Lois January
Acting

Lois January

Born 1912-10-05 · McAllen, Texas, USA · Died 2006-08-07

Lois January was an American actress who performed small roles in several B-movies during the 1930s. Lois also had a secondary part in the Wizard Of Oz, towards the end of the movie, holding a Siamese cat in her arms. Toto jumps out of the basket of the hot air balloon that was supposed to take him, Dorothy and the Wizard away from the Land of Oz. January's first credited role was in 1933, in the film UM-PA. Her most famous role, however, is probably as the Emerald City manicurist in The Wizard of Oz who sings to Dorothy that "we can make a dimpled smile out of a frown". Although the character was unnamed, many fans believe it to be an incarnation of novel character Jellia Jamb. During the 1930s she played in numerous westerns as the heroine, usually opposite Johnny Mack Brown, Bob Steele, Tim McCoy and Bob Baker, among others. In 1935 she starred opposite Reb Russell in Arizona Badman, and in 1936 she starred with Brown in Rogue of the Range, and alongside Tim McCoy in Border Caballero. While under contract with Universal Pictures she continued to play heroine roles in westerns, and in 1937 she starred opposite Bob Baker in Courage of the West. The reissuing of the 1935 exploitation film The Pace That Kills (under the title Cocaine Fiends) would eventually lend January even more exposure, however limited. January's Broadway credits include High Kickers (1941) and Yokel Boy (1939). By the mid-1940s, her starring roles had waned but she continued to act in non-starring parts. In 1942 she was the "poster girl" for Chesterfield cigarettes. From 1960 through 1987 she played numerous small roles on television, to include roles on My Three Sons and Marcus Welby, M.D. Her last acting role was in 1987, on the television movie Double Agent. During the 1980s she attended several western film festivals.

ActorCast

Known for

Three Cheers for the Girls★ 6.2Viewing moment
Three Cheers for the Girls
1943
Let's Talk It OverViewing moment
Let's Talk It Over
1934
One Rainy Afternoon★ 4.4Viewing moment
One Rainy Afternoon
1936
Uncertain Lady★ 9Viewing moment
Uncertain Lady
1934
Arizona Bad ManViewing moment
Arizona Bad Man
1935
Courage of the WestViewing moment
Courage of the West
1937
Skull and CrownViewing moment
Skull and Crown
1935
Susie's Affairs★ 5Viewing moment
Susie's Affairs
1934
Life Returns★ 4Viewing moment
Life Returns
1935
Show Business★ 4Viewing moment
Show Business
1932
Too Many Women★ 9Viewing moment
Too Many Women
1932
My Darling Daughters' Anniversary★ 6Viewing moment
My Darling Daughters' Anniversary
1973
The Red Rope★ 6Viewing moment
The Red Rope
1937
The Human SideViewing moment
The Human Side
1934
The Pace That Kills★ 2.6Viewing moment
The Pace That Kills
1935
Lightnin' Bill Carson★ 5Viewing moment
Lightnin' Bill Carson
1936
Stolen Harmony★ 6Viewing moment
Stolen Harmony
1935
Border Caballero★ 5.7Viewing moment
Border Caballero
1936
Umpa★ 1Viewing moment
Umpa
1933
Double Agent★ 4.6Viewing moment
Double Agent
1987
The Trusted Outlaw★ 6Viewing moment
The Trusted Outlaw
1937
By Candlelight★ 6.2Viewing moment
By Candlelight
1933
School for Romance★ 3Viewing moment
School for Romance
1934
Lightnin' Crandall★ 3Viewing moment
Lightnin' Crandall
1937
Let’s Be Ritzy★ 10Viewing moment
Let’s Be Ritzy
1934

Frequent collaborators