Cummings, Mary Elliott, 1917-2000
Dates
- Existence: 1917 - 2000
Biographical History
Mary Elliott Cummings (1917-2000) was an actress and then a manager for her husband's, Robert Cummings, career.
Mary Elliott Daniels was born on October 25, 1917 in Gaffney, South Carolina to parents Hoyle Holmes Daniels and Eva Mae Good. She participated in singing, dancing and beauty contests throughout her youth, and was crowned South Carolina's Azalea Queen in 1935. She then went on to sing in nightclubs and became a model and actress in California for the beginnings of her early career. In 1942-1944, Mary participated in a tour in the South Pacific, entertaining the troops in World War II with various acting performances. On March 3, 1945, she married Hollywood actor Robert Cummings in Riverside, California. Once married, she left acting and became a mother of five children with Cummings. She also became the manager of her husband's financial investments. During the years of 1969-1970, the Cummings separated and divorced. She worked alongside many charity organizations throughout her life. She died on April 9, 2000 in Los Angeles, California.
Citation:
FamilySearch, via www, accessed January 13, 2020 (Mary Elliott Daniels; born on Oct. 25, 1917 in Gaffney to Hoyle and Eva Mae Daniels; active in singing, dancing and competing in contests in youth; won Azalea Queen in 1935; worked in nightclubs, was an actress and model; South Pacific tour; married Robert Cummings on March 3, 1945; charity; died April 9, 2000 in Los Angeles, CA)Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings, approximately 1890-1990 (manager of husband's financial dealings; mother of 5 children; divorced in 1969-1970)
Found in 34 Collections and/or Records:
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings general papers, 1900-1979
Materials cover various stages of Robert and Mary Cummings's life prior to marriage and their family after marriage. Includes career and family portraits for both Robert and Mary and photographs documenting their children's lives. Plaques and awards given to Robert over the course of his career are also included. Locations vary, as family trips in both the United States and Europe are included. Many items are undated, but dates range from 1900 to 1979.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings general photographs, 1900-1979
Contains an assortment of photographs from the life of Bob, Mary, and their family at various points of their life. Dated from 1900 to 1979.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings health advocacy, 1954-1972
Materials include research, nutrition papers, and fitness and wellness documents regarding overall health of the body. Also included are documents and correspondence related to Cummings's dietary supplement company, "Nutri-Bio." Cummings' chapters from his book are also included. Dated 1954 to 1972.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings investments, 1939-1979
Materials include records of business such as real estate investments, financial statements, ledger books, correspondence for business contracts, invoices, and tax records with insurance statements. Contains investments in companies such as McCullough Oil Company, and Cummings' other businesses. Dates range from 1939 to 1979.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings manuscripts on early life, 1889-1961
Contains family correspondence and documents detailing the everyday life of the Cummings family, the early life of Robert Cummings, and newspaper coverage of Robert's early career. Also includes fan mail sent to Mary Elliott during her tours in the South Pacific as well as publicity surrounding her early acting career. Dated 1889-1961.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings manuscripts on family life, 1945-1981
Contains material related to the everyday life of the Cummings family. Included are travel logs from their many family vacations, material from the children's school, and general publicity on the family and Bob's acting career and promotions. Later files document the divorce between Bob and Mary, with correspondence between lawyers and their clients and court records. Dated 1945-1981.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings manuscripts on movies, 1942-1971
Materials contain movie scripts and papers regarding Bob Cummings's film career, from his early start, up until the 1960s. Movie scripts and other film documents vary in movie genres, some and movie scripts are annotated. Dates range from 1942 to 1971.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings manuscripts on stage and radio, 1947-1973
Contains radio scripts, playbills, newspaper and ad publicity for the various stage productions in which Bob Cummings appeared. Dated from 1947 to 1973.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings manuscripts on television shows, 1945-1990
Materials contain various documents such as television scripts, playbills and other papers surrounding the production of Bob's television shows, "Love that Bob," and “The Bob Cummings Show.” Also included are contracts and correspondence with production companies. Dated 1945 to 1990.
Robert and Mary Elliott Cummings papers on aviation, 1942-1970
Includes documents and records containing aviation investments and personal records of Bob's pilot history. Also included are documentation for aviation shows and correspondence with various aircraft manufacturers. Dated 1942 to 1970.