Maybelline model and actress Lois Collier, represented the "American ideal," for early 1950's teenage girls

Lois Collier was spotted by a scout for Universal Pictures and given a seven-year contract. Although Lois possessed a beautiful singing voice, Universal seldom gave her a chance to show it off, and she was stuck in a succession of B pictures and serials. When her contract expired, she freelanced and did a few comedies for Monogram and some serials for Republic. In 1951 she got a role on the "Boston Blackie" (1951) TV series, and stayed on the show until it was canceled in 1954, after which she retired from the business.

Jungle Queen 1945 Serial.

Read more about Lois Collier in.....The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.  

MAYBELLINE MODEL LOIS COLLIER and the Hollywood Star System.

Lois Collier, one of Universal Studio's beautiful and talented actresses was showcased in Maybelline ads during World War 11.  She was discovered after winning a a contest sponsored by CBS Radio for a part in a radio play in Hollywood. 

Collier, like many starlets during the War Era appeared on the cover ofYank, the Army Weekly as well as Maybelline print ads in various popular magazines. She was part of the Hollywood Star System that used companies like Maybelline to help promote movie stars careers.   

From 1940 through 1949 Collier's career would be active and somewhat successful, with her playing mostly heroine roles in B-movies, including Westerns, Horror and Science Fiction thrillers. 

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Collier held the second female lead in what is considered the best of theMaria Montez adventure films, “Cobra Woman.” She also joined Loretta Young, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Anne Gwynne and Evelyn Ankers in the wartime drama “Ladie’s Courageous.” The Walter Wanger production told the story of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadrons of the Second World War.

Collier appealed to young movie-goer's who balanced the horror of war with escapism.  Collier was young, beautiful and captivated her audience with those beautiful Maybelline Eyes!  She brought loads of young women into dime stores with disposable money ready to spend on Maybelline so they too could have "The Collier Look."   

Maybelline Pin Up Girl, Elyse Knox, 1944.

Maybelline ushers in The Pin Up Girl, The Bomb Shell and The Girl Next Door during World War 11 - creating an American Ideal for beauty, style and fashion.

Maybelline model and Pin Up Girl Elyse Knox 1943, photographed by Paul Hesse. "Maybelline lights the way to new eye beauty, signed Elyse Knox."

Elyse Knox was one of Maybelline's World War 11 models contracted for her sexy yet innocent face during the 1940's.  Knox was a B-movie starlet in the Hollywood System playing secondary roles until she landed a role with Lon Chaney Jr. in The Mummy's Tomb; one of the series of Mummy horror films made by Universal Studios. 

Knox became well known after Maybelline placed her full page glossy autographed picture on the back of magazines after appearing as herself in Universal Studios 1944 production of "Follow the Boys."  One of the World War 11 morale-booster films made for both the soldiers serving overseas as well as civilians at home.

Knox was also a Pin Up Girl during the War, appearing in such magazines as YANK, a weekly put out by the United States Military.  Ads like this combined with Maybelline ads on the back of movie magazines, created a desire in all Service Men to return to the arms of their sweet All American girls - with those Maybelline eyes. 

In Late 1944 Knox was signed by Monogram Pictures to portray Anne Howe, the love interest of fictional boxer Joe Palooka in Joe Palooka, Champ.  Based on the very popular comic strip.  The instant success of the May 1946 film led to  Knox appearing in another five Joe Palooka productions.  She retired from film making in 1946 after appearing in the musical There's a Girl in My Heart but continued doing Print ads like the one above for Maybelline while appearing on the Bing Crosby radio show where she met foot star Tom Harmon.  She married fashion photographer Paul Hesse one of Maybelline's official photographers, divorced and married Tom Harmon in 1944.

The couple had three children, Kristin, who married Ricky Nelson and had Tracy, twins Gunnar and Lars, and a son Sam who modeled and acted in film and TV (TJ Hooker.) And Kelly..... and Mark Harmon of NCIS.

Read more about the Pin Up Girls Tom Lyle contracted during World War 11 in The Maybelline Story and stay tune for more Maybelline Pin Up Girls, Film Stars and Girls Next Door during the 1940's, all this week.

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