Grace Bradley

Grace Bradley

Born: September 21, 1913
Died: September 21, 2010
in Brooklyn, New York, USA
A petite and extremely lovely blonde "B" film actress who eventually deserted her career in favor of standing by her man (cowboy icon William Boyd, aka, "Hopalong Cassidy"), Grace Bradley spent the rest of her life in his shadow and devoting herself to her husband's career. Bill's Hoppy was the longest span of any fictional character played by the same actor. Following his death in 1972, she spent a good deal of her time keeping his good name and image in tact.

Grace initially studied to be a concert pianist, playing Carngie Hall at age 15. She also took advantage of her budding loveliness by modeling full time and taking singing/dancing lessons on the sly. She went on to act, sing, and dance on the Broadway stage in the musicals "Strike Me Pink" and "The Little Show". While performing at the Paradise nightclub in Manhattan in 1933, the dancer was "discovered" and signed by a Paramount Pictures director.

Heading west, she often came off as an assertive "bad girl" or femme-fatale at Paramount with such fun, party-girl names as Goldie, Trixie, Flossie, Lily and Sadie. Her first full-length movie was as a second lead in the Bing Crosby/Jack Oakie musical comedy Too Much Harmony (1933), in which she sang and danced to the feisty tune "Cradle Me With a Hotcha Lullaby". She subsequently appeared in the W.C. Fields classic Six of a Kind (1934); the Richard Arlen pictures Come On, Marines! (1934) and She Made Her Bed (1934); the Claudette Colbert/Fred MacMurray comedy The Gilded Lily (1935), and had the female lead opposite Bruce Cabot in Redhead (1934). Appearing secondary in the Bing Crosby/Ethel Merman version of Anything Goes (1936), her musical talents were tapped into with the films The Cat's-Paw (1934), Stolen Harmony (1935), Old Man Rhythm (1935), Sitting on the Moon (1936) and Wake Up and Live (1937). Elsewhere, various "B" male co-stars would include Wallace Ford, Lee Tracy, Jack Haley, John Boles, Robert Livingston, Jack Holt and Robert Armstrong.

In 1937, Grace happened to cross paths with Bill Boyd, who became her "Prince Charming on a big white horse". She had a long-time school-girl crush on Boyd and was instantly smitten upon their first meeting. He was 42 and she 23. He asked her to marry him within a few days and they were married three weeks later on June 5th. Boyd had already been married four times, none lasting longer than six years. Grace would become the fifth (and last) Mrs. William Boyd in a marriage that lasted 35 years. The couple had no children together; Bill had one child from his third marriage.

William Lawrence Boyd retired from show business in 1953 quite wealthy. Suffering from Parkinson's disease, he died of heart failure in Laguna Beach in 1972 at age 77. Grace went on to spend the last decades of her life devoting herself to volunteer work at the Laguna Beach hospital where her husband lived out his final days. She later withstood legal battles that stemmed from copyright infringements, but enjoyed appearing occasionally at Hopalong Cassidy tributes. The definitive biography Hopalong Cassidy - An American Legend was co-authored by Grace and Michael Cochran in 2008. Grace Bradley Boyd died,  21 September 2010, Dana Point, California. of complications from old age at age 97 on her birthday; and she was interred next to her husband at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Clendale, California.

Movies for Grace Bradley...

