Sheila Terry was a blonde, vivacious actress who rose to fame in the late 1920s and early 1930s, appearing in several films with Warner Bros. and co-starring with John Wayne in some westerns. She was known for her beauty, charm, and talent, but also for her turbulent personal life, which included two marriages, a divorce, and a retirement from show business. She died in 1957 at the age of 47, in what was ruled as a suicide by overdose. Her body was found in her apartment, where she lived and worked as a press agent, by a friend who became worried when he could not reach her on the phone. She left no note, no money, and no relatives. She was buried in a pauper’s grave on Hart Island, New York.
Early Life and Career
Sheila Terry was born Kathleen Eleanor Mulhern on March 5, 1910, in Warroad, Minnesota. She had a wealthy uncle who wanted her to become a teacher, so she studied education from 1927 to 1929 and taught in a country school for a while. However, she had always dreamed of being an actress, so she used her inheritance from her uncle to pursue her passion. She moved to Toronto, where she studied dramatics at the Dickson-Kenwin Academy, affiliated with London’s Royal Academy. She then moved to New York, where she continued her studies and appeared in several plays on Broadway.
She caught the eye of a film scout who saw her in The Little Racketeer and offered her a screen test that resulted in a contract with Warner Bros. She made her film debut in 1932 in You Said a Mouthful, starring Joe E. Brown. She also appeared in Scarlet Dawn and Madame Butterfly that same year. She became a familiar figure in Hollywood night spots, where she mingled with celebrities and socialites.
Western Films and Retirement
Sheila Terry is perhaps best remembered for her roles in western films, especially those with John Wayne. She co-starred with him in Haunted Gold (1932), ‘Neath the Arizona Skies (1934), and The Lawless Frontier (1934). She also appeared in other westerns such as Parachute Jumper (1933), The Telegraph Trail (1933), and The Fighting Code (1933). She was praised for her acting skills and her ability to handle horses and guns.
However, despite her success in westerns, she was not satisfied with the roles she was getting from Warner Bros. She felt that she was typecast as a secretary or a damsel in distress, and that she had no chance to show her versatility as an actress. She left Hollywood briefly in 1933 to return to the New York stage, hoping to find more challenging parts. She came back to Hollywood in 1934, but found that nothing had changed. She married William Magee Jr., a San Francisco businessman, in 1936 and retired from show business.
Press Agent and Suicide
Sheila Terry’s marriage to Magee did not last long. They divorced in 1937, and she tried to make a comeback in films, but failed to find any work. She then turned to another career: press agent. She worked as a publicist for various clients, including actors, singers, nightclubs, and hotels. She also wrote articles and columns for magazines and newspapers.
She lived alone in a small apartment on East 60th Street in New York City, which also served as her office. She had few friends and no family. She suffered from depression and loneliness. In January 1957, she took an overdose of pills and ended her life. Her body was discovered by Jeffrey Keating, a friend and neighbor who became concerned when he could not contact her by phone. He called the police, who broke into her apartment and found her dead on the floor.
She had no money or valuables left. Her only possessions were some clothes and personal items. She had no will or funeral arrangements. Her body was taken to Bellevue Hospital morgue, where it remained unclaimed for several days. Finally, some friends of hers pooled funds to pay for a simple burial on Hart Island, New York’s potter’s field for the poor and unknown.
Legacy
Sheila Terry’s death was barely noticed by the media or the public. She was quickly forgotten by most people who knew her or saw her on screen. Her films were rarely shown or mentioned again. Her grave on Hart Island was unmarked and inaccessible.
However, some fans of western films still remember her as one of John Wayne’s leading ladies and appreciate her performances in those films. Some of her films have been restored and released on DVD or online platforms. Some biographies and articles have been written about her life and career.
Sheila Terry was a talented actress who had a promising start in Hollywood, but who could not overcome the obstacles and challenges that she faced. She was a victim of the studio system, the typecasting, the sexism, and the lack of opportunities that plagued many actresses of her era. She was also a victim of her own personal demons, which led her to a tragic end. She deserves to be remembered as more than just a footnote in film history. She deserves to be remembered as Sheila Terry, a Hollywood starlet who had a dream and a passion for acting.
