Lois January

Birthday: 1912-10-05
Deathday: 2006-08-07
Birthplace: McAllen, Texas, USA
Gender: Female
Owned By: Unowned

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.

Credits

Year Title Character
1987-03-29 Double Agent Dowager
1977-05-05 The Richard Pryor Special? Older Woman
1973-11-08 My Darling Daughters' Anniversary Nurse
1961-06-01 The Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come Mrs. Dean
1943-05-08 Three Cheers for the Girls Brunette in Dressing Room (uncredited)
1937-12-01 Courage of the West Beth Andrews
1937-07-19 The Red Rope Betty Duncan
1937-06-10 Moonlight on the Range Wanda Brooks
1937-05-04 The Trusted Outlaw Molly Clark
1937-04-21 Bar-Z Bad Men Beth Harvey
1937-03-24 Lightnin' Crandall Sheila Shannon
1937-01-04 The Roaming Cowboy Jeannie Morgan
1936-05-13 One Rainy Afternoon Mr. Perelin's Secretary
1936-04-24 Rogue of the Range Stella Lamb
1936-04-14 Lightnin' Bill Carson Dolores Costello
1936-03-01 Border Caballero Goldie Harris
1935-12-16 Skull and Crown Barbara Franklin
1935-12-01 The Pace That Kills Jane Bradford
1935-07-15 Society Fever Julie Prouty
1935-04-20 Stolen Harmony Girl in Sextette (uncredited)
1935-02-01 Arizona Bad Man Lucy Dunston
1935-01-02 Life Returns Nurse
1934-09-01 The Human Side High School Girl (uncredited)
1934-07-27 Tripping Through the Tropics Sally
1934-06-01 Susie's Affairs Susie's Brunette Roommate
1934-06-01 Let's Talk It Over Alice
1934-05-01 Let’s Be Ritzy Stenographer
1934-01-31 School for Romance Student
1933-12-18 By Candlelight Ann
1933-11-24 Umpa Nurse
1932-08-20 Show Business Showgirl on Train (uncredited)
1932-05-14 Too Many Women Girl in White Wool Hat (uncredited)