Taxi, Mister
Title: Taxi, Mister
Character: Sadie McGuerin aka O'Brien
Released: April 16, 1943
Type: Movie
The owner (William Bendix) of a cab company tries to foil a racketeer.
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The McGuerins from Brooklyn
Title: The McGuerins from Brooklyn
Character: Sadie McGuerin
Released: December 31, 1942
Type: Movie
Tim McGuerin and Eddie Corbett operates a big taxi-fleet company together and because of a misunderstanding Tim's wife Sadie thinks he is having an affair with his secretary, Ms. Lucy Gibbs. To annoy Tim, Sadie starts taking classes with a fitness instructor, Samson, and later going with him to his out-of-town health club. To sort out all the misunderstandings both Tim and Eddie go to the health club as well.
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Brooklyn Orchid
Title: Brooklyn Orchid
Character: Sadie McGuerin
Released: January 31, 1942
Type: Movie
Two taxi-fleet operators rescue a girl and she follows them to a mountain resort.
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The Hard-Boiled Canary
Title: The Hard-Boiled Canary
Character: Madie Duvalie
Released: June 8, 1941
Type: Movie
A young girl fresh out of reform school who is singing in a burlesque show is offered a scholarship to a famous music camp by the camp's owner. She must overcome the suspicions of the other students in order to prove herself.
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Sign of the Wolf
Title: Sign of the Wolf
Character: Judy Weston
Released: March 25, 1941
Type: Movie
Two German shepherds and their mistress (Grace Bradley) crash-land in Canada by a fox breeder's (Michael Whalen) farm.
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The Invisible Killer
Title: The Invisible Killer
Character: Sue Walker
Released: November 14, 1939
Type: Movie
Reporter Sue Walker has too much inside information on the local gambling rackets to suit her sweetheart, Detective Lieutenant Jerry Brown, chief of the police Homicide Squad. When the call comes in that there has been a killing at Lefty Ross' place, a notorious gambling joint, Jerry is peeved when Sue beats him there. He discovers that gambler Jimmy Clark was killed as he answered a telephone call, and his body is riddled with bullets but Jerry can't find any weapon. Sue is amazed to see Gloria Cunningham there. Gloria's father is one of the town's leading reformers and she is engaged to District Attorney Richard Sutton. Ross decides to give Sutton all the information he needs and makes an appointment to go to Sutton's home. Once there, Ross is called to the telephone before he can give any information, and is killed in the same mysterious manner as Jimmy Clark.
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Romance on the Run
Title: Romance on the Run
Character: Lily Lamont
Released: May 11, 1938
Type: Movie
A (rather shady?) private detective specializing in recovering highly insured items gets involved in recovering a stolen necklace. In the process also gets involved with a secretary at the insurance company.
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The Big Broadcast of 1938
Title: The Big Broadcast of 1938
Character: Grace Fielding
Released: February 11, 1938
Type: Movie
The Bellows family causes comic confusion on an ocean liner, with time out for radio-style musical acts.
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It's All Yours
Title: It's All Yours
Character: Constance Marlowe
Released: September 1, 1937
Type: Movie
Jimmy Barnes arrives from Europe to be educated by his multi-millionaire uncle, Edward J. Barnes and in five years the extravagant escapes of Jimmy, now a lawyer, are the talk of San Francisco. Linda Gray is a mouse-like secretary to the elder Barnes who has fallen in love with Jimmy, but he favors actress Constance "Connie" Marlowe. Mr. Barnes dies and leaves everything to Linda but he has urged his partner, Alexander Duncan, to plan things so that Jimmy and Linda will get married. Coached by Duncan, Linda accepts the inheritance and announces that she is departing for New York on a wild spending spree. He tells Jimmy that the will can be broken but only after many months and he suggests that Jimmy follow Linda and curb her spending or there won't be any money left. In New York, Linda hires Jimmy as her private secretary. Connie also arrives in New York, as does the ingenious Baron Rene de Montigny with the intention of marrying the wealthy Miss Gray.
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Wake Up and Live
Title: Wake Up and Live
Character: Jean Roberts
Released: August 23, 1937
Type: Movie
Satire on radio, built around the supposed feud between bandleader Ben Bernie and journalist Walter Winchell.
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Roaring Timber
Title: Roaring Timber
Character: Kay MacKinley
Released: July 3, 1937
Type: Movie
