Cora Sue Collins, Child Star Who Played Hollywood Legends, Dies at 98

In the 1930s and ’40s, Cora Sue Collins, a captivating child actress who graced the screen alongside cinematic greats such as Greta Garbo, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Irene Dunne, and Merle Oberon during her short but spectacular career, has sadly passed away. She was 98 years old.

Collins passed away on Sunday at her residence in Beverly Hills due to complications resulting from a stroke, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, according to her daughter, Susie Krieser.

Collins portrayed younger iterations of Colbert in the 1933 film “Torch Singer”, Frances Dee in the 1932 movie “The Strange Case of Clara Deane” as well as in “Keep ‘Em Rolling” from 1934, Loretta Young in the 1934 production “Caravan”, Oberon in the 1935 film “The Dark Angel”, and Lynn Bari in the 1941 movie “Blood and Sand”.

Collins acted as the younger versions of Colbert in the 1933 film Torch Singer, Frances Dee in both The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932) and Keep ‘Em Rolling (1934), Loretta Young in Caravan (1934), Oberon in The Dark Angel (1935), and Lynn Bari in Blood and Sand (1941).

In the films Torch Singer (1933), The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932) and Keep ‘Em Rolling (1934), Collins played the younger versions of Colbert, Frances Dee, and herself. Similarly, he acted as Loretta Young in Caravan (1934), Oberon in The Dark Angel (1935), and Lynn Bari in Blood and Sand (1941).

Collins appeared as the younger counterparts of Colbert in Torch Singer (1933), Frances Dee in The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932) and Keep ‘Em Rolling (1934), Loretta Young in Caravan (1934), Oberon in The Dark Angel (1935), and Lynn Bari in Blood and Sand (1941).

Collins took on the roles of the younger versions of Colbert, Frances Dee, Loretta Young, Oberon, and Lynn Bari in Torch Singer (1933), The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932) and Keep ‘Em Rolling (1934), Caravan (1934), The Dark Angel (1935), and Blood and Sand (1941), respectively.

Collins was cast as the younger versions of Colbert, Frances Dee, Loretta Young, Oberon, and Lynn Bari in Torch Singer (1933), The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932) and Keep ‘Em Rolling (1934), Caravan (1934), The Dark Angel (1935), and Blood and Sand (1941).

Collins played the roles of Colbert’s, Frances Dee’s, Loretta Young’s, Oberon’s, and Lynn Bari’s younger selves in Torch Singer (1933), The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932) and Keep ‘Em Rolling (1934), Caravan (1934), The Dark Angel (1935), and Blood and Sand (1941).

In a 2019 interview, she remarked, “It seems I share a striking resemblance with many faces around the world, given that I’ve portrayed some of the most iconic actresses from the ’30s or their offspring. They often dressed me up to blend in with others.

In the film “Evelyn Prentice” (1934), she played a role that was also assumed by MGM contract player’s daughter; she portrayed Amy Lawrence in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” (1938); she made an appearance in the original “Magnificent Obsession” (1935), which featured Dunne and her romantic interest, Robert Taylor; and she was among Davis’ pupils at an American girls school in “All This, and Heaven Too” (1940).

Garbo chose Collins to portray her younger self in the 1933 film, Queen Christina, and they worked together again in Anna Karenina (1935). The secluded actress frequently welcomed Collins for afternoon tea at her grand studio suite on the MGM lot, where Collins preferred milk, and their friendship lasted until Garbo’s passing in 1990.

Collins was affectionately known as “Uncle Pat,” skated on roller skates with Cesar Romero, and was cared for by Lana Turner during her childhood years. She starred in approximately forty films between 1932 and 1945 before deciding to retire from acting.

Collins was born on the 19th of April, 1927, in Beckley, West Virginia. Her mother moved her and her elder sister to Los Angeles when Collins was nearly four years old.

Three days into our stay, she shared that we went with her mom to register her older sibling in school. In a delightful 2015 interview, she explained, “My mother, my sister, and I were walking towards the school entrance, me on one side and my sister on the other, when suddenly, this large car roared up.

A lady stepped out of the vehicle and asked, “Pardon me, would you be interested in having your daughter featured in some photos?” My mom, delighted, replied, “Absolutely!” The woman continued, “Hop into the car with me, there’s a major casting event happening currently at Universal Studios.

