Frances Mercer

Mercer was born in New Rochelle, New York, on October 21, 1915.^[1] Her father was sports writer Sid Mercer.^[2] From beginning modeling as a teenager, she became one of New York's leading models before she turned to acting in the late 1930s. Her film debut was in Vivacious Lady (1938),^[1] and she debuted on Broadway in Very Warm for May (1939).^[3] She was featured on the cover of Redbook magazine's October 1940 issue.^[2]

She appeared in the films Blind Alibi, Crime Ring, Smashing the Rackets, The Mad Miss Manton, Annabel Takes a Tour, Beauty for the Asking, Society Lawyer, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, Piccadilly Incident, There's Always Tomorrow and Young and Dangerous.^[4]

Television series in which Mercer appeared included For Better or Worse and Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal.^[1] She had a radio program, Sunday Night at Nine, in New York. In her later years, when acting jobs became less available, she took other work, including being a medical assistant and a bank teller and dealing in antiques.^[5]

Mercer was married to G. Robert Fleming, who was the Republican nominee for California's 16th congressional district in 1956, losing to Democratic incumbent Donald L. Jackson.^[6] She died on November 5, 2000, in Los Angeles, California at age 85.^[4]