EGN NEWS DESK
Dolores Rosedale, a mannequin generally known as Roxanne whose burst of fame within the early Fifties because the hostess of the wacky recreation present “Beat the Clock” led to the creation of a doll in her picture and to appearances on the covers of magazines like Life and TV Guide, died on May 2 in Spring Park, Minn., close to Minneapolis. She was 95.
Her daughter Ann Roddy confirmed the loss of life, at an assisted dwelling facility.
Roxanne joined “Beat the Clock” in 1950 when it made its transition to tv from radio. Bud Collyer, the host, presided over the weekly program, during which contestants raced to complete stunts in opposition to cut-off dates.
Roxanne’s position didn’t require her to say a lot at first. She posed with the prizes and took footage of contestants as they carried out their stunts. She later gave introductions of the contestants.
But her poise and glamour — and, maybe, the polka-dot ballet costume she typically wore — helped her get away.
In 1951, she donned a dressing up for a Life journal cowl story about refrain ladies. Inside, {a photograph} that recognized her because the present’s “stunt mistress” confirmed her guiding a blindfolded Boy Scout as he tried to establish an elephant.
She was on no less than two Look journal covers, considered one of which confirmed her posing on Jones Beach, on Long Island, N.Y.; two TV Guide covers, together with one with Mr. Collyer; and one cowl of Tempo, a celeb journal, with the headline: “Secrets of Roxanne — TV Sensation.”
Commenting on her reputation, The Bangor Daily News in Maine declared that she was “batting 1.000 within the pinup league.”
She reached a popular culture pinnacle of types in 1952 with the looks of the 18-inch Roxanne doll. It was made from “lifelike latex with vinyl head, sleeping eyes and washable ‘platinum’ Saran hair,” based on a newspaper advert for the Abraham & Straus division retailer in Brooklyn.
“Have your image taken with TV’s beauteous blonde!” the advert stated, selling Roxanne’s look with the doll at A & S Toyland in November 1952. A tiny digicam hung across the doll’s neck.
An advert from Valentine, the doll’s producer, revealed in a enterprise commerce journal, crowed: “Profit from the influence of Roxanne’s following! Now on extra TV stations than ever earlier than.”
Dolores Evelyn Rosedale was born on March 20, 1929, in Minneapolis. Her father, Kenneth, was a civil engineer. Her mom, Thyra, was answerable for receiving and processing proof at an area courthouse.
As a youngster, she labored as a dental assistant, took programs in style design on the Minnesota School of Fine Arts and was a prime contender within the Miss Minnesota pageant in 1947.
She left for New York City in late 1949, signed with the Conover modeling company and shortly discovered work.
By then, she had adopted the one title Roxanne, and ultimately made the change authorized. Ms. Roddy, her daughter, stated in a telephone interview that her mom disliked her unique title: “She’d say, ‘How might anybody give somebody such an unpleasant title?’”
In 1954, Roxanne married Thomas Roddy and gave delivery to Ann the following 12 months, when her time on “Beat the Clock” had expired. That 12 months, she had a small position in Billy Wilder’s comedy “The Seven Year Itch,” starring Marilyn Monroe. In the movie, Roxanne and Tom Ewell parodied the well-known romantic seaside scene in “From Here to Eternity” with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr.
Two years later, she had one other small half in a drama, “The Young Don’t Cry,” with Sal Mineo and James Whitmore.
She additionally studied appearing with the influential teacher Sanford Meisner.
She appeared as soon as on Broadway, in 1956, as a prostitute in “A Hatful of Rain,” a drama a few man with a drug habit. She advised The Daily News of New York that it was the “most fun expertise to this point” in her profession.
She felt that it was essential to advance her profession as an actress. As she advised The Daily News, she questioned if engaged on a recreation present had given viewers “the impression that I used to be simply one other dumb blonde as a result of I used to be given so little to say.”
In 1957, she starred in a summer season inventory manufacturing of George Axelrod’s comedy “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?” She performed the identical position, a bombshell actress named Rita Marlowe, that Jayne Mansfield did on Broadway in 1955 and within the movie adaptation two years later.
But as Roxanne’s household grew — she would have 5 youngsters — she shifted from appearing. She continued to mannequin; commented on style exhibits; designed clothes; operated a style boutique; and offered furs in Minneapolis.
She and Mr. Roddy divorced in 1979. She married Stanley Shanedling in 1981; he died in 1997. She was at varied occasions generally known as Roxanne Roddy and Roxanne Shanedling.
In addition to her daughter Ann, she is survived by one other daughter, Elizabeth Roddy; her sons, Thomas, David and Michael; 4 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Kitty Torrentore.
Roxanne encountered Ms. Monroe nicely earlier than showing along with her in “The Seven Year Itch.”
“It was my first week in New York,” she advised Earl Wilson, the syndicated gossip columnist, in 1953. “I’d gone to a wholesale home to mannequin attire. This woman walked in and began taking off her garments. She was carrying only a gown, stockings and garter belt, and that’s ALL! I stated, ‘Oh, this woman doesn’t know what underwear is.’”
