Pamela Britton

Pamela Britton
Britton in the film D.O.A. (1950)
Born	Armilda Jane Owen (1923-03-19)March 19, 1923 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	June 17, 1974(1974-06-17) (aged 51) Arlington Heights, Illinois, U.S.
Cause of death	brain tumor
Other names	Gloria Owen
Years active	1945–1973
Spouse(s)	Arthur Steel (1945–1974; her death); 1 daughter
Children	Katherine Lee (b. 1946)
Parent(s)	Ethel Waite Owen

Pamela Britton (born Armilda Jane Owen) (March 19, 1923 – June 17, 1974) was an American actress best known for appearing as Lorelei Brown in the television series My Favorite Martian (1963–1966). She also starred in the film noir classic D.O.A. (1950).

Owen was born in Milwaukee. Her mother was Ethel Owen (1893–1997), a prominent stage, radio, and early television actress. Owen's father, Raymond G. Owen, was a doctor who died when the actress was 20 years old. She had two sisters: Virginia, an actress under contract to RKO Radio Pictures; and Mary, a social worker.

Owen attended State Teacher's Normal School and Holy Angels Academy in her home town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, taking leads in her school plays. By the age of nine she was doing summer stock, and Hollywood came calling at age ten, though her mother rejected the advances, saying she wanted her to be an actress, not a child star. Owen started making the rounds at 15, using the name 'Gloria Jane Owen," but found that as soon as people knew who her mother was, they expected her to be as accomplished as the respected dramatic actress. She chose a pseudonym to audition under: Pamela (from a British book) and Britton (to emphasize the source).

After a stint touring with bandleader Don McGuire, Britton's big break came when she was cast as both Celeste Holm's understudy and as Gertie in the Broadway production of Oklahoma!. When the show went on tour, she took over Holm's role as "Ado Annie."

Britton's New York agent eventually sent her credentials to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executive Marvin Schneck. He came to see one of her performances in Chicago, and was disappointed. He returned a second night, however, after additional cajoling from her agent. and he signed Britton immediately.

Britton's first role in a major production was as Frank Sinatra's girlfriend in Anchors Aweigh. Afterward, however, came a forgettable part in A Letter for Evie in 1946. She went on hiatus to play the comic role of "Meg Brockie" in the original 1947 Broadway production of Brigadoon on Broadway.