Dorothy Coonan Wellman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Dorothy Coonan Wellman (November 25, 1913 - September 16, 2009) was an American actress and dancer. Wellman was the wife of film director William Wellman, to whom she was married from 1934 until his death in 1975. Wellman cast her in several of his films. Her career as a dancer began at the age of 14 with Warner Brothers Studios. Her early film credits as an on-screen dancer and actress included small uncredited parts in such early talkies as The Broadway Melody (1929), Whoopee! (1930), Kiki (1931) Palmy Days (1931), and The Kid from Spain (1932). Her best-known films were 42nd Street (1933) and Gold Diggers of 1933. Many of the films in which she appeared were choreographed by Busby Berkeley. Film director William Wellman cast Coonan as "Sally" in his 1933 film, Wild Boys of the Road. This was the only role she played in which she was credited or had a character with a name. She makes an uncredited appearance in Wellman's The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) as an army nurse nicknamed Red who marries a soldier on the battlefield, only to be widowed shortly afterwards.

42nd Street (1933)

A producer puts on what may be his last Broadway show, and at the last moment a chorus girl has to replace the star.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lloyd Bacon
CAST:  Warner Baxter  •  Bebe Daniels  •  George Brent  •  Ruby Keeler

A producer puts on what may be his last Broadway show, and at the last moment a chorus girl has to replace the star.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lloyd Bacon
CAST:  Warner Baxter  •  Bebe Daniels  •  George Brent  •  Ruby Keeler

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Things get tough for Carol and her showgirl pals, Trixie and Polly, when the Great Depression kicks in and all the Broadway shows close down. Wealthy songwriter Brad saves the day by funding a new Depression-themed musical for the girls to star in, but when his ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mervyn LeRoy  •  Busby Berkeley
CAST:  Warren William  •  Joan Blondell  •  Aline MacMahon  •  Ruby Keeler

Things get tough for Carol and her showgirl pals, Trixie and Polly, when the Great Depression kicks in and all the Broadway shows close down. Wealthy songwriter Brad saves the day by funding a new Depression-themed musical for the girls to star in, but when his ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mervyn LeRoy  •  Busby Berkeley
CAST:  Warren William  •  Joan Blondell  •  Aline MacMahon  •  Ruby Keeler

The Broadway Melody (1929)

The vaudeville act of Harriet and Queenie Mahoney comes to Broadway, where their friend Eddie Kerns needs them for his number in one of Francis Zanfield's shows. When Eddie meets Queenie, he soon falls in love with her—but she is already being courted by Jock ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Harry Beaumont
CAST:  Anita Page  •  Bessie Love  •  Mary Doran  •  Nacio Herb Brown

The vaudeville act of Harriet and Queenie Mahoney comes to Broadway, where their friend Eddie Kerns needs them for his number in one of Francis Zanfield's shows. When Eddie meets Queenie, he soon falls in love with her—but she is already being courted by Jock ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Harry Beaumont
CAST:  Anita Page  •  Bessie Love  •  Mary Doran  •  Nacio Herb Brown

Show of Shows (1929)

Now hear this. The studio that gave the cinema its voice offered 1929 audiences a chance to see and hear multiple silent-screen favorites for the first time in a gaudy, grandiose music-comedy-novelty revue that also included Talkie stars, Broadway luminaries and of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  John G. Adolfi
CAST:  Frank Fay  •  William Courtenay  •  H.B. Warner  •  Hobart Bosworth

Now hear this. The studio that gave the cinema its voice offered 1929 audiences a chance to see and hear multiple silent-screen favorites for the first time in a gaudy, grandiose music-comedy-novelty revue that also included Talkie stars, Broadway luminaries and of ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  John G. Adolfi
CAST:  Frank Fay  •  William Courtenay  •  H.B. Warner  •  Hobart Bosworth

Story of G.I. Joe (1945)

War correspondent Ernie Pyle joins Company C, 18th Infantry as this American army unit fights its way across North Africa in World War II. He comes to know the soldiers and finds much human interest material for his readers back in the States.  (more)

DIRECTION:  William A. Wellman
CAST:  Burgess Meredith  •  Robert Mitchum  •  Freddie Steele  •  Wally Cassell

