30 Beautiful Photos of Colleen Townsend in the 1940s and ’50s

Born 1928 in Glendale, California, American actress Colleen Townsend began a film career in 1944, appearing in minor roles in several films. By 1946, she was appearing on the cover of magazines, and in 1947, she was signed to a contract by 20th Century Fox. She was the subject of a cover story for Life in 1948, which discussed the way in which major studios groomed and manufactured their stars, using Townsend’s story as an example.

Townsend played a featured role in the film The Walls of Jericho (1948). Her biggest success was in the 1950 film When Willie Comes Marching Home, in which she was paired with Dan Dailey. Again Pioneers (1950), which she wrote, provided her with her first lead role.

In 1950, Townsend left her acting career and married long-time friend Louis H. Evans, Jr. who was a seminary student at the time at San Francisco Theologic Seminary. Rev. Louis H. Evans, Jr. was the founding pastor of Bel Air Presbyterian Church, which began in the Evans home. Bel Air Presbyterian Church exists today as the largest Presbyterian congregation in the Los Angeles area.

Townsend, now billed as Colleen Evans, returned to films briefly, starring in two films produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: Oiltown, U.S.A. (1950) and Souls in Conflict (1955).

Take a look at these beautiful photos to see portraits of young Colleen Townsend in the 1940s and 1950s.