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MARCIA RALSTON
Marcia Ralston was born in Sydney, Australia, September 19, 1909. Her original first name was Mascotte, a name she prefers to Marcia, but an agent advised her to change it because of the existence of Mascot Productions in Hollywood.
Her father, John Ralston, was a musical comedy star in Australia and her mother was a dancer. Her parents didn't care for the idea of their daughter being an actress so they trotted her off to a convent. But when she was 15, and during the Christmas holidays when her parents were in China, she left the convent and got a job as a chorus girl with the J. C. Williamson productions. Later became an understudy to the leading lady and from there she moved in the top spots in musical comedy .
Besides musical comedy she appeared in such plays as "Nothing But Lies," "The Ghost Train," and Galsworthy's play "Escape." Also played in stock in Australia; and in vaudeville she was the latter part of the ballroom dancing team of "Peppine and Mascotte."
Matrimony robbed the Land of the Kangaroo of this budding star. Phil Harris, the orchestra leader now featured with Jack Benny on the radio, was in the Antipodes with his band. He met Miss Ralston, fell in love with her, married her, and brought her back to America with him.
She immediately became an American citizen. Eventually convinced her husband that she should dance with his orchestra. It was then that Warner talent scouts saw her and signed her to a long-term contract, her film debut being as the sultry, seductive actress in "Call It a Day."
In her school days it was her ambition to be a champion swimmer and diver. She also played a mean game of tennis and tossed a swift basketball.
It is her present ambition to be a very fine dramatic actress. While to date she has appeared mostly in the role of a temperamental actress in her