#majel coleman

Majel Coleman was Cincinnati girl born in 1903. Her family lived in various areas around the city, including Avondale. Her father was Pierce Devon “Percy” Coleman, a baseball pitcher from Mason. He mostly pitched for St Louis but did pitch for the Reds for a single game in 1898. He also pitched for several minor league teams. After baseball, he worked as a traveling paint salesman.
Coleman had already received an acting contract offer at 16 when a playwright saw her on a train, but her mother insisted she finish high school first. She graduated from Hughes High School in 1921 and moved to California with her parents. She starred in several films, mostly for Cecil De Mille, though she never had a starring role. While many of her films are lost she can still be seen in De Mille’s epic King of Kings.
She married Victor Gangelin, a set director best known by his Oscar win for West Side Story. She remained in California until her death in 1980. Curious about other alumni? Want to find more unknown historical figures for Women’s History Month? Check out our Digital Library!