Victoria Shaw Profile

Victoria Shaw

	(Jeanette Ann Lavina Mary Elizabeth Elphick)
25 May 35	is born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
55	is a model in Sydney, known as "The Face"
	is Australia's top model and is discovered by Bob Hope in her native Sydney
15 July 55	tries for a screen career in Hollywood and, eleven days later, is put under contract to Columbia
?	meets young actor Roger Smith at Benno Schneider's drama class at Columbia
56	is winner of Modern Screen's "Most Promising Actress" award
Summer 56	at a party, Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher talk Roger Smith into asking her to marry him. She will say "Yes" to Roger for life when they marry in August.
28 July 56	marries Smith at the St. Charles Catholic Church in North Hollywood. He's 23; she's 21. Bob Hope and his wife are among the guests.
	the Smiths honeymoon in Northern California
October 56	becomes sick and enters St. John's Hospital for observation
November 56	is among the guests of honor at the Los Angeles gala send-off for the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team
Thanksgiving 56	meets Smith's parents at his home in Nogales, Arizona
December 56	she and Smith expect the stork in July
57	makes headlines with the assertion that U.S. wives are "the most spoiled spouses in the world"
3 July 57	her daughter, Tracey Leone, is born in Los Angeles
September 58	she and Smith expect their second baby in October
?	Columbia wants her to star in The Notorious Landlady after she has her baby
4 October 58	her son Jordan F. is born in Los Angeles
July 59	her husband is diagnosed with temporary amnesia. He fell when leaving his Hollywood home for the studio.
February 60	her husband sues Dr. Frederick Amerongen and two other physicians for $260,000 charging they negligently diagnosed major injuries as minor. In another action, Dr. Amerongen sues Smith, Victoria, and Look magazine for $1,950,000. The physician alleges that a Look article about the injury defamed him and invaded his privacy.
	the press reports that she has a good luck charm that she wears in every film. It's a silver emblem symbolic of her father's army regiment.
November 60	signs to play the feminine leading role in William Castle's upcoming Homicidal
17 November 61	is to be seen with her husband in a segment of "77 Sunset Strip." Smith also wrote the story.
23 December 61	her son Dallas E. is born in Los Angeles. Dallas is named after Roger's father.
February 62	is reported very ill at Encino Hospital. She was suffering from pneumonia and severe headaches, which her doctor finds difficult to diagnose.
64	her husband falls for his co-star, Kathy Nolan, while touring with Sunday in New York. Kathy's marriage to manager Dick Heckenkamp breaks up as well, but Roger starts dating pretty Jane Wald, daughter of producer Jerry Wald.
	she and Roger take their three kids to Disneyland but can't save their marriage
Early June 64	in Hollywood she and Smith announce the start of a trial separation. He's 30; she's 27.
14 June 64	she and Smith separate
8 February 65	wins a divorce from Smith in Los Angeles. She testifies that for the past three years Smith would very seldom talk to her and tells Superior Court Commissioner Harold V. Boisvert that Smith would come home from work, wouldn't say hello to anyone in the house and go straight to his room. "He said he didn't have anything to talk about and the only conversation we had was when I would talk about his hobbies or anything he was interested in." She states she began to read books on the psychology of marriage, but Smith wasn't interested and told her he would be all right if she would stop "bugging" him. She also claims that he eventually started spending more time away from home and she didn't know where he was. Under terms of the property settlement, she receives the family home in Encino and $1,750 per month for both alimony and child support. If she remarries or dies, Smith will pay $525 a month child support.
21 April 65	Smith divorces her in Juarez, Mexico, to pave the way for his marriage to singer-actress Ann-Margret. "My wife has already agreed to the divorce," he says. "The U.S. consulate told me the divorce would be granted Thursday."
April 65	columnist Earl Wilson reports that she "has her next Hollywood mate selected"
	is romantically involved with director Charles Randau and there is talk of marriage when her divorce comes through
July 65	columnist Earl Wilson reports that Smith will pay her $1,750 a month
Early 66	marries actor Elliott F. Alexander
March 66	her ex-husband, Smith, is still devoted to his kids and sees them regularly on weekends, hauling them around in a 12-seat bus, which he also uses for his hobbies, skin diving and skiing. "His girlfriend is Ann-Margret and together they whiz around Hollywood on motorcycles and visit the in-spots."
68	she and Alexander separate
February 69	receives a default divorce from Alexander, a theatrical agent, in Los Angeles. She tells Superior Court Judge Thomas C. Yager that Alexander "was always occupied with his business and his race horses." He's 42; she's 33. She will receive $127 a week alimony for 127 weeks and a home in suburban Encino.
August 69	promotes a new glider swing in local newspapers
June 70	promotes a home-crafted prairie schooner chaise in local newspapers
October 77	works on a children's book with TV actor Craig Huebing of "General Hospital" fame
17 August 88	dies at age fifty-three near Sydney, after a battle with asthma. She is survived by two sons, a daughter, her mother, three sisters, and a brother.

Sources: Syracuse Herald-Journal, Oakland Tribune, Burlington Daily Times-News, Nevada State Journal, The Lima News, The Hammond Times, The Odessa American, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Reno Evening Gazette, The Times Recorder, The Gettysburg Times, The News, The Port Arthur News, News Journal-Mansfield, Tune-In, Motion Picture Guide, Dell's Who's Who in Hollywood, Silver Screen, Modern Screen, Screen Stories, Screen World, Silver Screen Annual, www.Ancestry.com
Recommended Books:
Links: Filmography