- Born
- Died
- Birth nameDelores J. Moran
- Height1.78 m
- Better known for her scandalous private life than for her mild film input, the story goes that blonde, extremely well-endowed Dolores Moran was checked out at an annual Sacramento Elks Lodge picnic in 1941 by a Warner Brothers talent scout in the early 40s and a starlet was born.
Born in Stockton, California in 1926, this bombshell looker, a one-time drive-in car hop, had started collecting beauty titles as a teen ("Queen of the Butte County Fair") by the time the major studio took notice of her and signed her up. The studio immediately promoted the darker-haired-now-platinum blonde as a WWII pin-up and her cover-girl appearances on magazines became a favorite with GI soldiers. Beginning in 1942, she would start out as set decoration (including La Glorieuse Parade (1942)) and would typically be utilized in small, decorative film parts. She achieved a bit of distinction, or perhaps distraction, in a couple of larger roles -- Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins' tearjerker L'impossible amour (1943), Bogie and Bacall's Le Port de l'angoisse (1944), and Jack Benny's The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945).
Moran's reputation of having affairs with married film heavyweights had already preceded her by the time the 22-year-old began dating 42-year-old producer Benedict Bogeaus, who was married to starlet Mimi Forsythe at the time. Bogeaus divorced his wife and married Moran in late 1946. Two years later Dolores bore him a son. Sadly, in 1952, Bogeaus' former wife committed suicide.
Secondary roles followed for Moran with Too Young to Know (1945) and the film noir L'homme que j'aime (1946). Dolores first worked with her producer/husband in the film Christmas Eve (1947). Her film career sagged after that as her Svengali-like husband insisted she appear strictly in his pictures from Johnny One-Eye (1950) and La Dernière Minute (1953) to her last role as a burlesque queen in Quatre étranges cavaliers (1954), often giving her roles that showed off her "bad girl" image. In between she appeared on TV: "Dangerous Assignment," "My Hero" and Mr. & Mrs. North".
The turbulent marriage of Dolores and Benedict finally came to an end in 1962. Moran decided to lay low after this and, as such, little was heard about her until newspapers reported her death from cancer at age 56 in 1982.- IMDb mini biography by: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net
- SpouseBenedict Bogeaus(August 1946 - 1962) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenBrett Benedict
- In 1941, 15-year-old Dolores was working as a car hop at a drive-in in San Jose, California. One night she brought local apricot grower Anthony Ponce a cup of coffee. He never saw her again, never contacted her, and never spoke about her to family members, but after he died at aged 58 in 1968, a reclusive bachelor, his 1947 will provided that she inherit most of his $300,000 estate. Court costs, lawyers' fees, and negotiations reduced the amount considerably, but the will was eventually upheld. After the news made headlines in December 1968, Dolores admitted that "unfortunately, for the life of me, I can't remember the man." She then reflected on his gift to her: "Life is truly an extraordinary procession. What a beautiful thing. It's phenomenal. I'm not living in poverty, certainly. But my reaction was one of marvel, awe.".
- In May 1941, the town of Chico, California held a contest to elect a Queen for its annual fair--15 girls were in the competition, and the Chamber of Commerce invited them to a luncheon where the guest of honor was boxer and actor Max Baer, who was photographed with all the contestants. One of them was Dolores, and Baer, noticing her, asked how old she was. She was 15 and would turn 16 the following January 26. He remarked that she should be in motion pictures and he would make inquiries on her behalf. He didn't hurry about arranging for a screen test for her, as he thought she should finish her high school year first. What he hadn't counted on was the chief talent scout for Warner Brothers, Sally Baiano, spotting her at an Elks Club picnic early in November 1941. She soon had a screen test at the studio and was signed to a contract the following day. She soon made appearances in La Manière forte (1943) and La Glorieuse Parade (1942). While on the set, a friend of her father, Andy Swenson, visited her. He also happened to be one of Max Baer's best friends, and soon realized that she was the girl Max had been talking about to RKO Pictures to try to get her a contract and a role in a picture he was making for the studio, La marine triomphe (1942). Swenson informed Max about Dolores being signed to Warner Bros. Later that same evening, he arrived at the Moran family home in Burbank, introduced himself to Dolores' mother and father, and announced that she would become his protégé. Baer, Swenson, and his fiancée began a series of dinners at each of the famous supper clubs in Hollywood to give Dolores exposure in the Hollywood social scene. She would also take up dancing and singing lessons as well as voice coaching and would be appearing twice a week doing tap routines in army camp shows throughout 1942.
- According to Laura Wagner in her short article on Moran in "Films of the Golden Age" (Winter Issue, 2012-2013), Dolores had a large supporting role as Madame Hellene de Bursac in the Humphrey Bogart / Lauren Bacall film Le Port de l'angoisse (1944), but her part was downsized and Bacall's role was beefed up--this despite the fact that she was having an affair with the film's married director, Howard Hawks.
- Had one son, Brett Benedict Bogeaus (DOB: August 30, 1948) who later became a successful businessman.
- Popular cover girl on "Yank, The Army Weekly" during 1943 and 1944.
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