American leading woman of films and television in the 1950s, whose career was hampered by injuries. Raised in San Francisco, she studied music, dance, and opera as a child. She made her film debut as a child by chance in 1937 during a visit to Los Angeles. She remained to attend Hollywood High School and to appear in local theatre productions. She returned to San Francisco for studies at San Francisco Junior College and, while there, entered into a brief marriage. Divorced, she came back to Hollywood and modeled. Although contracted to Paramount in 1947, she was released without working there and signed instead with Columbia. She made numerous television appearances and low-budget features before MGM signed her and began placing her in more important projects. Despite good notices and some successful films, she was eventually released from her contract. She made several unimportant pictures as a freelancer, then left the industry in 1955. She worked a number of non-film related jobs under a variation of her married name, then returned to acting in 1958. She had a long string of success in television which was shattered in a 1962 car crash. She was very nearly killed and had severe facial damage, requiring massive plastic surgery. Her beauty miraculously recovered, she managed to return to acting within a year and appeared occasionally into the 1970s. A series of subsequent falls injured her repeatedly, and she moved into business interests, though remaining an actor at heart.
Daughter Raeme Dorene Patterson (1946-1993)
Made her film debut in 1938 at age 14 opposite Jane Withers in the comedy Keep Smiling (1938/II) billed as Paula Rae Wright.
Discovered for films and MGM by George Cukor and given a minor role in the Tracy/Hepburn vehicle Adams Rib after being spotted guesting on an early TV drama.
In 1999 she began work on her book "I Was Born Right, Where Did I Go Wrong, or The Misadventures of a Dumb Dame."
Following her divorce from husband Captain Floyd Patterson, Paula came to Hollywood and worked in bit parts in 1947 under the stage name of "Rae Patterson." A few years later she later changed her name to "Paula Raymond"
Her father being a distinguished attorney, she once studied law in San Francisco. Her grandfather, Farnsworth Wright (1888-1940), was the well-known magazine editor who helmed "Weird Tales" during its Golden Age. In 1940 he was afflicted with Parkinsons disease and replaced as editor, dying a few months later. The magazine never achieved the same level of quality.
In 1977, she had returned to acting and she had earned a stint on the soap, "Days of Our Lives" . After only three appearances, she accidentally tripped on a telephone cord and broke her ankle. She was written out of the show.
Turned down the role of saloon keeper "Kitty Russell" in the long-running western classic series "Gunsmoke" . Amanda Blake earned fame in the part.
On August 20, 1962, Paula was a passenger in a car that crashed into a tree on Sunset Boulevard. Her nose was severed by the rear view mirror. The car overturned at least six times and she was luckily pulled out of the car moments before it exploded. Amazingly, after only a little more than a year, she returned to acting after extensive plastic surgery.
Among other things I studied cinematography. Being busy is the best,beauty tonic I know. .
