Pamela Duncan
Publicity photo of Duncan from a 1958 episode of Highway Patrol
Born(1924-12-28)December 28, 1924
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedNovember 11, 2005(2005-11-11) (aged 80)
Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1951–1964

Pamela Duncan (December 28, 1924 – November 11, 2005) was an American B-movie actress who starred in the 1957 Roger Corman cult science fiction film Attack of the Crab Monsters and later appeared in the 2000 Academy Award-nominated documentary, Curtain Call, that focused on the lives and careers of the residents of the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey.

Biography

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Duncan won several local beauty pageants as a teenager.[1] She attended Hunter College[2] and Columbia University[3] before moving to Southern California in 1951 to get into film acting.[4]

Duncan worked three years in summer stock theatre.[3] Her first role came when she appeared in the 1951 film Whistling Hills. Also in the 1950s, she played the part of Mike Hammer's secretary Velda in the mystery drama My Gun Is Quick.

On television, Duncan appeared in over 200 programs and 100 telefilms.[3] In 1958 she appeared on Perry Mason as the murder victim and title character in "The Case of the Daring Decoy." Other television appearances included General Electric Theater, Studio One, The Philco Television Playhouse, Fireside Theatre, Dragnet, Dr. Kildare, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, Pony Express, Highway Patrol, Maverick, M Squad, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Colt .45, Laramie, The Roy Rogers Show, Suspense, Captain Video, Tombstone Territory, Sea Hunt, Rawhide, Tales of Wells Fargo episode 14 "The Sliver Bullets" and, in 1959, in Bat Masterson as Rachel Lowery in the episode "Lady Luck."[4][3][1]

In still another 1959 appearance, Duncan was cast as traveling show performer "Princess Nadja" in the episode "RX: Slow Death" on the syndicated anthology series, Death Valley Days, hosted by the "Old Ranger" (Stanley Andrews).

On November 11, 2005, Duncan died from a stroke at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey, where she had lived for ten years. She was 80.[1][4]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1951Whistling HillsCora - Waitress
1951Lawless CowboysNora Clayton
1952Confidence GirlBraddock's NurseUncredited
1952The RingFrances - CarhopUncredited
1953A Blueprint for MurderNurseUncredited
1954Dragonfly SquadronAnne Taylor
1954The Saracen BladeZenobia
1954Return from the SeaNurse
1956Seven Men from NowSeñorita Nellie
1956JuliePeggy DavisUncredited
1957Attack of the Crab MonstersMartha Hunter
1957The UndeadDiana Love / Helene
1957My Gun Is QuickVelda, Hammer's Secretary
1957Gun Battle at MontereyMaria Salvador
1959Don't Give Up the ShipLt. WardUncredited
1959CareerMyra HollowayUncredited
1961Summer and SmokePearlUncredited
1962Girls! Girls! Girls!Cigarette GirlUncredited

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Pamela Duncan; was in 'Attack of Crab Monsters'". The Boston Globe. Massachusetts, Boston. Associated Press. November 21, 2005. p. D 7. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Weaver, Tom (2014). A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers. McFarland. pp. 178–183. ISBN 978-0-7864-5831-8. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Johnson, Erskine (April 10, 1958). "Pamela Duncan Is TV's Famed Unknown". News-Press. Florida, Fort Myers. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 7 A. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 3 Obituaries (November 23, 2005). "Pamela Duncan B-movie actress who battled giant talking crabs". The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.


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