Big Dave's Barbara Hale Annex

Barbara's Cohort...

A cohort is a band or group of people. Barbara's natural group is that of starlets at RKO studios in 1943. Thanks to the film The Ghost Ship and the September 19, 1943, issue of Life magazine, ten girls from this group were photographed and neatly packaged for our viewing pleasure. It seems that the film needed a shapely shadow girl. Choosing her was to be a contest. Each girl was dressed in a skin-tight bathing suit and photographed en silhouette. The best shadow would win. Those pictures, paired with one in normal attire, were printed in the magazine. See them below with some facts for each actress. It's kind of interesting to remember these girls and see how they fared in the movie biz. Sadly, little is known about the fate of most of them.

After watching the film, I think the whole thing was just a publicity stunt. Shirley O'Hara was the chosen girl. Her shapeliness was mostly wasted! You can see her here from the film. Use back to return. Her shadow was all of her that was seen, by the way.

Filmography links and data courtesy the IMDb. The GG links go to the appropriate page at the Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen site.

Patti Brill b. March 8, 1923 d. January 18, 1963, age 39 26 films, last in 1951 Films with Barbara: Gildersleeve's Bad Day Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event The Seventh Victim Government Girl The Falcon Out West The Falcon in Hollywood
Barbara Coleman 6 films, last in 1978 Films with Barbara: Gildersleeve on Broadway Government Girl Around the World
Barbara Hale GG b. April 18, 1922 75 films, last in 1995 1 TV series, 26 guest spots
Daun Kennedy b. November 13, 1922 d. August 12, 2002, age 78 18 films, last in 1946 Films with Barbara: Gildersleeve on Broadway Around the World Higher and Higher The Falcon Out West Heavenly Days
Margaret Landry 14 films, last in 1944 One of Barbara's roommates at the Hollywood Studio Club. Films with Barbara: Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event The Iron Major Gildersleeve on Broadway Government Girl The Falcon Out West
Rosemary La Planche b. October 11, 1923 d. May 6, 1979, age 55 31 films, last 1966 Films with Barbara: Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event Gildersleeve on Broadway Around the World The Falcon Out West Heavenly Days
Dorothy Maloney GG aka Dorothy Malone b. January 30, 1925 76 films, last in 1992 3 TV series, 29 guest spots Films with Barbara: Gildersleeve on Broadway Higher and Higher The Falcon Out West
Shirley O'Hara b. August 15, 1924 d. December 13, 2002, age 78 37 films, last in 1980 No TV series, 52 guest spots This picture was reconstructed. Films with Barbara: Gildersleeve on Broadway Around the World Higher and Higher The Falcon Out West
Elaine Riley b. January 15, 1923 45 films, last in 1957 No TV series, 22 guest spots Films with Barbara: Gildersleeve on Broadway Higher and Higher The Falcon Out West Heavenly Days
Margie Stewart GG b. December 14, 1919 17 films, last in 1945 Films with Barbara: Gildersleeve's Bad Day Mexican Spitfire's Blessed Event Around the World Heavenly Days The Falcon in Hollywood