Jim Sherwood , toughest logging boss in the timber country, takes on his toughest assignment when he agrees to cut an enormous volume of timber for Andrew MacKinley, who has to deliver the timber within sixty days.
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Larceny on the Air
Title: Larceny on the Air
Character: Jean Sterling
Released: January 11, 1937
Type: Movie
A doctor working with the Bureau of Pure Foods and Drugs, uses radio broadcasts to expose fraudulent patent medicines.
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O.H.M.S.
Title: O.H.M.S.
Character: Jean Burdett
Released: January 1, 1937
Type: Movie
American racketeer Jimmie Dean travels to England, where he assumes the identity of a Canadian whom he has been falsely accused of murdering. Jimmie is then forced to join the British army in the dead man's place. He falls in love with the Canadian's childhood playmate, Sally Briggs, and becomes a hero after saving an isolated English colony in China.
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Don't Turn 'em Loose
Title: Don't Turn 'em Loose
Character: Grace Forbes
Released: September 18, 1936
Type: Movie
A conscientious attorney who is a member of the State Parole Board, finds his own son, using an alias, up for parole and makes the decision to cast the approving vote.
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Sitting on the Moon
Title: Sitting on the Moon
Character: Polly Blair
Released: September 11, 1936
Type: Movie
A successful songwriter and a struggling singer become involved professionally and romantically on the road to stardom.
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F-Man
Title: F-Man
Character: Evelyn
Released: May 2, 1936
Type: Movie
Johnny Dime has aspiration of becoming a "G-Man" , gums up the work of Rogan, an actual government agent is his pursuit of Public Enemy No. 1. Dimes ambitious goal is to improve his "F" rating to a "G". His sweetheart, Evelyn hopes to not get shot in the process.
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13 Hours by Air
Title: 13 Hours by Air
Character: Trixie La Brey
Released: April 30, 1936
Type: Movie
Womanizer and airline pilot Jack Gordon must fly the world's fastest airliner from New York to California while dealing with dangerous jewel thieves on the run from the law.
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Dangerous Waters
Title: Dangerous Waters
Character: Joan Marlowe
Released: February 10, 1936
Type: Movie
While a ship captain is at sea dealing with a mutiny among his crew, his wife is at home having an affair with his best friend.
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Anything Goes
Title: Anything Goes
Character: Bonnie LeTour
Released: January 24, 1936
Type: Movie
A young man falls in love with a beautiful blonde. When he sees her being forced onto a luxury liner, he decides to follow and rescue her. However, he discovers that she is an English heiress who ran away from home and is now being returned to England. He also discovers that his boss is on the ship. To avoid discovery, he disguises himself as the gangster accomplice of a minister, who is actually a gangster on the run from the law.
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Rose of the Rancho
Title: Rose of the Rancho
Character: Flossie
Released: January 9, 1936
Type: Movie
It is California in 1852 that only recently being surrendered by Mexico to the United States and admitted into the union. Most of the land-owners of California were the descendants of the Dons who had colonized it a hundred years before and whose title deeds bore the signature and seal of a long-dead Spanish king. But, by a loop-hole in the law, the title-deeds of the Dons could not be recognized, and this opened the door of organized gangs of land-grabbers, such as the one led by Joe Kincaid, to operate with a prime excuse for legitimate plunder and robbery. In most cases the law was unable to cope with the situation. Then Rosita Castro, the daughter of Don Pasqual Castro, masked and disguised as a man, organized a band of vigilantes to fight against the tyranny of the outlaws, aided by an undercover federal agent, Jim Kearney.
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Two-Fisted
Title: Two-Fisted
Character: Marie
Released: October 3, 1935
Type: Movie
A fast-talking boxing manager and the somewhat hapless fighter he manages happen to run into a young man who was a good prizefighter in his day but is now out of the sport and has a drinking problem. They decide to train him for a big match, and in the process find themselves involved in romance, shady characters and a possible kidnapping.
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Old Man Rhythm
Title: Old Man Rhythm
Character: Marion Beecher
Released: August 2, 1935
Type: Movie
Romantic rivalries between father and son enrolled at the same college.
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Stolen Harmony
Title: Stolen Harmony
Character: Jean Loring
Released: April 20, 1935
Type: Movie