On their own accord, they navigated their way to the studio, where Collins was promptly selected to portray Pudge in the 1932 comedy “The Unexpected Father”, a production featuring ZaSu Pitts and Slim Summerville. One critic, impressed by her performance, penned: “Stay tuned for Cora Sue’s appearance. At only four years old, she steals the show!

(Collins initially intended to employ Judy Garland, but changed the role to suit a more youthful actress following her assessment of her.)

In the filming of “The Strange Case of Clara Deane” (1932), she reminisced, “I was meant to cry in a scene we were about to film. My mother was there with me, as I was quite young, and then out of nowhere, two large men appeared behind her and forcefully removed her from the set. She had no inkling of what was transpiring.

I glanced at the director, who then asked, ‘Aren’t you going to tear up?’ I responded by saying, ‘If you want me to shed some tears, why don’t you just instruct me to do so and let me ponder on something melancholic for a moment.’ This is an actual event.

Next year, I stepped into the role of Sylvia Sidney’s daughter in “Jennie Gerhardt,” and I became the center of attention at the grand premiere of “Queen Christina” at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. On this special occasion, I arrived in a charming miniature coach drawn by adorable Shetland ponies, with MGM chief Louis B. Mayer by my side. (Garbo chose to stay away from any publicity for her films.)

In 1934, Collins entered into a deal with MGM for $250 per week – equivalent to approximately $5,900 today. That year, he starred in ten films, including “Black Moon” alongside Fay Wray, “The Scarlet Letter” featuring Colleen Moore, “The World Accuses” with Dickie Moore, and “Treasure Island” with Jackie Cooper.

In 1934, Collins signed a $250-per-week contract with MGM, which is roughly equal to $5,900 today. During that year, he appeared in ten films such as “Black Moon” with Fay Wray, “The Scarlet Letter” starring Colleen Moore, “The World Accuses” alongside Dickie Moore, and “Treasure Island” with Jackie Cooper.

In 1934, Collins made a weekly salary of $250 with MGM, which translates to about $5,900 in modern dollars. That year, he acted in ten films, including “Black Moon” opposite Fay Wray, “The Scarlet Letter” starring Colleen Moore, “The World Accuses” featuring Dickie Moore, and “Treasure Island” with Jackie Cooper.

She demonstrated her importance to the studio by portraying a harp-playing princess in “The Spectacle Maker” (1934), which was directed by John Farrow and happened to be the very first Technicolor short film produced in the United States.

In 1935, when she organized another 11 film productions, Mayer hosted a joint birthday party for herself and veteran actress May Robson, as they were both born on April 19. Nearly everyone from MGM attended, ranging from Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, to the young stars Cooper, Mickey Rooney, and Freddie Bartholomew.

At first, Collins was chosen to portray Becky Thatcher in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” but during this time, MGM was extensively seeking an actor for Tom. As a result, Collins experienced a growth spurt and ended up being taller than Tommy Kelly. Because of this height difference, she was instead given the role of Amy, Becky’s rival.

In the year 1942, Collins had the chance to play a troublesome teenager in the movie “Get Hep to Love,” which featured Donald O’Connor and Gloria Jean. Additionally, she performed on Broadway in the production titled “Junior Miss.

In the movie “Youth on Trial” (1945) and “Week-End at the Waldorf” (1945), she portrayed a troubled teenager, the daughter of a judge. After that, she decided to retire from acting at the young age of 18. As she put it, “I yearned for the privilege of living incognito.

Following her marriage to Ivan Stauffer, who managed the Clover Club in Hollywood, from 1943 until their divorce in 1947, Collins went on to have three children with her husband James McKay, proprietor of the Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake Tahoe. Tragically, he passed away due to pneumonia during a hunting excursion in 1962.

She remained married to Harry Nace, the owner of the Phoenix movie theater, for over 33 years, until his passing in 2002.

Besides her daughter, there are also survivors such as her son Trey, as well as her grandsons James, Kevin, and Keith.

Discussing her most successful years in Hollywood, Collins stated, “I enjoyed myself immensely and crossed paths with some truly remarkable individuals. However, to put it candidly, from my perspective, kids are best when functioning as parts of larger systems; they shouldn’t be the main focus.

When a young child becomes the center of attention for an entire family, it places unexpected burdens upon her, responsibilities that are more suited to an adult. I must say, I found great joy in leading a quiet life as an ordinary homemaker later in my years!

2025-04-29 04:25

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