Judy Malcolm
RETURN TO INDEX
Born Name:
Marguerite Westergren
Born Date: December 1, 1910
Born Place: Buffalo, New York
Died Date: July 22, 1998
Died Place: East Aurora, New York
Occupations: Vaudeville dancer, comedian, actress
Brief Biography: Judy Malcolm was best known for her prolific comedic work in Columbia Pictures short subjects during the 1940s. Over her decade-long cinematic career, she became a recognizable face in Hollywood slapstick comedy, appearing frequently alongside legendary comedy troupes and acts.
Early Life and Vaudeville Roots:
Hometown Success: Born in Buffalo, New York, Malcolm won a local lookalike contest at age 16 for her resemblance to film star Sally O'Neil, using her winnings to pursue acting.
Stage Background: Before entering the film industry, she built her comedic timing as a dancer and comedienne in the grueling circuits of American vaudeville and burlesque.
The Slap Stick: She formed a popular stage partnership with rubber-faced comedian Gus Schilling. Their signature running gag involved Malcolm unexpectedly popping onto the stage, slapping Schilling across the face, and yelling, "How dare you look like somebody I hate!".
Hollywood and Columbia Pictures:
Stunt Work: Early in her film career, she worked as a stunt stand-in for Fay Wray in the classic King Kong (1933), performing the high-altitude cliff jump into the river.
Studio Contract: In 1943, Malcolm signed with Columbia Pictures as a contract player for their short-subject comedy division.
Schilling & Lane: After Malcolm introduced Gus Schilling to producer Jules White, White paired Schilling with Richard Lane for a comedy series. Malcolm appeared in most of their films, bringing her famous "somebody I hate" stage slap to the screen as a recurring joke.
The Three Stooges: Malcolm became a frequent collaborator with the Three Stooges, appearing in 18 of their short films between 1942 and 1950. Her onscreen debut with the trio was in Crash Goes the Hash (1944).
Solo Shorts: She also lent her comedic talents to solo short films starring Shemp Howard, Joe Besser, and Joe DeRita before they formally joined the Stooges line-up.
Retirement:
Malcolm retired from motion pictures in 1951. However, her likeness continued to appear on television screens through the late 1950s as Columbia heavily utilized recycled archive footage of her past performances in newer Three Stooges shorts.
Born Date: December 1, 1910
Born Place: Buffalo, New York
Died Date: July 22, 1998
Died Place: East Aurora, New York
Occupations: Vaudeville dancer, comedian, actress
Brief Biography: Judy Malcolm was best known for her prolific comedic work in Columbia Pictures short subjects during the 1940s. Over her decade-long cinematic career, she became a recognizable face in Hollywood slapstick comedy, appearing frequently alongside legendary comedy troupes and acts.
Early Life and Vaudeville Roots:
Hometown Success: Born in Buffalo, New York, Malcolm won a local lookalike contest at age 16 for her resemblance to film star Sally O'Neil, using her winnings to pursue acting.
Stage Background: Before entering the film industry, she built her comedic timing as a dancer and comedienne in the grueling circuits of American vaudeville and burlesque.
The Slap Stick: She formed a popular stage partnership with rubber-faced comedian Gus Schilling. Their signature running gag involved Malcolm unexpectedly popping onto the stage, slapping Schilling across the face, and yelling, "How dare you look like somebody I hate!".
Hollywood and Columbia Pictures:
Stunt Work: Early in her film career, she worked as a stunt stand-in for Fay Wray in the classic King Kong (1933), performing the high-altitude cliff jump into the river.
Studio Contract: In 1943, Malcolm signed with Columbia Pictures as a contract player for their short-subject comedy division.
Schilling & Lane: After Malcolm introduced Gus Schilling to producer Jules White, White paired Schilling with Richard Lane for a comedy series. Malcolm appeared in most of their films, bringing her famous "somebody I hate" stage slap to the screen as a recurring joke.
The Three Stooges: Malcolm became a frequent collaborator with the Three Stooges, appearing in 18 of their short films between 1942 and 1950. Her onscreen debut with the trio was in Crash Goes the Hash (1944).
Solo Shorts: She also lent her comedic talents to solo short films starring Shemp Howard, Joe Besser, and Joe DeRita before they formally joined the Stooges line-up.
Retirement:
Malcolm retired from motion pictures in 1951. However, her likeness continued to appear on television screens through the late 1950s as Columbia heavily utilized recycled archive footage of her past performances in newer Three Stooges shorts.