Vivian Austin (February 23, 1920 - August 1, 2004) was an American actress who appeared in a number of films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, although most were B movies.She was born Irene Vivian Coe in Hollywood, California, and attended Hollywood High School.The young Vivian won numerous beauty contests and played a variety of bit parts (as well as extra and stunt work) in movies before being cast as the female romantic lead in The Adventures of Red Ryder (1940).Austin was signed to a stock contract in 1943 by Universal and as Vivian Austin (for Universal) or Terry Austin (under contract to Eagle-Lion Films) appeared in movies such as Destiny (1944), Trigger Trail (1944), Born To Speed (1947) and Philo Vance Returns (1947). Her career was cut short in the late 1940s by kidney failure and resultant blindness.After her retirement Austin helped Jane Russell to found the World Adoption International Fund (WAIF) and herself founded the Braille Auxiliary of the Desert, an organisation to support the charitable activities of the Braille Institute. In 1996 she lived in Palm Springs, California.She was married twice: to millionaire auto dealer Glenn Austin (d. 1967) and to ophthalmic surgeon Kenneth A. Grow (d. 1993), who had operated on her and helped to improve her sight. As Kenneth Grow had served in the United States Army, she and he are interred at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California
February 23, 1920, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States
Died
August 1, 2004, Los Angeles, California, United States
Place Of Birth
Hollywood, California, USA
Profession
Actress, Soundtrack, Stunts
Spouse
Ken Grow (m. 1968–1993), Glenn Austin (m. 1936–1967)
Movies
Philo Vance Returns
Star Sign
Pisces
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Quote
1
[on Rod Cameron, with whom she made several westerns at Universal Pictures] Rod was the exact opposite of [Don 'Red' Barry]. Rod never lost his temper. He was very serious; very quiet. I liked him a lot.
2
[on Don 'Red' Barry, her co-star in Adventures of Red Ryder (1940)] He had such a temper! He would walk off the set--often! Stopping production just because he disagreed with Bill Witney [director William Witney], or somebody, about some minor thing. I don't like saying negative things about the departed, but he wasn't a very nice fellow when we worked together.
Nearly died from kidney failure in the 1940s. She also had debilitating eye problems from which she suffered the rest of her life until her sight was improved by Dr. Kenneth Grow, who eventually became her second husband.
3
Received theatrical experience in "little theater" groups before making movies.