Roxanne Arlen was an American actress and model who appeared in several films and TV shows in the 1950s and 1960s. She was known for her roles in The Loved One, Gypsy, Bachelor Flat, and Hot Rod Girl. She was also a Broadway star who played the lead role in the comedy Who Was That Lady I Saw You With? in 1958. But how did Roxanne Arlen die and what was her cause of death?
Early Life and Career
Roxanne Arlen was born as Roxanne Giles on January 10, 1931, in Detroit, Michigan. Her father was Harry Giles, a chemist in Detroit. She graduated from Highland Park High School when she was 16 and took drama classes at night at Wayne State University while she was in high school. A modeling contest at the Fox Theater in Detroit led to her career as an actress .
She moved to Hollywood in 1953 and began her film career with small roles as blondes, models, or girls. She was also a WAMPAS Baby Star of 1956, a title given to young actresses who were expected to become stars . She got her breakthrough on Broadway when she starred in the comedy Who Was That Lady I Saw You With?, written by Norman Krasna. The play ran for 208 performances and earned her positive reviews .
She continued to work in films and TV shows, often playing sexy or comedic characters. Some of her notable films include The Loved One, a satire on the funeral industry, where she played a hostess at a cemetery ; Gypsy, a musical biopic of Gypsy Rose Lee, where she played Electra, a burlesque stripper ; Bachelor Flat, a romantic comedy where she played Mrs. Roberts, a flirtatious neighbor ; and Hot Rod Girl, a juvenile delinquent film where she played Long Play, a rebellious teenager .
Personal Life and Death
Roxanne Arlen was married four times and divorced three times. Her first husband was comedian Red Buttons, whom she married in 1947 and divorced in 1949 . Her second husband was Milton Gilman, whom she married in 1949 and divorced in 1954 . Her third husband was Tom Roddy, whom she married in 1954 and divorced in 1957 . Her fourth and last husband was William Shafer, whom she married in 1969 .
She had one daughter with her third husband, named Julianne Snyder. She also had a stepson with her fourth husband, named William Shafer Jr. She moved to London with her fourth husband shortly after they married. As Roxanne Shafer, she became a playwright and wrote a play in the 1970s .
Roxanne Arlen died on February 22, 1989, in London, England. She was 58 years old. Her cause of death was not publicly disclosed . She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California .