking the 50th anniversary of the untimely passing of actor Tyrone Power. Four of his films were screened: Love Is News (1937), The Mark of Zorro (1940), The Razor's Edge (1946) and Nightmare Alley (1947). Also in attendance were his children, Tyrone Power Jr., Taryn Power and Romina Power, and other actors who worked with him, including Piper Laurie, Terry Moore and Jayne Meadows.
She and husband Fritz Zeiser were involved with the non-profit volunteer organization Prison Fellowship, founded in 1976 by Charles Colson (a former prisoner himself for his involvement in the Watergate scandal), which assists the church in providing ministry to prisoners and their families, as well as their victims. In 1964, along with Victor Jory and Susan Seaforth Hayes, Gray testified before the US Congress as part of "Project Prayer," arguing in favor of a constitutional amendment allowing school prayer.
A staunch conservative Republican, Gray was an honorary member of the National Federation of Republican Women along with Cyd Charisse, Rhonda Fleming, and Laraine Day. Despite their political differences, however, she was a close friend of Marsha Hunt.
Gray is buried at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California, beside her husband Fritz Zeiser, who predeceased her in 2012.

[on Mamie Van Doren, with whom she worked in Star in the Dust (1956)] Oh goodness. She was from the blonde wig and tits era of Marilyn Monroe types. The producer of the film was Albert Zugsmith. When she met him, she said, "Glad to meet you, Mr. Smith".
[on Fury at Furnace Creek (1948)] I always was concerned about doing my best in the part. I wanted to do justice to the character, whatever it was. I went to the director [H. Bruce Humberstone] to ask about the interpretation of the character. I wanted to know what the character was like before the point where the script began. Mr. Humberstone barked, "Just be like Betty Grable when it comes to lines--learn them, do them!". Victor Mature later ended up throwing him through a set, but it was on another picture, so I didn't get to see it!

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