A native-born Californian, Rhonda Fleming attended Beverly Hills public and private schools. Her mother, Effie Graham, was a famous model and actress in New York. She has a son ; a Life Associate of Pepperdine University; a Lifetime Member of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge; a Founding Member of the French Foundation For Alzheimer Research; a Benefactor of the Los Angeles Music Center: and a Member of the Center's Blue Ribbon Board of Directors. She is a Member of the Advisory Board of Olive Crest Treatment Centers for Abused Children and serves as a Board of Directors Trustee of World Opportunities International. Along with her husband she helped build the Jerusalem Film Institute in Israel. She also is a member of the Board of Trustees of The UCLA Foundation and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Revlon/UCLA Women's Health Research Program. In addition, she created at the City of Hope Hospital The Rhonda Fleming Mann Research Fellowship to further advance research and treatment associated with women's cancer. In 1991, she and her husband established the Rhonda Fleming Mann Clinic for Women's Comprehensive Care at UCLA Medical Center. This clinic provides a full range of expert gynecologic and obstetric care to women. Since 1992, she has devoted her time to a second facility at UCLA - the Rhonda Fleming Mann Resource Center for Women with Cancer, which opened in early 1994. This Center is the fulfillment of her vision to create a safe, warm place where women cancer patients and their families might receive the highest quality psychosocial and emotional care as well as assistance with the complex practical problems that arise with cancer. In August 1997, the Center opened "Reflections", a unique retail store and consultation suite that carries wigs, head coverings, breast prostheses and other items to help men, women and children deal with the physical appearance changes brought on by cancer and its treatments. The staffs of the clinic, center and store are guided by her belief that caring, compassion, communication and commitment are essential components of the healing process.
Mother of Kent Lane.
Received the Womens International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award .
Is a member of the Westwood Presbyterian Church.
Attended the same high school as Angelina Jolie , Michael Klesic , Nicolas Cage , Lenny Kravitz , David Schwimmer , Jonathan Silverman , Gina Gershon , Jackie Cooper , Rob Reiner , Antonio Sabato Jr. , Pauly Shore , Michael Tolkin , Betty White , Corbin Bernsen , Elizabeth Daily , Albert Brooks and Crispin Glover.
In Italy, almost all her films were dubbed by Dhia Cristiani. She was dubbed on occasion by Lydia Simoneschi , Rosetta Calavetta and Tina Lattanzi.
Attended and graduated from Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California.
She, Jane Russell , Connie Haines and Beryl Davis were once part of a traveling gospel quartet at their church called "The Four Girls" and made an album called "Make a Joyful Noise" that sold over a million copies.
A one-time Las Vegas showroom singing act at the Tropicana, she also performed at the Hollywood Bowl in a one-woman concert of Cole Porter and Irving Berlin songs. Also did a ten-week tour with Skitch Henderson that focused on the music of George Gershwin. She recorded an album in 1958 for Columbia Records.
Was "discovered" by talent agent Henry Willson while a student at Beverly Hills High School.
A lyric soprano, her early singing idol was Deanna Durbin. She was trained in voice by an aunt and entered singing contests.
Her grandfather on her mothers side was a well known actor in Utah, John C. Graham. He also owned a theater and was editor of the local newspaper.
Her mother was a famous Swedish blonde model in New York who made the cover of Harpers and other major magazines, and later appeared in the Al Jolson show "Dancing Around" at the Wintergarden Theater for two years and progressed from understudy to leading role. Her father was a non-professional (insurance man). Her parents divorced when Rhonda was ten.
According to an interview with Ms. Fleming which was featured in an issue of "Films of the Golden Age", writer Paul Phaneuf states that Rhondas very first taste of Hollywood came when she was 15 years old. Her mother took some pictures of her in their backyard and sent them to big-time Hollywood producer Jesse Lasky for an upcoming show of his. She lost out in the final audition.
Is a strong supporter of the Republican party and was an honored speaker at the National Federal of Republican Women.
She supported Mitt Romney during the 2012 presidential election.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6660 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
She was awarded a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California on December 9, 2007.
Established Rhonda Fleming Mann Clinic for Women Comprehensive Care at the UCLA Medical Center.
She took lessons in light opera for ten years as a child.
Signed her first contract for 20th Century-Fox under the professional name of Marilyn Lane but it was later changed to Rhonda at the suggestion of David O. Selznick.
She turned down Yul Brynner s offer of the role of Anna for a year in the road company of "The King and I".
Has appeared with John Payne in four films: The Eagle and the Hawk , Crosswinds , Tennessees Partner and Slightly Scarlet .
Has appeared with Ronald Reagan in four films: The Last Outpost , Hong Kong (1952) Tropic Zone and Tennessees Partner .
Had one older sister: Beverly Louis.
Mine was a very rare and wonderful Cinderella story, a complete,Cinderella story that could have only happened during the studio system,era.
[on her break into movies] I had hoped to do some singing, but at the,time I got into show business, musicals were not being made quite as,often. I wound up playing a patient at a mental institution.
[on filming The Redhead and the Cowboy (1951) ] They wanted to get,a close-up of me rearing a horse without using a stunt girl. So in the,scene, I was riding uphill and I reared the horse up and it fell back,on top of me. By the Grace of God I was not squashed like a bug. I was,knocked unconscious. How I got up and walked away and finished that,film was a miracle.
