Victoria Horne (November 1, 1911 – October 10, 2003) was an American character actress, appearing in 49 films (uncredited in 25 of these) during the 1940s and 1950s.
Early years Horne was born on November 1, 1911, in New York City, to Ignatz Hornstein (who emigrated from Braila, Romania) and Mary Louise Schoenwetter Hornstein. She was the second of four children. The family name was changed to "Horne" when she was a child.
She was a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Career
The films in which she appeared included Blue Skies, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff. Perhaps her best-known film roles were as James Stewart's love-searching niece Myrtle Mae Simmons in the 1950 film adaptation of Mary Chase's play Harvey, as Roberta in the 1952 Three Stooges short subject Cuckoo on a Choo Choo, and as Nabura, a villainous Japanese agent in the 1945 serial Secret Agent X-9.
Personal life She married actor Jack Oakie in 1950 and remained with him until his death on January 23, 1978. After his death, she arranged the posthumous publication of her late husband's book, Jack Oakie's Double Takes and also published a number of other books about him.
Victoria and Jack Oakie lived their entire married life at "Oakridge", their estate at 18650 Devonshire Street west of Reseda Boulevardin Northridge, Los Angeles, California. Oakridge, considered to be one of the last remnants of the large Northridge estates famed for thoroughbred breeding, was originally commissioned by Barbara Stanwyck and designed by Paul Williams; Stanwyck sold it to Oakie in 1940. Victoria Oakie continued to live there after her husband's death and bequeathed the estate to the University of Southern California. After two failed attempts to develop the property, Oakridge was acquired by the City of Los Angeles in 2010. The property was developed into the Oakridge Estate Park, which opened in December 2018. The house has been maintained in the park, as both it and the grounds are listed as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #484.Book description for Jack Oakie's Oakridge at Amazon.com. Accessed June 16, 2007. (This appears to be incorrect; California Historical Landmark #484 is Georgetown, while Oakridge is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #484.)
Death Horne died on October 10, 2003, in a retirement home in Beverly Hills, California. She was 91. She is interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 25047-25048). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Legacy The Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Charitable Foundation underwrites "lectures on comedy and scholarships for deserving film and theater students at some of the most prestigious institutions in the country." An official of Syracuse University said that money provided by the foundation "was a godsend" in helping the university establish its semester-in-Los-Angeles program.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1944 Phantom Lady Miss Payton Uncredited Men on Her Mind Minor Role Uncredited The Scarlet Claw Nora San Diego, I Love You Mrs. Allsop Uncredited Murder in the Blue Room Second Maid Uncredited 1945 Roughly Speaking Maid at Millwood Uncredited The Unseen Lily Uncredited Pillow to Post Mildred Henry Uncredited That's the Spirit Patience Secret Agent X-9 Nabura Serial Love, Honor and Goodbye Miss Whipple Pillow of Death Vivian Fletcher Voice, Uncredited 1946 The Scarlet Horseman Loma Cinderella Jones Agnes Uncredited To Each His Own Nurse Daisy Gingras In Old Sacramento Ma Dodge Uncredited She Wrote the Book The Maid Uncredited Blue Skies Martha - Mary Elizabeth's Nanny 1947 Suddenly, It's Spring WAC Lt. Billings The Guilt of Janet Ames Nurse Uncredited Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman Woman Uncredited The Ghost and Mrs. Muir Eva Muir The Crimson Key Miss Phillips Key Witness Nurse Sibley Uncredited Forever Amber Quaker Woman Uncredited Daisy Kenyon Marsha - Dan's Secretary Uncredited 1948 The Mating of Millie Nurse Uncredited The Gentleman from Nowhere Miss Keams Uncredited The Return of October Margaret Grant Uncredited The Snake Pit Ward 33 Inmate Uncredited 1949 The Life of Riley Lucy Monahan Streets of San Francisco Witness Uncredited Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff Mrs. Hargreave Mary Ryan, Detective Wilma Hall 1950 The Good Humor Man Bride Joe Palooka in Humphrey Takes a Chance Miss Tucker The Men Paraplegic's Wife Uncredited Never a Dull Moment Shivaree Partyer Uncredited Harvey Myrtle Mae Simmons 1951 The Company She Keeps Marcia Guston Uncredited Cuban Fireball The Maid 1952 Scandal Sheet Mary Uncredited Dreamboat Waitress at Ruby's Uncredited Cuckoo on a Choo Choo Roberta Short 1953 The Blue Gardenia Disturbed Woman with Big Feet Uncredited Affair with a Stranger Mrs. Wallace 1959 The Wonderful Country Townswoman at Dance Uncredited, (final film role)
References
Bibliography Autobiography published posthumously by Oakie's widow on January 1, 1980. 240 pages. A history of the Oakie family home, "Oakridge". 126 pages. Letters of congratulation and reminiscence sent from almost 150 celebrities to Jack Oakie in celebration of his 70th birthday. Compiled & edited by Mrs Oakie to commemorate his 90th birthday. 140 pages.
External links
Aerial view of the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne "Oakridge" estate - (circa 2006-07)