Renee Godfrey

Renee Godfrey (born Renee Vera Haal) was an American stage and motion picture actress and singer who built a versatile career spanning over two decades. Born on September 1, 1919, in New York City, she was the daughter of Emil Haall, a Dutch diamond merchant, which gave her a rich Dutch and French ancestry. She began her career in the entertainment industry at the young age of 11 as a model, eventually switching to night classes in high school to pursue modeling during the day. Godfrey posed for renowned figures such as artist John La Gatta and photographers Edward Steichen, Victor Keppler, and John Hutchins, becoming famous for having the most-photographed hands and legs in New York. Her striking image on a billboard caught the eye of a film executive, which opened the door to her work in motion pictures. She worked in both radio and television programs in Britain before making her film debut at RKO in Sam Wood's Kitty Foyle (1940) under the name Renee Haal. That same year, RKO selected her as the studio's actress most likely to succeed in a film career, leading to a long-term contract in early 1942 following her work in Unexpected Uncle. Throughout her career, Godfrey appeared in numerous films and television shows, often in supporting or uncredited roles. She worked under the stage name Renee Haal early on before transitioning to Renee Godfrey in Up in Arms (1944). During World War II, she and her husband, director Peter Godfrey, entertained troops through the USO with amateur magic shows. She continued to take small roles, including Vivian Vedder in Terror by Night (1946) and Mrs. Stebbins in Stanley Kramer's Inherit the Wind (1960). Her career extended into the 1960s with appearances in Can-Can and Tender Is the Night. She also made guest appearances on popular television shows such as Perry Mason, Hazel, The Donna Reed Show, and Wagon Train. Godfrey met Peter Godfrey in London in 1938 while on a singing engagement, and they married on August 6, 1941, having three children, including a set of twins. She died on May 24, 1964, in Los Angeles from the effects of cancer at the age of 44, and her final film, Those Calloways, was released posthumously. Her legacy endures through her contributions to classic Hollywood cinema and television.