Leading Ladies Vera Hruba Ralston
The Fighting Kentuckian/ Fleurette de Marchand
Fair Wind To Java/ Kim Kim
Wyoming/ Karen Alderson
Timberjack/ Lynne Tilton
Per Quinlan's Film Stars:
Fair haired (later dark) champion ice skater from Czechoslovakia, with very Slavic looks- thick lips and even thicker accent- who became an actress and might have done well in sinister roles had she not fallen under the influence of Republic chief Herbert J. Yates who was determined to groom her as a leading lady and eventually married her in 1952. Thus she was frequently miscast and the public never took to her.
She was born Vera Helena Hruba at Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1919., the daughter of a wealthy jeweler.
She was a figure skater and represented her country in various European skating championships, placing many times, but placed 7th in 1937 European Skating Championship.
Ms. Ralston emigrated to the United States in the early 1940's and became a naturalized citizen in 1946.
She moved to Hollywood and signed a contract with Republic Pictures in 1943. She usually played an immigrant girl because of her skills in English.
She was groomed by Republic Pictures head Herbert J. Yates to become a leading lady. She starred in 26 films for that studio and retired from acting in 1958.
In 1952 she married Yates who was 40 years her senior. When he died in 1966 he left his eight million dollar estate to her.
Yates used his position to obtain roles for Ralston and was sued at one time by the studio stockholders for using company assets to promote his wife.
The film roles of Vera Ralston were:
The Lady And The Monster (1944) as Janice Farrell
Storm Over Lisbon (1944) as Maria Mazerek aka Maritza
Lake Placid Serenade (1944) as Maria Maischek
Dakota (1945) as Sandy Poli (Devlin)
Murder In The Music Hall (1946) as Lila Laughton
Plainsman And The Lady (1946) as Ann Arneson
Wyoming (1947) as Karen Alderson
The Flame (1947) as Carlotta Duval
A Week In The Quiet House (1947) as Sieglova
I, Jane Doe (1949) as Annette Dubois/Jane Doe
Angel On The Amazon (1948) as Christine Ridgeway
The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) as Fleurette De Marchand
Surrender (1950) as Violet Barton
Belle Le Grande (1951) as Daisy Henshaw/ Belle Le Grande
The Wild Blue Yonder (1951) as Lt. Helen Landers
Hoodlum Empire (1952) as Marte Dufour
A Perilous Journey (1953) as Frances Landreau
Fair Wind To Java (1953) as Kim Kim
Jubilee Trail (1954) as Florinda Grove aka Julie Latour
Timberjack (1955) as Lynne Tilton
Accused Of Murder (1956)n as Ilona Vance
Spoilers Of The Forest (1957) as Joan Milna
Gunfire At Indian Gap (1957) as Cheel Palmer
The Notorious Mr. Monks (1958) as Angela Monks
The Man Who Died Twice (1958) as Lynn Brennon
Ms. Ralston made no appearances on television.
Her first husband was Republic Pictures head Herbert J. Yates. The marriage lasted from 1952 until his death in1966.
She married a second time to Charles de Alva and the marriage lasted from 1973 until her death.
Her brother was Rudy Ralston who became a film producer in the United States.
The Ralston name came from a popular cereal company.
Vera Ralston passed away in 2003 at age 83 from cancer.
I enjoyed Ms. Ralston in the films Fair Wind To Java, The Fighting Kentuckian, Jubilee Trail, Dakota, Wyoming and Timberjack.
Louie The Movie Buff