Biography Of Irene Dunne

Northern Advocate, 29 July 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

Biography Of Irene Dunne

Irene Dunne was born in Louis-

•< 7 ille on December 20. She was

wrought up in Louisville, where she

attended the Loretta Academy. Her

father, Captain Joseph J. Dunne, was

a veteran riverman who later held an

executive post in the Federal Govern-

ment. Her musical education began in

her early childhood, and later she at-

tended the Chicago College of Music, studying both voice and languages. Her lovely lyric soprano voice soon became well known in operettta and musical comedy. She had prima donna roles in “Sweetheart Time,” “The Clinging Vine,” an,d a revival of “Irene” —from' which, show she was taken by RKO Radio Pictures for a film test iwhich proved successful. She was with the Metropolitan Opera for a year. Miss Dunne’s first film role was in “Leathernecking.” Cast as Sabra opposite Richard Dix in “Cimarron,” she iyon naticn-wide acclaim from critics and public, and stardom was certain. She has played in many outstanding successes since this early rise to fame. Her most recent pictures include “Roberta.” “Magnificent Obsession,” “Show Boat,” “Theodora Goes Wild,” “High, Wide and Handsome,” and “The Awful Truth.” She is currently featured in RKO Radio’s “The Nearest Thing to Heaven,” in which she has as her leading man Charles Boyer. Miss Dunne is enthusiastic about her pictures and is always earliest on the set. She is also interested in the study of astronomy, and kndws more about stars in heaven than in Hollywood. She has dark hair, blue-grey eyes, is five-feet lour inches tall and weighs 1151 b. She is one of the best women golfers in pictures.