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Lois January

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Birthdate

1912-10-05

Day of Death

2006-08-07

Place of Birth

McAllen, Texas, USA

Lois January

Biography

Lois January was an American actress who performed small roles in several B-movies during the 1930s. Lois also had a secondary part in the Wizard Of Oz, towards the end of the movie, holding a Siamese cat in her arms. Toto jumps out of the basket of the hot air balloon that was supposed to take him, Dorothy and the Wizard away from the Land of Oz. January's first credited role was in 1933, in the film UM-PA. Her most famous role, however, is probably as the Emerald City manicurist in The Wizard of Oz who sings to Dorothy that "we can make a dimpled smile out of a frown". Although the character was unnamed, many fans believe it to be an incarnation of novel character Jellia Jamb. During the 1930s she played in numerous westerns as the heroine, usually opposite Johnny Mack Brown, Bob Steele, Tim McCoy and Bob Baker, among others. In 1935 she starred opposite Reb Russell in Arizona Badman, and in 1936 she starred with Brown in Rogue of the Range, and alongside Tim McCoy in Border Caballero. While under contract with Universal Pictures she continued to play heroine roles in westerns, and in 1937 she starred opposite Bob Baker in Courage of the West. The reissuing of the 1935 exploitation film The Pace That Kills (under the title Cocaine Fiends) would eventually lend January even more exposure, however limited. January's Broadway credits include High Kickers (1941) and Yokel Boy (1939). By the mid-1940s, her starring roles had waned but she continued to act in non-starring parts. In 1942 she was the "poster girl" for Chesterfield cigarettes. From 1960 through 1987 she played numerous small roles on television, to include roles on My Three Sons and Marcus Welby, M.D. Her last acting role was in 1987, on the television movie Double Agent. During the 1980s she attended several western film festivals.

Filmography (33)

⭐ 5.5 Role: Dowager

Double Agent

1987
⭐ 7.2 Role: Older Woman

The Richard Pryor Special?

1977
⭐ 7.5 Role: Nurse

My Darling Daughters' Anniversary

1973
⭐ 4.2 Role: Mrs. Dean

The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come

1961
⭐ 6.5 Role: Brunette in Dressing Room (uncredited)

Three Cheers for the Girls

1943
⭐ 8.0 Role: Beth Andrews

Courage of the West

1937
⭐ 6.5 Role: Betty Duncan

The Red Rope

1937
⭐ 8.0 Role: Wanda Brooks

Moonlight on the Range

1937
⭐ 7.5 Role: Molly Clark

The Trusted Outlaw

1937
⭐ 4.4 Role: Beth Harvey

Bar-Z Bad Men

1937
⭐ 4.0 Role: Sheila Shannon

Lightnin' Crandall

1937
No Image
⭐ 10.0 Role: Jeannie Morgan

The Roaming Cowboy

1937
⭐ 5.0 Role: Mr. Perelin's Secretary

One Rainy Afternoon

1936
⭐ 5.0 Role: Stella Lamb

Rogue of the Range

1936
⭐ 7.0 Role: Dolores Costello

Lightnin' Bill Carson

1936