Iris Adrian 1912-1994

She was a wisecracking, brassy, sassy blonde who played roles

on screen that fit her like a glove. She had come up the hard way first losing her father to the flu epidemic that followed WWI and then forced to leave school in the 8 th grade to get a job. But Iris met every challenge head on and it took an earthquake to bring this plucky gal down.

She was born Iris Adrian Hofstadter in Los Angeles, California on May 29 th, 1912 but her happy childhood days ended prematurely when she had to leave school. Iris said “I never dug school anyway, so that was fine with me” but somehow there was a wistfulness in her voice. Barely into her teens, she won a “beautiful back” contest and an offer to join a musical revue at Hollywood ’s Paramount Theater. At 16, she was doing walk-ons and bit parts in films and dancing in Fred Waring’s “Rah Rah Days” at the Paramount . By the time she left for New York in 1930 to join Fred’s new show”The New Yorkers”, she had 9 films on her resume, all non-credited chorus parts. They included 3 with Jeanette MacDonald….”The Vagabond King”, “ Paramount on Parade” and “Let’s Go Native”.

In New York , Iris followed the Waring show with Florenz Ziegfeld’s “Hot Cha” and “The Ziegfeld Follies of 1931”. While in the Follies, she used the skits and comedy routines to hone her skills at comedic timing and delivery.

 After the Follies, George Raft chose her as his dancing partner for a personal appearance tour. When it was over, Iris went back to Hollywood where Raft got her a part in his next picture “Rumba” with Carole Lombard and the Champions (Mrs. Gower Champion was the former Marge Betcher, whose father Ernest had given Iris her first dancing lessons). Iris Adrian now had the first credited role of her career and it led to more of the same. She worked steadily in films until 1980.

During the 1930s, Iris played gangster molls, glamorous gold-diggers, gum-cracking waitresses and striptease dancers. In 1940, “His Butler’s Sister” was noted by critics for only two scenes..the opening with Iris and Robin Raymond as the

His Butler's Sister" 1940

Iris with Jack Benny and Frank Fontaine

Sunshine Twins and the finale with Deanna Durbin singing “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot. Two of her best roles were as murderess “Two-Gun Gertie” in the 1942 movie “Roxie Hart” with Ginger Rogers and as loud-mouth stripper Gee-Gee Graham in “Lady of Burlesque” (1943) with Barbara Stanwyck. There was also one co-starring role with Frank Jenks in a B-feature “Shake Hands with Murder” in 1944 Iris made over 134 films and when television came on the scene, she welcomed it with open arms, guesting on everything from “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” to “The Munsters”. Jack Benny had her on both his television show and his road tours for more than 20 years.

Iris in the 1980s

While Iris married 3 times, none of her marriages were to actors. “I never went with actors. Basically they’re just bums who got lucky in the looks department”. Her first two marriages each lasted less than two years but she got lucky with the third. She married a former professional football player, Ray “Fido” Murphy and the marriage lasted 30 years. Iris and Ray had no children but Iris took it upon herself to feed every stray dog or cat in the neighborhood. “Animals are God’s kids and we damn well better be good to all of them. They’re nicer than most of us”.

Iris Adrian was living in Los Angeles during the Northridge earthquake on January 17 th, 1994 and was seriously injured. This quake was considered to be the worst earthquake to hit the U.S. since the one that hit San Francisco in 1906. Iris died nine months later on September 17th, 1994 from complications from her injuries. She was 82 years old. She is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles. California.

Grave Marker

The fountain at Forest Lawn Cemetery