Dolores Diane Freymouth, also known as Helene Stanley was an American actress, singer, and model, who worked for Disney Studios as a live-action model for many animated features during the 1950s. She also acted in a few features.
Born in Gary, Indiana; Stanley was raised in Europe with her father, who performed with acrobats called The Seven Michaels. She began her acting career by 1939 using the stage name "Dolores Diane" before switching it. She was discovered by an Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer producer while performing at a war bond rally was offered a contract. She would appear in films, like Barnyard Follies, Hi, Buddy, Thrill of a Romance, Girls' Town, Moonlight in Vermont, Holiday in Mexico, My Dear Secretary, All the King's Men, The Asphalt Jungle, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and Carnival Story. On television, Stanley appeared in Big Town, Lux Video Theater, Mike Hammer, Perry Mason, Have Gun – Will Travel, Bachelor Father, and Tightrope!. She also appeared in the 1950 Broadway production of the comedy revue Pardon Our French.
Her collaboration with Disney started around 1948, where she modeled for not just for the stepsister Anastasia Tremaine, but also the titular character of Cinderella. Afterward, animator Marc Davis wanted Stanley to model for the studio's then-upcoming project Sleeping Beauty. She modeled for Aurora and during the course of this role, she when on to appear in the Davy Crockett miniseries as Polly. She would also do promotional work for the studio, such as demonstrating the method of modeling for animators to create the characters the public grew to know and love as well as for Sleeping Beauty until its eventual release in 1959. Her last modeling session for Disney was during the production of One Hundred and One Dalmatians, where she modeled for the character Anita Radcliffe.
She was briefly married to gangster Johnny Stompanato from 1953 to 1955. Following her second marriage to her second husband David Niemetz and the birth of their son, Stanley retired from acting and lived in the suburbs of Los Angeles and serving in various organizations the California State Democratic Committee, the Screen Actors Guild, and as a chairwoman for The March of Dimes. Stanley died on December 27, 1990 in Los Angeles, California.
Filmography[]
| Year | Film | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Cinderella | Performance model: Anastasia Tremaine Cinderella (uncredited) |
| 1951 | "The Disneyland Story" | Herself (archive footage) |
| 1955 | Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier | Polly Crockett |
| 1956 | Mickey Mouse Club | Herself: "Guest Star Day: Helene Stanley" (January 24, 1956) |
| 1957 | "Tricks of Our Trade" | Herself |
| 1959 | Sleeping Beauty | Performance model: Aurora (uncredited) |
| 1961 | One Hundred and One Dalmatians | Performance model: Anita Radcliffe (uncredited) Voice: Poodle Owner |
Roles[]
(Cinderella)
(Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier)
(One Hundred and One Dalmatians)
Gallery[]
