Evelyn Ankers was a British-American actress who starred in many horror films in the 1940s, most notably The Wolf Man (1941) opposite Lon Chaney Jr. She was known as the Queen of the Bs or the Queen of Horror Movies for her roles in low-budget but popular films. She retired from acting in 1950 at the age of 32 and moved to Hawaii with her husband, actor Richard Denning. She died of ovarian cancer in 1985, at the age of 67. In this article, we will explore Evelyn Ankers’ cause of death and how she lived her life.
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Early Life and Career
Evelyn Ankers was born on August 17, 1918, in Valparaiso, Chile, to British parents. She was educated in England and began acting on stage and in films in the mid-1930s. She appeared in Fire Over England (1937) with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh and in Bells of St. Mary’s (1937). She moved to the United States in 1940 and signed a contract with Universal Studios.
Horror Film Stardom
At Universal, Ankers became a leading lady in horror films, often playing the love interest or the victim of various monsters. She co-starred with Lon Chaney Jr. in The Wolf Man (1941), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Son of Dracula (1943), and The Frozen Ghost (1945). She also appeared in Captive Wild Woman (1943), The Mad Ghoul (1943), Jungle Woman (1944), Weird Woman (1944), and The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944). She also supported Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942) and The Pearl of Death (1944).
Ankers was praised for her beauty and talent, but she also expressed frustration with being typecast in horror films. She once said, “I don’t like horror pictures at all. I get so scared that I can’t sleep after I’ve made one.” She also had a tense relationship with Lon Chaney Jr., who reportedly had a crush on her and resented her marriage to Richard Denning.
Retirement and Family Life
Ankers married Richard Denning on September 6, 1942. They had one daughter, Diana Denning (later Dwyer). Ankers quit Universal in 1945 and freelanced at other studios, appearing in dramas, mysteries, and comedies. She starred in Black Beauty (1946) with her husband and played Calamity Jane in The Texan Meets Calamity Jane (1950). She made her last film appearance in No Greater Love (1960), also with her husband.
Ankers retired from acting to focus on her family and her hobbies, such as painting and gardening. She became an American citizen in August 1946. She moved to Hawaii with her husband when he accepted the role of the governor in Hawaii Five-O. She enjoyed living in Maui and was active in the community.
Evelyn Ankers Cause of Death
Ankers died of ovarian cancer on August 29, 1985, in Maui. She was 67 years old. She was buried at Makawao Veterans’ Cemetery in Makawao, Hawaii, next to her husband, who died in 1998.
Evelyn Ankers was a talented and beautiful actress who left a lasting impression on horror film fans. She was also a devoted wife and mother who lived a happy and peaceful life after retiring from Hollywood. Her cause of death was ovarian cancer, a disease that affects many women around the world.
According to Wikipedia, ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the ovaries, the female reproductive organs that produce eggs. Ovarian cancer can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss, irregular periods, and difficulty urinating. However, these symptoms are often vague and can be mistaken for other conditions. Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage when it has spread to other organs.
The exact causes of ovarian cancer are not known, but some risk factors include age, family history, genetic mutations, hormone therapy, obesity, smoking, and infertility. Ovarian cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy. The survival rate depends on the stage of the disease, the type of cancer, and the patient’s overall health.
According to Dead or Kicking, Evelyn Ankers’ cause of death was ovarian cancer. This means that she had malignant cells growing in her ovaries that eventually spread to other parts of her body. It is not clear when she was diagnosed or what treatments she received. However, it is likely that she suffered from some of the symptoms mentioned above and that her condition worsened over time. She died surrounded by her loved ones in her home in Maui.
Evelyn Ankers’ cause of death was a tragic end to a remarkable life. She was a star of the silver screen who entertained millions of people with her horror films. She was also a loving wife and mother who enjoyed a simple and serene life in Hawaii. She left behind a legacy of films that are still enjoyed by fans today. She also left behind a family and friends who cherished her memory. Evelyn Ankers’ cause of death was ovarian cancer, but her life was much more than that.
