Sheila Terry was a blonde, blue-eyed actress who appeared in more than 30 films in the 1930s, mostly for Warner Bros. She was best known for playing opposite John Wayne in several westerns, such as Haunted Gold, The Lawless Frontier, and ‘Neath the Arizona Skies. She also had roles in other genres, such as comedy, drama, and romance. Some of her notable films include You Said a Mouthful, Scarlet Dawn, and Madame Butterfly.
However, behind the glamorous facade of her Hollywood career, Sheila Terry had a troubled personal life that led to her downfall. She married and divorced twice, struggled with financial problems and depression, and eventually committed suicide by overdosing on pills in 1957. She died alone and penniless in her New York apartment, and was buried in a mass grave on Hart Island. How did this former starlet end up in such a tragic fate? Here is a brief biography of Sheila Terry and the cause of her death.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Sheila Terry was born Kathleen Eleanor Mulhern on March 5, 1910, in Warroad, Minnesota. One of her ancestors was John Wycliffe, who had translated the Bible into English. She dreamed of being an actress from a very young age. When she was a teenager, she studied dramatics at the Dickson-Kenwin Academy of Dramatic Art in Toronto. She began her career acting in stock companies.
Unfortunately, her wealthy uncle wanted her to become a teacher instead of an actress. She returned to Minnesota and taught school for a brief time so she could claim her inheritance. On August 16, 1928, she married Laurence Clark, a banker. Then she moved to New York City and was cast in the play The Little Racketeer. A talent scout saw her in the play and she was signed by Warner Bros. in 1932.
Hollywood Stardom
Sheila Terry made her film debut in the comedy Week-End Marriage (1932). She had small roles in more than a dozen films that year, including Scarlet Dawn (starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Nancy Carroll), Madame Butterfly (starring Cary Grant and Sylvia Sidney), and Convention City (starring Joan Blondell, Adolphe Menjou, and Mary Astor).
She also became John Wayne’s leading lady in several westerns produced by Lone Star Productions, such as Haunted Gold (1932), The Lawless Frontier (1934), and ‘Neath the Arizona Skies (1934). She was praised for her beauty and charm, as well as her ability to ride horses and handle guns.
In 1933, she left Hollywood briefly for the New York stage. She appeared in the plays The Last Mile and The Firebird. She returned to film in 1934 and continued to work for Warner Bros. until 1938. Some of her later films include I Am a Thief (1934), The Case of the Lucky Legs (1935), Parole! (1936), and I Demand Payment (1938).
Personal Problems and Retirement
Sheila Terry’s marriage to Laurence Clark ended in 1934. She claimed he often criticized her and said she was a “rotten singer”. She married William Magee, a San Francisco millionaire, in October 1937, but that union was short-lived as well.
Unhappy with the roles she was getting, she decided to quit acting after her final film I Demand Payment (1938). She moved back to New York City and started a new career as a press agent. She had brief romances with actor John Warburton and producer Tay Garnett. In a 1948 interview she said she wanted to start acting again.
However, as she got older she suffered from financial problems and depression. She had trouble finding work and paying her bills. She also became addicted to sleeping pills and alcohol.
Suicide and Burial
On January 19, 1957, Sheila Terry committed suicide by taking an overdose of pills. She was only 46 years old. Her body was discovered by a friend who went to check on her after failing to reach her on the phone. The police found five empty capsules on the floor beside her.
She died broke and left only a scant wardrobe behind. No relatives or friends claimed her body or arranged for her funeral. She was buried on Hart Island, New York’s potter’s field where unclaimed or indigent people are laid to rest.
Sheila Terry’s death was largely ignored by the media and the public. Her former co-star John Wayne did not comment on her passing. Her films were rarely shown on television or released on video or DVD. Her grave remains unmarked and forgotten.
Sheila Terry’s cause of death was a tragic end to a once promising career. She was one of the many Hollywood stars who faded into obscurity and died in poverty and despair. Her story is a reminder of the dark side of fame and fortune, and the fragility of human life.
