Carol Forman

Carol Forman (19 June 1919, Epes, Alabama – 9 July 1997, Burbank, California) was an American actress best known for playing exotic villains in action serials, particularly Spider Lady in the 1948 Superman serial, as well as Sombra, the lead villainess in the 1947 Republic serial The Black Widow.[1]

Carol Forman
Carol Forman in the movie serial, "The Black Widow" (1947)
Born
Maude Carolyn Sawls

(1919-06-19)June 19, 1919
Epes, Alabama, U.S.
DiedJuly 9, 1997(1997-07-09) (aged 78)
Burbank, California, U.S.
OccupationTelevision actress
Years active1946–1961
Spouse(s)Robert Forman (1940-?) (divorced)
William Dennis (?-1979) (his death)

Early life

Born Maude Carolyn Sawls in Epes, Alabama on July 19, 1919 (some sources indicate 1918), the eldest of two children of Edward D. Sawls, a carpenter, and Annabelle Fleming, a homemaker.[2] Her interest in acting began as a youngster. By the time she was six years old, she was starring in school plays. She would continuing acting throughout high school.[3]

As a teenager, she moved to Memphis. While in Memphis, she worked as a cosmetics salesperson. It was there that she met and married her first husband, Robert D. Forman in 1940. The marriage didn't last long.[4][5]

Career

By the mid-1940s, Forman had moved to California. While working in small community theater productions, mostly in unsympathetic roles, she was discovered by a talent scout from RKO Pictures. In 1946, RKO signed her to a contract.[3] One of her early roles was playing Raymond Burr's girlfriend in his first film, Code of the West. She played opposite Burr again in San Quentin.[6]

However, Forman would be best known for appearing in movie serials.

In serials, Forman differed from other actresses by playing villainesses exclusively. Her characters occasionally used disguises to go undercover or to impersonate other characters, in the same manner as Batman, or Artemis Gordon in The Wild Wild West TV series years later. In 1952, in the nostalgic musical comedy By the Light of the Silvery Moon starring Doris Day, Forman spoofed her serial persona by appearing briefly as an evil woman in a young boy's daydream.

She also made guest appearances on The Cisco Kid starring Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carillo in the early 1950s.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1946From This Day ForwardCounselor in Unemployment OfficeUncredited
1946NocturneReceptionistUncredited
1946The Falcon's AdventureHelen Ray
1946San QuentinRuthie
1947Code of the WestMilly
1947HoneymoonNurseUncredited
1947DesperateMrs. Henry RobertsUncredited
1947Under the Tonto RimJuanita
1947The Black WidowSombra, The Black WidowSerial
1947Brick BradfordQueen KhanaSerial
1948Docks of New OrleansNita Aguirre
1948SupermanSpider LadySerial
1948The Mozart StoryCatherine Cavallieri(new scenes)
1948The Feathered SerpentSonia Cabot
1949Federal Agents vs. Underworld, IncNilaSerial
1949Brothers in the SaddleFlora Trigby
1951Oh! SusannaBlondeUncredited
1952BlackhawkLaskaSerial
1953By the Light of the Silvery MoonDangerous DoraUncredited
1961AdaNewspaper WomanUncredited, (final film role)

Death

She died in Burbank, California on July 9, 1997, of natural causes.[6]

References
  1. Cline, William C. "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
  2. "Fourteenth Census of the United States (1920) [database on-line], Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, Enumeration District: 65, Page: 3A, Line: 17, household of Edward D. Sawls". United States: Family Search. January 3, 1920. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  3. "Carol Forman". The Files of Jerry Blake. January 6, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  4. "Sixteenth Census of the United States (1940) [database on-line], Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, Enumeration District: 7, Page: 62A, Line: 2, household of Polk L. Riley Jr". United States: The Generations Network. June 1, 1940. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  5. "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950". United States: Family Search. July 17, 1940. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  6. "Carol Forman; Actress in Movies, TV Series". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. July 18, 1997. Retrieved June 10, 2022.


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