War correspondent Ernie Pyle joins Company C, 18th Infantry as this American army unit fights its way across North Africa in World War II. He comes to know the soldiers and finds much human interest material for his readers back in the States.  (more)

DIRECTION:  William A. Wellman
CAST:  Burgess Meredith  •  Robert Mitchum  •  Freddie Steele  •  Wally Cassell

They Call It Sin (1932)

An innocent, young, small-town church organist is thrown out of her home, told she was adopted, and that her mother was an evil woman. She follows a crush to the big city and is left fending for herself.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Thornton Freeland
CAST:  Loretta Young  •  George Brent  •  Una Merkel  •  David Manners

An innocent, young, small-town church organist is thrown out of her home, told she was adopted, and that her mother was an evil woman. She follows a crush to the big city and is left fending for herself.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Thornton Freeland
CAST:  Loretta Young  •  George Brent  •  Una Merkel  •  David Manners

The Kid from Spain (1932)

Eddie and his Mexican friend Ricardo are expelled from college after Ricardo put Eddie in the girl's dormitory when he was drunk. Per chance Eddie gets mixed up in a bank robbery and is forced to drive the robbers to safety. To get rid of him they force him to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Leo McCarey
CAST:  Eddie Cantor  •  Lyda Roberti  •  Robert Young  •  Ruth Hall

Eddie and his Mexican friend Ricardo are expelled from college after Ricardo put Eddie in the girl's dormitory when he was drunk. Per chance Eddie gets mixed up in a bank robbery and is forced to drive the robbers to safety. To get rid of him they force him to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Leo McCarey
CAST:  Eddie Cantor  •  Lyda Roberti  •  Robert Young  •  Ruth Hall

Wild Boys of the Road (1933)

At the height of the Great Depression, Tommy's mother has been out of work for months when Eddie's father loses his job. Eager not to burden their parents, the two high school Sophomores decide to hop the freight trains and look for work.  (more)

DIRECTION:  William A. Wellman
CAST:  Frankie Darro  •  Edwin Phillips  •  Rochelle Hudson  •  Dorothy Coonan Wellman

At the height of the Great Depression, Tommy's mother has been out of work for months when Eddie's father loses his job. Eager not to burden their parents, the two high school Sophomores decide to hop the freight trains and look for work.  (more)

DIRECTION:  William A. Wellman
CAST:  Frankie Darro  •  Edwin Phillips  •  Rochelle Hudson  •  Dorothy Coonan Wellman

Busby Berkeley: Going Through the Roof (2003)

Documentary profile of legendary dance choreographer Busby Berkeley.  (more)

DIRECTION:  David M. Thompson
CAST:  Busby Berkeley  •  Kenneth Anger  •  Richard Barrios  •  Dorothy Coonan Wellman

Documentary profile of legendary dance choreographer Busby Berkeley.  (more)

DIRECTION:  David M. Thompson
CAST:  Busby Berkeley  •  Kenneth Anger  •  Richard Barrios  •  Dorothy Coonan Wellman

Over the Counter (1932)

In this musical short, the son of a department store owner replaces the regular sales girls with chorus girls.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jack Cummings
CAST:  Sidney Toler  •  Franklin Pangborn  •  Emerson Treacy  •  Eleanor Thatcher

In this musical short, the son of a department store owner replaces the regular sales girls with chorus girls.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jack Cummings
CAST:  Sidney Toler  •  Franklin Pangborn  •  Emerson Treacy  •  Eleanor Thatcher

Whoopee! (1930)

Western sheriff Bob Wells is preparing to marry Sally Morgan; she loves part-Indian Wanenis, whose race is an obstacle. Sally flees the wedding with hypochondriac Henry Williams, who thinks he's just giving her a ride; but she left a note saying they've eloped! ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Thornton Freeland
CAST:  Eddie Cantor  •  Ethel Shutta  •  Paul Gregory  •  Eleanor Hunt

Western sheriff Bob Wells is preparing to marry Sally Morgan; she loves part-Indian Wanenis, whose race is an obstacle. Sally flees the wedding with hypochondriac Henry Williams, who thinks he's just giving her a ride; but she left a note saying they've eloped! ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Thornton Freeland
CAST:  Eddie Cantor  •  Ethel Shutta  •  Paul Gregory  •  Eleanor Hunt