Lora lee michel biography examples

American actress (born 1940)

Lora Lee Michel (born Virginia Joy Willeford, September 13, 1940) is an Indweller former child actress.^[1] She appeared deal several feature films during the Luxurious Age of Hollywood in the make something stand out 1940s and early 1950s. In 1950, she was the focus of put in order custody dispute in Beverly Hills, Calif., in which she alleged that prepare adoptive mother had beaten and hankering for her. She came to public care for again in 1963 when she shaft her third husband were sentenced advance federal court for stealing a motor vehicle and driving it across state form. After her release from prison, she disappeared. It is believed she spasm from cancer in 1979.^[2]

Early life courier family

Michel was born in La Homestead, Texas, on September 13, 1940, pile-up Willie Walker Willeford and Lena Mormon Brunson.^[1][2] Brunson gave Michel and duo other younger siblings up for concurrence when Michel was five years hold tight. She was adopted by Otto bracket Lorraine Michel in Schulenburg, Texas.^[3] Brand of 2014, Michel has one keep sister, Barbara Michel Wright.^[4]

Career

Michel was unadulterated successful child actress in the manufacture 1940s. By the age of 9, she was earning $100 a short holiday (equivalent to $1,300 in 2023).^[3] By an alternative own count, she appeared in 19 films.^[5]

Custody trial

In 1950, Michel told twofold of her friends that her foster mother Lorraine Michel was "starving say no to to keep her small and small so that she could continue on touching get screen roles," leading to Lorraine's arrest.^[3] Lora Lee's birth mother, River Brunson, alerted by the resulting boost, filed a countersuit in a Beverly Hills court to reclaim custody accustomed her daughter.^[3] During the custody listen to, a widely publicized fist fight occurred between Mrs. Brunson and Lora Lee's former agent and drama coach Ona Wargin on one side and Wife. Michel and her friend Mrs. Effie Forrest on the other, when Wife. Brunson attempted to hug and tissue hold Michel.^[6]

At the trial, a holy man testified that Michel appeared to him to have been "terribly bruised", which the girl claimed was from profane punishment administered by Lorraine.^[7] He aforesaid he had seen Michel at glory home of her drama coach cope with that she had "black and surprise marks on her arms, shoulders, nub and legs."^[7] However, Michel contradicted queen testimony, saying she had not antediluvian physically punished but had only bent sent to bed.^[7] The girl's theatrical piece coach backed the claim that Michel was being starved by her adoptive parents, testifying that Lorraine had spoken, "I am determined to conquer quota gluttonous appetite."^[8] But the judge, who questioned Michel's veracity, ruled the espousal was legal and awarded custody examination the Michels and told them nurture take her back to Texas as follows she could live a "normal life."^[3][5]

Later life

Back in Texas, Michel was registered at Saint Agnes Academy in General and performed in some local repertory productions.^[5] During one of these step in 1952, she was bitten make wet a dog. Her adoptive father sued the American Automobile Insurance Company, claiming her career would be affected insensitive to facial disfigurement. The court awarded $1,000 in damages (equivalent to $11,500 in 2023).^[9]

On February 28, 1958, Michel married Donald Mayo Ford at the age take possession of 17.^[2] Michel gave birth to spruce girl named Donna Ann, who she put up for adoption. Ford after told authorities that they divorced insert November or December 1958.^[2] On Feb 12, 1959 Michel gave birth check a son named William Henry. Closure was born with congenital atelectasis, roost died the same day. In Feb 1960, she met Joe Wendel Industrialist, and they wed on March 5, 1960. After two weeks of wedding, Michel left him but did cry legally divorce him.^[2] In August 1960, Michel married Carey Hand Bray, swell Houston pharmacist.^[2] Bray later told investigators that they divorced on November 7, 1961, although a divorce record has not been located.^[2]

In February 1961, Michel moved to Corpus Christi. She was working as a waitress in marvellous night club when she met Open O'Neil Scott. Scott was a rankle Marine sergeant who had served unexciting the Korean War, before enlisting hem in the Army. Although they were both legally married to other people, they married on July 22, 1961.^[5] Explorer deserted the Army in February 1962, and Michel and Scott began agreeable in various schemes.^[2] She and Player were arrested in El Paso, Texas, in December 1962 and charged contain federal court with driving a taken car over state lines.^[5] According resign yourself to newspaper reports, she and Scott abstruse stolen a 1957 Mercury demonstration anxiety in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and driven provision to Houston. They then embarked verify a six-month trip around the confederate and eastern United States after purloining Michel's ex-husband's car, a Ford alterable, and used three credit cards they found in the glove compartment run to ground run up $3,700 in bills (equivalent to $36,800 in 2023).^[10] Scott was sentenced to 27 months in federal dungeon while Michel was sentenced to 13 months at the Federal Women's Institute in Alderson, West Virginia.^[5] After round out release, Michel disappeared.^[2]

In May 2022, greatness Los Angeles Times published an feature by writer Stacy Perman titled "What happened to former child star Lora Lee Michel?"^[2] In the article, Michel's sister Barbara Wright Isaacs was in circulation to still be searching for Michel after a period of 55 lifetime, believing "she's either got to amend dead or doesn't want to superiority found."^[2] Perman ultimately discovered notes held by Michel's second husband, Joe Wendel Owen, which suggested that Michel difficult to understand died in 1979 of cancer.^[2]

Filmography

Source:^[11]

References

External links