Monique van Vooren explained

Monique van Vooren
Birth Date:25 March 1927
Birth Place:Brussels, Belgium
Death Place:Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Nationality:Belgian-American
Other Names:Monique Vooren
Citizenship:United States
Occupation:Actress, dancer
Years Active:1950–2012
Spouse:
  • Jakobson (details unknown)
    Kurt (or Curt) Henry Pfenniger (m. 1950-195?; divorced)
  • , his death); 1 child[1] [2]
Children:1

Monique van Vooren (March 25, 1927 – January 25, 2020) was a Belgian-American actress, singer, and dancer whose credits included onscreen roles in Tarzan and the She-Devil, Andy Warhol's Frankenstein, the television series Batman, and Wall Street.[3]

Early years

Born Monique Bronz in Brussels to George Bronz (or Bronze) and Louise van Vooren, Monique was a champion skater and a beauty queen in Belgium. She reportedly studied philosophy at New York University on a Fulbright scholarship, and languages, learning to speak English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, and Dutch. "I can also read Greek and Latin," she stated.[4] Her first visit to the United States apparently took place in 1946 at age 19, with the married name "Jakobson" and listed as a "housewife."[5] [6] Her second husband was Kurt (or Curt) Henry Pfenniger. Her third husband was New York businessman Gerard Walter Purcell. The couple were married from 1958 until Purcell's death in 2002.[1]

Career

On Broadway, Van Vooren played in John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1953–54) and Man on the Moon (1975).[7] In the 1960s, Van Vooren also starred in summer stock theatre productions in the United States.

She had roles in numerous films from 1950 to 1979.

On television, she appeared in a 1959 NBC adaptation What Makes Sammy Run? and as Miss Clean on Batman (1968).

In 1956, she signed a contract with Request Records, and in 1958, Van Vooren recorded an album, Mink in HiFi for RCA Victor. She appeared frequently in cabaret performances[8] and on game shows including To Tell the Truth and Password.

In 1981, Signet published Night Sanctuary, written by Van Vooren.[9] She described the book as being about "the dark side of people."[10]

Later life, legal problems, and death

In 1983, Van Vooren was found guilty of lying before a federal grand jury and "ordered to get psychiatric help and perform 500 hours of community service as part of a suspended sentence."[11] The sentence resulted from an investigation of "whether she had pocketed her dead mother's Social Security payments."[11] Van Vooren died of cancer in Manhattan on January 25, 2020, leaving behind a son, Eric Purcell, and granddaughter.[12]

Filmography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Paid Notice: Deaths PURCELL, GERARD W.. The New York Times. 2002-03-20. 2017-04-14.
  2. Web site: Desert Sun. Cdnc.ucr.edu. 1958-06-13. 2017-04-14.
  3. Web site: Gates . Anita . February 1, 2020 . Monique Van Vooren, Actress With a Diverse Résumé, Dies at 92 . March 27, 2024 . The New York Times.
  4. News: Beauty Hinders Acting Career -- Monique van Vooren. Standard-Speaker . Standard-Speaker. December 16, 1961. 19. Newspapers.com. October 19, 2015.
  5. News: Thomas. Bob. Blonde Belgian Singer Cocks Practiced Eye at U.S. Women. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner . Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. February 16, 1957. 4. Newspapers.com. October 19, 2015.
  6. News: Monique van Vooren To Star In Canal Fulton Production. The Daily Times . The Daily Times. July 19, 1963. 7. Newspapers.com. October 19, 2015.
  7. Web site: Monique Van Vooren. Playbill Vault. 20 October 2015.
  8. News: Music as Written. 20 October 2015. Billboard. May 12, 1956. 14.
  9. Book: Night Sanctuary. 0451120558. Vooren. Monique Van. 1981. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated .
  10. News: Kleiner. Dick. Monique van Vooren turns to writing. The Index-Journal . The Index-Journal. April 10, 1982. 26. Newspapers.com. October 19, 2015.
  11. News: Monique van Vooren Sentenced. October 20, 2015. The Dispatch. September 24, 1983. 2.
  12. Web site: Monique van Vooren, Actress in 'Tarzan and the She-Devil' and 'Batman,' Dies at 92. . 28 January 2020.