Laurette Luez (Loretta Mary Luiz): Actress & commercial model, best known today for claiming to have suggested the name "Marilyn Monroe." Luez met Norma Jean Baker in an acting class and claimed that it was her suggestion that 'Norma Jean' change her name to Marilyn Monroe, theorizing that one should choose an already famous name (Monroe, after President James Monroe) and another already famous name (Marilyn, after Marilyn Miller) to distinguish it. Are you familiar with this story?

Darkly exotic Laurette Luez had been a protégée of drama coach Marie Stoddard prior to being spotted by Cecil B. De Mille, who cast the youngster in a bit role in The Story of Dr. Wassell (1944). Luez went on to portray a seemingly endless series of South Seas islanders, pagan girls, and jungle vixens. (AMG) She appeared on magazine covers and worked as a soap model for Lux. Are you familiar with Laurette Luez?

Whether you are familiar with Laurette or not, which of her movies have you seen?

Why didn't Laurette make it? Those in Hollywood have said that Laurette's career never fully bloomed due to her lack of acting ability, problems with diction, & choosing the wrong movies to appear in. Perhaps you need luck. When asked about her film success, Lana Turner once rhapsodized: "There were girls who were prettier, more intelligent and just as talented. Why didn't they make it? It's a question of magic. You either have it or you don't." (MHein) If you had to choose just one factor that might lead an actor/actress to stardom in Hollywood, which would it be?

There are several Hollywood actresses, like Laurette, that get low acting ratings but have beauty and always seem to be in the movies. Do you think that Laurette would have more success at achieving stardom, if she were here today?