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Phyllis Brooks

Phyllis Brooks was an American actress and model. Brooks was born Phyllis Seiler in Boise, Idaho on July 18, 1915. She began her career in films at age 20, and had been known as the "Ipana Toothpaste Girl" due to her work as a model. Brooks, who had about 30 performances in films, was a B-movie leading lady during the 1930s and 1940s, with roles in such films as In Old Chicago (1937), Little Miss Broadway (1938), and the Shanghai Gesture (1941). In the late 1930s, she dated Cary Grant, who called her Brooksie, and rumors that the two would be married were circulated. Brooks, something of a socialite, also dated Howard Hughes. Along with fellow actress Una Merkel, and accompanied by noted actor Gary Cooper, Phyllis was the first civilian woman to travel to the Pacific Theater of War during World War II, on a USO tour. She was married to Torbert Macdonald, an 11-term Massachusetts Congressman who was John F. Kennedy's roommate at Harvard, and who remained a close friend and confidante throughout his life. She moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts with her new husband in 1945 so he could complete his Harvard Law degree. Congressman Macdonald had been a Harvard football captain and a decorated PT boat captain in World War II. He died in office in 1976. Phyllis continued performing in summer stock theater after her marriage, and hosted the first television interview program in Boston in the early 1950s (on WBZ-TV). She retired from public performances after that, concentrating on raising her family. The couple had four children, the eldest of whom was President Kennedy's godson. She died on August 1, 1995 in Cape Neddick, Maine at the age of 80.


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Born:
Jul 18, 1915 In Boise, Idaho, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
27
First Appeared:
In the movie I've Been Around 1935-03-05
Latest Project:
Movie The Unseen 1945-05-12
Known For
Poster of The Unseen
Poster of Lady in the Dark
Poster of The Shanghai Gesture
Poster of In Old Chicago
Filmography
Movie High Powered Marian Blair 1945-02-27
Movie The Unseen Maxine 1945-05-12
Movie Lady in the Dark Allison DuBois 1944-02-10
Movie Dangerous Passage Nita 1944-12-18
Movie No Place for a Lady Dolly Adair 1943-02-11
Movie Hi'ya, Sailor Nanette 1943-10-08
Movie Silver Spurs Mary Johnson 1943-08-12
Movie The Shanghai Gesture Dixie Pomeroy 1941-12-25
Movie The Flying Squad Ann Perryman 1940-10-12
Movie Lucky to Me Pamela Stuart 1939-11-08
Movie Charlie Chan in Reno Vivian Wells 1939-06-16
Movie Slightly Honorable Sarilla Cushing 1939-12-22
Movie Walking Down Broadway Vicki Stone 1938-03-11
Movie City Girl Ellen Ward 1938-01-07
Movie Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm Lola Lee 1938-03-18
Movie Straight, Place and Show Barbara 'Babs' Drake 1938-09-30
Movie In Old Chicago Ann Colby 1938-04-15
Movie Charlie Chan in Honolulu Judy Hayes 1938-12-30
Movie Little Miss Broadway Barbara Shea 1938-07-29
Movie Dangerously Yours Valerie Barton 1937-09-21
Movie You Can't Have Everything Evelyn Moore 1937-08-02
Movie Ali Baba Goes to Town Herself 1937-10-29
Movie Two in the Dark Undetermined Role 1936-01-10
Movie I've Been Around Gay Blackstone 1935-03-05
Movie To Beat the Band Rowena 1935-11-23
Movie Foolish Hearts Gloria Seabury / Jeanette Hardwick 1935-12-27
Movie Another Face Sheila Barry 1935-12-20
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