In Remembrance: Vivian Grow

     Vivian Grow, a former beauty pageant winner who had a short career as a lead in 1940s B movies, has passed away in Los Angeles on Sunday August 1, 2004. She was 84.

     Born on Vivian Cole in 1919 in Hollywood, Grow was a former Miss Hollywood and Miss Los Angeles. Her first film appearance was as a stunt double for Rosemary Lane in 1937's Hollywood Hotel. Although she received her first screen credit in 1938's Men Are Such Fools, she appeared in several films in small, uncredited bit parts between 1940 and 1943. Her first major role was opposite Don "Red" Barry in the 1940 Republic serial The Adventures Of Red Ryder.

     In 1943 she signed with Universal studios and found herself in supporting roles and occasional leads for 14 B pictures in two years including Sing A Jingle (1944) with Allan Jones, Moon Over Las Vegas (1944), Night Club Girls (1945) and Honeymoon Ahead (1945).

     She married Beverly Hills automobile dealer Glenn Austin in 1947 and signed to Eagle Lion Films, appearing in five films billed as Terry Austen, including Philo Vance's Gamble and Philo Vane Returns (both 1947).

     Grow left the film business when she suffered from kidney failure, followed by an eye problem that left her nearly blind. She married her second husband, Dr. Kenneth Grow, who had performed operations on her to improve her vision, in 1968.