Actress. A popular film star of the 1930s and 1940s, she was dubbed the "Sweater Girl" early in her career. Born in Fairchild, Wisconsin, under the name of Frances Lillian Mary Ridste, her father, Alfred Ridste, a railroad mechanic, abandoned his wife, Clara Stentek Ridste, and their three children to fend for themselves at the beginning of the Great Depression. At age 15, Carole married Irving Wheeler, but the union was quickly annulled (the couple remarried in 1934). She worked as a dancer and singer, but in 1937 won a studio contract with Warner Brothers Studio, where she played mostly bit parts. In 1939, she divorced Wheeler, and when she was cast as the lead female role in "One Million B.C." (1940), her career began to take off. Soon, however, her career became stuck as leads in "B" movies and supporting roles in "A" movies, and while she never became one of the industry's elites, she was considered a fine actress. Critics and movie reviewers dwelled on her beauty, and not on her talent. She is known for her role in "Four Jills in a Jeep", based on a popular book of the same name that she wrote about her first USO tour. Considered highly intelligent, generous, and talented, she toured with the USO twice during the war, and almost died in 1945 from amoebic dysentery and malaria that she contracted in the Pacific. Despite a well-received comedy film in 1945, "Having Wonderful Crime", Fox dropped her contract. Landis visited more than 250 military bases during the war. Not only did she participate in bond drives, she also supported organizations that served the armed forces. Despite suffering health setbacks involving amoebic dysentery, malaria and pneumonia during her USO duties in the South Pacific, Landis found her involvement in supporting the troops personally fulfilling, TCM noted. She served coffee and befriended servicemen at the Hollywood Canteen, where they could enjoy a hot meal and dance with their favorite stars free of charge. Landis, who was nicknamed "Pride of the Yanks" by the press and "The Blonde Bomber" by soldiers, was said to kept busy with the Red Cross, the Naval Aid Auxiliary and Bundles for Bluejackets. She taught first aid and donated blood during her spare time. She reportedly danced with 200 soldiers, invited them to her beach house on weekends and wrote hundreds of letters to their families. Among Landis' titles included Air Raid Warden, commander in the Aerial Nurses Corps and an honorary Colonel in the American Legion. She worked in over 50 movies, many of her early ones uncredited. She was jilted by her lover Rex Harrison sending her into a tailspin. In one of the most tragic turns in Hollywood history, Landis took her own life in 1948 at the height of her fame and popularity.

Actress. A popular film star of the 1930s and 1940s, she was dubbed the "Sweater Girl" early in her career. Born in Fairchild, Wisconsin, under the name of Frances Lillian Mary Ridste, her father, Alfred Ridste, a railroad mechanic, abandoned his wife, Clara Stentek Ridste, and their three children to fend for themselves at the beginning of the Great Depression. At age 15, Carole married Irving Wheeler, but the union was quickly annulled (the couple remarried in 1934). She worked as a dancer and singer, but in 1937 won a studio contract with Warner Brothers Studio, where she played mostly bit parts. In 1939, she divorced Wheeler, and when she was cast as the lead female role in "One Million B.C." (1940), her career began to take off. Soon, however, her career became stuck as leads in "B" movies and supporting roles in "A" movies, and while she never became one of the industry's elites, she was considered a fine actress. Critics and movie reviewers dwelled on her beauty, and not on her talent. She is known for her role in "Four Jills in a Jeep", based on a popular book of the same name that she wrote about her first USO tour. Considered highly intelligent, generous, and talented, she toured with the USO twice during the war, and almost died in 1945 from amoebic dysentery and malaria that she contracted in the Pacific. Despite a well-received comedy film in 1945, "Having Wonderful Crime", Fox dropped her contract. Landis visited more than 250 military bases during the war. Not only did she participate in bond drives, she also supported organizations that served the armed forces. Despite suffering health setbacks involving amoebic dysentery, malaria and pneumonia during her USO duties in the South Pacific, Landis found her involvement in supporting the troops personally fulfilling, TCM noted. She served coffee and befriended servicemen at the Hollywood Canteen, where they could enjoy a hot meal and dance with their favorite stars free of charge. Landis, who was nicknamed "Pride of the Yanks" by the press and "The Blonde Bomber" by soldiers, was said to kept busy with the Red Cross, the Naval Aid Auxiliary and Bundles for Bluejackets. She taught first aid and donated blood during her spare time. She reportedly danced with 200 soldiers, invited them to her beach house on weekends and wrote hundreds of letters to their families. Among Landis' titles included Air Raid Warden, commander in the Aerial Nurses Corps and an honorary Colonel in the American Legion. She worked in over 50 movies, many of her early ones uncredited. She was jilted by her lover Rex Harrison sending her into a tailspin. In one of the most tragic turns in Hollywood history, Landis took her own life in 1948 at the height of her fame and popularity.

Bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson