Ella Raines

Ella Raines (1920-1988) was an American film and television actress with green eyes and high cheekbones. She appeared in many A-pictures very quickly. She starred in four classic Film Noirs directed by Robert Siodmak. In the early 1950s, she had her own TV series, Janet Dean, Registered Nurse (1954), and also had a short-lived recording career during that period.


Italian postcard by C.C.M., no. 8. Photo: Universal International.


Spanish postcard in the Hollywood (California) series. Photo: Universal International.


Belgian postcard by Nieuwe Merksemsche Chocolaterie S.P.R.I., Mersem (Anvers). Photo: Universal.

The sole contract star of a $1-million new production company

Ella Raines was born Ella Wallace Raubes in 1920 near Snoqualmie Falls, Washington. She was the youngest of eight children, and her parents, Ernest N. Raines and Bird Zachary Raines owned a general store in the small town. Raines was interested in acting from a young age and appeared in school plays and local theatre productions.

After graduating from high school, she enrolled at the University of Washington as a drama student and participated in many plays. In 1942, a few days after her graduation from the University of Washington, Raines married her high school sweetheart, United States Army Air Forces Major Kenneth William Trout. The couple divorced in 1945.

Ella was appearing in a play when she was seen by film director Howard Hawks. She achieved stardom almost overnight in Hollywood when she was made the sole contract star of a $1-million new production company director Howard Hawks had formed in 1943 with the actor Charles Boyer, B-H Productions. She made her film debut in Corvette K-225 (Richard Rosson, Howard Hawks, 1943) as the love interest of Randolph Scott.

Immediately following her debut, Raines was cast in the all-female war film Cry "Havoc" (Richard Thorpe, 1943) with Margaret Sullavan and Ann Sothern. Raines received critical acclaim for her work in Phantom Lady (Robert Siodmak,1944), which is now considered a classic Film Noir. Next, she played in another classic, the Preston Sturges satire Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) with Eddie Bracken.

Very quickly, she appeared in more A pictures including the Western Tall in the Saddle (Edwin L. Marin, 1944) opposite John Wayne. Raines was now known for her talent, beauty, and versatility as an actress. She went on to star in two more thrillers with Siodmak, The Suspect (Robert Siodmak, 1944) starring Charles Laughton, and The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (Robert Siodmak, 1945) with George Sanders.


Italian postcard by B.F.F. Editore (Casa Editr. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze), no. 2151. Photo: Universal International.


Dutch postcard by Fa. Gebr. van Baalen, Gorinchem.

Starring in a series of interesting Film Noirs

Ella Raines often played strong-willed and intelligent women, and her performances were praised for their depth and complexity. After the war, she starred in a series of interesting Film Noirs, including Time Out of Mind (Robert Siodmak, 1947), The Web (Michael Gordon, 1947), Brute Force (Jules Dassin, 1947) starring Burt Lancaster, and the underrated Impact (Arthur Lubin, 1948) with Brian Donlevy and Charles Coburn.

In 1948, Raines married Robin Olds, a famous fighter pilot, who eventually became promoted to United States Air Force Brigadier General. The couple had three children - their son, Robert Ernest Olds, was stillborn in 1958.

Raines continued to work in film and television throughout the 1950s, appearing in several popular TV shows, including Climax! and Wagon Train. In 1954 and 1955, Ella Raines starred in the television series Janet Dean, Registered Nurse. None of her later pictures was nearly as successful as her earlier movies and her film career began to decline.

She retired in 1956 after filming the British-made thriller The Man in the Road (Lance Comfort, 1956). She focused on her family and philanthropy work. She was actively involved in numerous charitable organisations, including the National Mental Health Association and the March of Dimes. She and her husband separated in 1975 and were divorced in 1976. In the mid-1970s, she returned to her alma mater to teach drama at the University of Washington in Seattle. Ella moved back to Hollywood and lived in Sherman Oaks until her death.

Ella Raines returned once to the screen for a guest role in the crime television series Matt Houston in 1984. Ella Raines passed away in 1988, in Sherman Oaks, California, from throat cancer. She was 67 years old. She was survived by two daughters, Christina Eloise Olds and Susan Olds Scott-Risner, and a granddaughter, Jennifer Newman. Raines left behind a legacy as a talented and versatile actress who made a significant contribution to the film industry during the Golden Age of Hollywood.


Spanish postcard by Sobe / Soberanas, Barcelona, no. 312.


Swedish postcard by Förlag Torsten G. Ericson, Helsingborg, no. 3038. Photo: RKO Radio Films. Sent by mail in 1958.




Sources: Bill Hafker (IMDb), Wikipedia (Dutch and English) and IMDb.