Who was Gloria Jean? Actually, with a little more luck and the chance to star in more movies like this one, Gloria Jean could have been another Deanna Durbin. She had the same spunk, poise and talent. In addition, she grew up to be an attractive young woman with a lovely singing voice and lots of personal charm.
The Under-Pup is a movie that showcases Gloria Jean perfectly. Surrounded by a superb supporting cast and a story that makes her "Miss Fix-It" character quite believable, it is not surprising that with this movie she began what appeared to be a promising career as a juvenile performer on her way up. It was not to be. What is it that separates the Deanna Durbins from the Gloria Jeans? Other movies came her way and she was impressive in all of them. But she could have accomplished so much more while proving her right to be a star. The bigger opportunities just did not come her way. In the end, this sweet, lovely and talented individual is hardly remembered today.
Perhaps she might have been too young to tackle the female leading role in Universal's big 1943 Technicolor remake of Phantom of the Opera with Claude Rains. Susanna Foster, who got the part, was 19 when the film was made. Gloria Jean was just two years her junior. I believe that Gloria Jean could have made the young aspiring opera singer character something special if only she had been given the chance to do so by Universal (her home studio). She had a real sparkle and natural attractiveness that was both charming and appealing. By the way, Linda Darnell was only 17 when she co-starred opposite Tyrone Power as his love interest in The Mark of Zorro in 1940. The public did not seem to think that their pairing was inappropriate because of Ms. Darnell's age. It was a huge success notwithstanding that fact and that Power was also 10 years older than Ms. Darnell.
Gloria Jean had all the qualities that should have produced a Hollywood success story. That it turned out otherwise is a real loss to those of us who thought she was somebody very special from the first time we sighted her in the Under-Pup.
