Child actress Cora Sue Collins, who gained fame in the 1930s and ’40s working with Hollywood figures like Greta Garbo, Claudette Colbert, and Bette Davis, has died at the age of 98. Collins died on Sunday, April 27, at her Beverly Hills, California, home due to complications from a stroke, according to her daughter, Susie Krieser.
Collins was known for her versatility, often playing younger versions of the era’s leading actresses. In a 2019 interview, she stated, “I must have one of the most ordinary faces in the world,” explaining that she frequently portrayed either popular 1930s actresses or their children. She noted that she was made up to resemble various actresses.
Her career included roles as younger versions of Claudette Colbert in “Torch Singer” (1933), Frances Dee in “The Strange Case of Clara Deane” (1932), Loretta Young in “Caravan” (1934), Merle Oberon in “The Dark Angel” (1935), and Lynn Bari in “Blood and Sand” (1941). She also played the daughter of William Powell and Myrna Loy in “Evelyn Prentice” (1934) and portrayed Amy Lawrence in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” (1938).
Born in Beckley, West Virginia, on April 19, 1927, Collins moved to Los Angeles, California, with her mother and older sister shortly before she turned four. Her entry into Hollywood happened by chance. During a visit to enroll her sister in school, a woman approached them and suggested Collins for film work, which led to her being cast in “The Unexpected Father” (1932) at Universal Studios.
Collins showed remarkable talent early on. Following her role in “The Unexpected Father,” a reviewer noted, “Wait till you see Cora Sue. Just four, she walks away with everything.” She also displayed professional maturity during “The Strange Case of Clara Deane,” when she was expected to cry in a scene. After the director removed her mother to provoke tears, she said they should simply ask her to cry and give her time to think of something sad.
In 1933, Greta Garbo chose Collins to play her younger self in “Queen Christina.” They later appeared together in “Anna Karenina” (1935) and remained friends until Garbo’s death in 1990. Garbo, known for her preference for solitude, often invited Collins to her MGM suite for tea, though Collins drank milk.
Collins signed a contract with MGM in 1934 for $250 a week, equivalent to about $5,900 today. That year, she appeared in ten films, including “Black Moon” with Fay Wray and “The Scarlet Letter” with Colleen Moore. Her importance to the studio was underscored by her role in “The Spectacle Maker” (1934), directed by John Farrow, which became the first Technicolor short made in the United States.
Her Hollywood connections extended beyond acting roles. Collins referred to Pat O’Brien as “Uncle Pat,” went roller skating with Cesar Romero, and was sometimes babysat by Lana Turner. In 1935, MGM’s Louis B. Mayer hosted a joint birthday party for Collins and May Robson, attended by stars like Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, Jackie Cooper, Mickey Rooney, and Freddie Bartholomew.
Collins was initially cast as Becky Thatcher in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” but experienced a growth spurt during casting for the title role. When she ended up taller than Tommy Kelly, who played Tom, she was reassigned to the role of Amy Lawrence.
By 1942, Collins transitioned to teenage roles, including an unpleasant adolescent in “Get Hep to Love” with Donald O’Connor and Gloria Jean. She also appeared on Broadway in “Junior Miss.” Her final film roles were in “Youth on Trial” (1945) as a juvenile delinquent and “Week-End at the Waldorf” (1945) before retiring at 18.
Collins later explained she left Hollywood to experience life outside the spotlight, stating that being a child star was too much responsibility at a young age. She enjoyed her subsequent years as an “anonymous housewife.”
Collins was married four times. Her first marriage to Ivan Stauffer, operator of the Clover Club in Hollywood, lasted from 1943 until 1947. She had three children with James McKay, owner of the Cal-Neva Lodge in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, before his death in 1962. Her marriage to James Morgan Cox ended in divorce, and her fourth marriage to Harry Nace lasted over 33 years until his death in 2002.
Collins is survived by her daughter Susie Krieser, son Trey, stepdaughter Theresa, grandchildren James, Kevin, Keith, and Michael, and great-grandchildren Jarett, Nate, Lilly, Mimi, and Jack. Her children, Jamie and Melinda McKay Nace, predeceased her.
In later years, Collins occasionally participated in classic film festivals and screenings, serving as a connection to Hollywood’s Golden Age. Despite her notable career, she maintained that leaving the industry was her best decision.
