Majel Coleman

Majel Coleman (February 22, 1903 - July 27, 1980) was a

movie actress and model from Mason, Ohio. Most of her 11 film credits are

silent movie features.

Majel, who was a beauty contest winner in her hometown, went

to Hollywood in 1921 after high school. Coleman wanted to work for Cecil B.

Demille in particular. When she could not find a way to get his attention, she

lost interest in working for other movie studios. Then a chance happening

changed Coleman's future.

Demille noticed Coleman when a small stray dog followed her

home and became intimidated by her police dog. The little dog jumped off her

porch and broke its leg on the cement below. It continued on across the street

with Coleman pursuing. A car driven by the film producer almost ran over the

red haired beauty. Together Demille and Coleman took the puppy to the hospital.

Demille then signed Coleman to a movie contract in March

1925. He made tests and arranged for her to act in small parts in his next

films.

Coleman's hands became an ideal of perfection, beginning

with film screen tests which revealed their beauty, and she was often a hand

double in movies. She was listed among the 14 most beautiful women in the world

in 1926 along with Sally Rand, Etta Lee, Eugenia Gilbert, Jocelyn Lee, Sally

Long, Clara Morris, Olive Borden, Christina Montt, Adalyn Mayer, Thais

Valdemar, Yola D'Avril, and Dorothy Seastrom.

Her early motion picture efforts include roles in

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1923) and several Harry Carey westerns, Soft Shoes (1925)

and West of Broadway (1926). In Corporal Kate (1926) Coleman stars with Vera

Reynolds and Julia Faye. In 1927, Coleman played Procula, the wife of Pontius Pilate,

in Demille's production of King of Kings. Her last films include roles in The

Girl In The Glass Cage (1929) and Romance of the Rio Grande (1929).

Majel Coleman was married to Academy Award-winning feature

film and television set decorator Victor Gangelin (1899-1967) and they lived in

Los Angeles.

Majel Coleman died at age 77 in 1980 in Paramount,

California.