Suzanne Ridgway

Nobody in the history of films has ever gotten dropped into quicksand by a tree possessed by the spirit of a wrongly killed chief's son like Suzanne Ridgway. Her career didn't always start out so glamorous. Her undeniable beauty got her a movie contract where they saw her as a potential foil for a comedian. Like a lot of ideas in Hollywood, it never came to fruition and Ridgway quickly found herself working in bit roles and as an extra. By the 1940s, Ridgway was reduced to appearing in roles that required girls who looked pretty but who didn't have much chance for improvement. Her acting ability was very limited and this further hampered her career. Her exotic appearance led her to constantly get cast in roles of Spanish or Mexican girls and she had trouble delivering dialog with an accent. Like a true professional, she did what she was told and she was able to collect paychecks for 20 years while experiencing all facets of the business. By the late 1940s, Ridgway frequently found herself being fought over by pirates, cowboys, and derelicts. What had once been a promising young actress was primarily reduced to window dressing for whatever scene she appeared in. She still managed to appear in some higher-budget films like "Calamity Jane" where she gets to wink at Doris Day in a silent bit role and as a guest in a hotel lobby admiring Glenn Ford. Eventually, she met producer Lindsley Parsons who helped get her a role in the film masterpiece "From Hell It Came." Her final acting role was in her husband's film "The Purple Gang" where she played Daisy, a girl who constantly reported crimes and when she finally saw a real one, nobody would believe her. While most actresses quickly give up on Hollywood, Suzanne Ridgway never gave up on her dream. She wanted to be an actress who starred in films. When she finally got her chance, she was attacked by a possessed tree and tossed into quicksand. She got further than most and she leaves a long-lasting legacy that will forever be remembered by the countless fans on this true leading lady.