Jane Randolph

Jane Randolph (née Roemer; October 30, 1914 – May 4, 2009) was an American film actress best remembered for her haunting performance as Alice Moore in Val Lewton’s classic horror film Cat People (1942) and its sequel The Curse of the Cat People (1944). Born in Youngstown, Ohio, she spent her childhood in Kokomo, Indiana, where she cultivated an early love of golf and even learned to pilot small aircraft, a rare pastime for women of her era. After graduating from DePauw University—where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority—she honed her craft at Max Reinhardt’s prestigious acting school before moving to Hollywood in 1939 to pursue a screen career. Her first credited appearance came in the 1941 war drama Manpower, and she quickly secured a contract with RKO, leading to a starring role in Highways by Night (1942). Randolph became a recognizable face in film noir, delivering memorable turns in Jealousy (1945) and Railroaded! (1947), while also cementing her status as a cult horror icon through her nuanced, quietly terrified portrayals in Lewton’s productions. Though her on‑screen work tapered after the late 1940s, she made a final credited appearance in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) before retiring from acting. In her personal life, Randolph married agent Bert D'Armand, a union that ended in divorce in 1949, and later that same year wed Spanish businessman Jaime del Amo, a descendant of the prominent Domínguez family. The couple settled in Spain, embraced a socialite lifestyle, and eventually maintained residences in both Los Angeles and the Swiss resort town of Gstaad, where she spent her final years. Jane Randolph passed away on May 4 2009 in Gstaad after complications from a broken hip, leaving behind a legacy admired by horror aficionados and classic film scholars alike.