| Carole Mathews | |
| Birthname: | Jean Deifel |
| Birth Date: | 13 September 1920 |
| Birth Place: | Montgomery, Illinois, United States |
| Other Names: | Jeanne Francis |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | c. 1940 – 1978 |
Carole Mathews (born Jean Deifel,[1] also credited as Jeanne Francis; September 13, 1920 – November 6, 2014) was an American film and television actress.
Born in Montgomery, Illinois,[2] near Chicago, Mathews lived with her grandmother after her parents divorced.[3] She attended elementary schools in Aurora, Illinois, and obtained her secondary education at Calumet High School in Chicago. After graduation from high school, she entered a nunnery in Milwaukee. Her grandmother made her leave it, however, telling her to wait until she was 21.
In 1938, Mathews was named "Miss Chicago" and in doing so, qualified for a trip to California and a screen test. While in California, she auditioned for the Earl Carroll Follies and won a role in the show for 1939.
Mathews attended the Chicago Conservatory of Music and Drama, where she studied ballet, voice, and drama. She also hosted a WGN radio program, Breakfast Time with Carole Mathews. Soon she was engaged in modeling.[4]
In 1939, Mathews had some bit parts in films, using the name Jeanne Francis.
Mathews appeared on Broadway as Karen Jackson in With a Silk Thread (1950).[5] [6]
Source[7]
Mathews appeared on various television series, including ABC Stage 67 in 1967, Police Woman in 1977, and General Hospital for four episodes in 1983. She appeared in the TV Hallmark Hall of Fame movie "Fame" in 1978.
Mathews, at age 94, died on November 6, 2014.[8]