Band leader Jack Conrad is impressed by prison inmate Ray Ferrera on saxophone. Conrad hires Ray to join his band and tour upon his release. Ray hooks up with Jean, a dancer in the show, and the two become a successful dance act. However, when an ex-inmate buddy of Ray's robs the tour bus, Ray is suspected of wrongdoing by Jack and the others in the group. After a gang of thugs hijacks the tour bus, Ray tries to use his street smarts to redeem his reputation.
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The Gilded Lily
Title: The Gilded Lily
Character: Daisy
Released: January 25, 1935
Type: Movie
Secretary Marilyn David falls in love with British aristocrat Charles Gray, to the dismay of her best friend, reporter Peter Dawes, who secretly loves her. When Peter learns that the already-engaged Charles has hurt Marilyn, he fabricates an article casting her as the "No Girl" who refused to marry a callous aristocrat. But when the publicity brings Marilyn unexpected fame, and Charles returns, she is forced to choose between the two men.
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Redhead
Title: Redhead
Character: Dale Carter
Released: October 31, 1934
Type: Movie
A girl marries a playboy from a rich family, expecting a life of comfort and luxury. However, her new father-in-law turns his ne'er-do-well son out into the street with no money, and promises the girl that if she can make a man out of her new husband, the father will give her $10,000 and see that she gets a quick divorce.
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The Cat's-Paw
Title: The Cat's-Paw
Character: Dolores Doce
Released: August 7, 1934
Type: Movie
Naive Ezekial Cobb, brought up by his missionary father in China returns to America to seek a wife. Corrupt politicians enlist him to run for mayor as a dummy candidate with no chance of winning. Their plan backfires as he wins and embarks upon a reform crusade.
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She Made Her Bed
Title: She Made Her Bed
Character: Eve Richards
Released: April 26, 1934
Type: Movie
"Duke" Gordon (Robert Armstrong), a circus lion-tamer, tries to tames his wife, Laura (Sally Eilers), just as he does his lions. But she is a one-man woman, married to the wrong man, and refuses to cheat on her cheating husband even though her happiness depends on doing so.
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Come On, Marines!
Title: Come On, Marines!
Character: JoJo La Verne
Released: March 23, 1934
Type: Movie
"Lucky" Davis, a ladies-man and a devil-may-care U. S. Marine Sergeant, is leading a Marine-squadron on an expedition through a Phillipine jungle where an outlaw bandit is leading a guerilla-war rebellion. Their assignment is to rescue a group of children from an island mission that has been cut off from all communication. It comes as a bit of a surprise when Davis discovers that the "children" are a group of 18-25 year-old girls blissfully bathing in a pool while awaiting rescue.
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Six of a Kind
Title: Six of a Kind
Character: Goldie
Released: February 9, 1934
Type: Movie
The Whinneys share expenses for their trip to Hollywood with George and Gracie and their great Dane. A clerk in Whinney's bank has put fifty thousand dollars in a suitcase, hoping to rob Whinney on the road, but instead Whinney takes another road and is himself arrested in Nevada.
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Girl without a Room
Title: Girl without a Room
Character: Nada
Released: December 8, 1933
Type: Movie
In this comedy, a Tennessee art school student wins a scholarship to paint in Paris. He is thrilled until he arrives and discovers that his style is hopelessly passe and is considered trashy. The enterprising artist immediately changes style and begins painting highly-abstract moderns.
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The Way to Love
Title: The Way to Love
Character: Sunburned Lady
Released: October 20, 1933
Type: Movie
Francois, a cheerful Parisian bohemian, wants more than anything to be a tour guide in his beloved city. While working the streets, Francois meets Madeleine, who works at a circus.
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Too Much Harmony
Title: Too Much Harmony
Character: Verne La Mond
Released: September 23, 1933
Type: Movie
A singer is involved with two women in his life, one a "good" girl and one a "bad" one."
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Tip Tap Toe
Title: Tip Tap Toe
Character: Salesgirl
Released: October 21, 1932
Type: Movie
Hal and Mitzi have known each other since they were babies. Tap dancer Hal now works as a window dresser in Blake's Department Store, owned by Mitzi's dad. Mr. Blake hates jazz music and dancing. He refuses to let Mitzi marry Hal, because Hal's ambition is to be a dancer on stage. When Mitzi reveals a secret about Mrs. Blake's past, her father soon changes his tune.