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Torrance resident Rosemary DeCamp, an actress whose work spanned five decades on the big and small screens, died at home early Tuesday (2/20/01) from complications of pneumonia. She was 90. Born Nov. 14, 1910, in Prescott, Ariz., DeCamp developed a successful radio career before her 1941 movie debut in the drama, "Cheers for Miss Bishop." That year, she also married John Ashton Shidler, a local judge who served in the Torrance courthouse for more than three decades before he died in 1997. After a few small roles, DeCamp was cast in "Hold Back the Dawn," a 1941 romance that remained her favorite movie role. Her last movie appearance was as Aunt Lucille in "Saturday the 14th," a 1981 spoof on the "Friday the 13th" horror series. DeCamp acted in more than 40 movies, sharing the screen with such film legends as James Cagney and Elizabeth Taylor. Although only 31 at the time, DeCamp was cast as Cagney's mother in the 1942 musical "Yankee Doodle Dandy." In 1947, DeCamp starred in the tragic romance ÒNight Unto Night" with Ronald Reagan. While critics lauded her beauty and versatility, DeCamp often played the young mother or the heroine's sister rather than the leading lady. Her fans loved her for portraying the everywoman, and continued to send her letters even after she stopped acting. "I'm big for someone who was never a big star," DeCamp said in a 1992 Daily Breeze interview. DeCamp never bought into the Hollywood lifestyle or attitude, said her daughter, Martha Weber. DeCamp didn't want to move to Hollywood, opting instead to maintain a family life for more than 50 years in the Hollywood Riviera section of Torrance -- regardless of the long commute to studios in a time before the freeways. "On one end, I had the Hollywood crowd asking me where Torrance was, and -- on this end -- I had all these people questioning my sanity," DeCamp said in the 1992 interview. Her four daughters never thought of their mother as a celebrity. She was just Mom. "I didn't know her so much through her pictures," Weber said, "but I do remember her on TV. "I think she would want to be remembered as grandly as possible. She was rather proud of being a character actress," Weber added. DeCamp was a regular on the "Bob Cummings Show," "The Partridge Family" and "That Girl" from the 1950s to the '70s. About six years ago, after she had suffered a stroke, she made her last TV appearance in an episode of "Murder, She Wrote." She still had offers after that appearance, but turned them down. Away from the cameras, DeCamp turned to an art of a different kind. She was well known for her copper enamel work and displayed her pieces in some shows. She also wrote her memoir, Tigers in My Lap , which was published in October 2000. DeCamp also published a book on tape, "Tales From Hollywood," in 1992. In both works, the veteran actress recounts her life growing up, her work in Tinseltown and her beloved family. "There are so many memories," she said in a 1997 Breeze interview, "but my best memory is John. I couldn't have done any of this without him." DeCamp is survived by four daughters, Margaret Zambrano, Martha Weber, Valerie Stanton and Nita Shidler; and a grandson, John. Memorial services will be private. The family asks that any donations be made to the John A. Shidler Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1005, San Pedro, CA 90733, Attn: Valerie Stanton. See http://www.thatgirltv.com/rosemary.html to learn more about Ms. DeCamp. (Article copied from Daily Breeze, Graphic on this site are copyright © 1996 - 2001 Accent Design Studios, ABC Television, and Daisy Productions)
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