Laura Devon

Laura Devon (May 23, 1931 – July 19, 2007) was an American actress, singer and model.

Spouse(s)

Brian Kelly
(1962–1966; divorced)
Maurice Jarre
(1967–1984; divorced)

Children - Kevin Jarre

Early life

Laura Devon was born May 23, 1931 in Chicago. Her birth name has been given as either Mary Lou Briley or Mary Laura Briley. Her father was identified in the press as Merrill Devon, an automotive engineer, and her mother as Velma Prather. She attended school in Chicago and the Grosse Pointe suburbs of Detroit. She entered Wayne State University, majoring in journalism and political science, where she learned how to act in school theater productions.

In 1954, she gave birth to her only child, Kevin, who grew up to become Kevin Jarre, a noted screenwriter. After performing in amateur theatricals and light opera, her first professional part was a lead in a production of The Boy Friend at the Vanguard Playhouse in Detroit.

In 1962, she married Brian Kelly, son of Justice Harry F. Kelly, then a member of the Michigan Supreme Court and a former Michigan governor. Brian Kelly was a fellow actor and, a month after their wedding, he and Devon appeared together on stage in Lillian Hellman's Toys in the Attic at the Laguna Beach Summer Theater. Two years later, he was to become well known for his role as Porter Ricks on the TV series Flipper. They divorced in January 1966.

Screen career

In 1961, Laura Devon was discovered by Bob Goldstein of 20th Century Fox while she was singing at the London Chop Shop in Detroit. She tells the story of her coming to Hollywood in this way:

“There was talk about testing me for "High Heels" at the time. I had an agent at MCA who told me U.I. was also interested: he took me there first to test and they signed me to a contract straight off, so I never got to 20th. But for the full year at U.I. I was never put into a picture. I had voice, dancing and acting lessons: Louis Graveure coached me in singing, Charles Conrad in drama, and the studio paid the bills. It was like being totally subsidized and with nothing to do but study.”

A 1962 featured role in the TV show Route 66 was her first significant part. Following that, she appeared in many popular TV shows and five Hollywood films. She appeared in an episode of Rawhide entitled "Canliss" as Dean Martin's gunfighter character's wife in 1964.

In 1967, she married film composer Maurice Jarre and retired from acting.

Singing career

Laura Devon released only one professional recording, a single: "I Like the Look" (A side) / "Dreamsville" (B side). Both songs were composed by Henry Mancini and were featured in the film Gunn, Devon's last film.

She also can be heard on the soundtrack to the 1975 film Mr. Sycamore, performing the song "Time Goes By", written by her then husband, Maurice Jarre, and lyricist Paul Francis Webster.

Later life and death

Devon and Jarre divorced in 1984. She died of heart failure in Beverly Hills, July 19, 2007.

Filmography

Although Laura Devon's big-screen film career was relatively brief, she had the opportunity to work with some of the most illustrious directors active at that time.

• 1964 Goodbye Charlie
• 1965 Red Line 7000
• 1966 Chamber of Horrors
• 1967 A Covenant with Death, Gunn

During a seven-year period (1960-1967), Laura Devon had featured roles in numerous popular TV shows, including: Insight, The New Breed, Route 66, The Twilight Zone, Stoney Burke, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Rawhide, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, The Rogues, Bonanza, I Spy, The Fugitive, T.H.E. Cat, The Big Valley, Coronet Blue, and The Invaders. She had a recurring role on four episodes of Dr. Kildare and she was a member of the repertory cast that rotated major and supporting roles on the critically acclaimed series The Richard Boone Show.