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buttocks and legs." However, Michel contradicted his testimony, saying she had not been physically punished but had only been sent to bed. The girl's drama coach backed the claim that Michel was being starved by her adopted parents, testifying that
Lorraine had said, "I am determined to conquer her gluttonous appetite." But the judge, who questioned Michel's veracity, ruled the adoption was legal and awarded custody to the Michels and told them to take her back to Texas so she could live a "normal life."
269:, and died the same day. In February 1960, she met Joe Wendel Owen, and they wed on March 5, 1960. After two weeks of marriage, Michel left him but did not legally divorce him. In August 1960, Michel married Carey Hand Bray, a Houston pharmacist. Bray later told investigators that they divorced on November 7, 1961, although a divorce record has not been located.
206:, in which she alleged that her adoptive mother had beaten and starved her. She came to public attention again in 1963 when she and her third husband were sentenced in federal court for stealing a car and driving it across state lines. After her release from prison, she disappeared. It is believed she died from cancer in 1979.
218:, on September 13, 1940, to Willie Walker Willeford and Lena Smith Brunson. Brunson gave Michel and two other younger siblings up for adoption when Michel was five years old. She was adopted by Otto and Lorraine Michel in Schulenburg, Texas. As of 2014, Michel has one living sister, Barbara Michel Wright.
318:
published an article by writer Stacy Perman titled "What happened to former child star Lora Lee Michel?" In the article, Michel's sister
Barbara Wright Isaacs was reported to still be searching for Michel after a period of 55 years, believing "she's either got to be dead or doesn't want to be found."
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and performed in some local theatrical productions. During one of these performances in 1952, she was bitten by a dog. Her adoptive father sued the
American Automobile Insurance Company, claiming her career would be affected by facial disfigurement. The court awarded $ 1,000 in damages (equivalent to
239:
court to reclaim custody of her daughter. During the custody hearing, a widely publicized fist fight occurred between Mrs. Brunson and Lora Lee's former agent and drama coach Ona Wargin on one side and Mrs. Michel and her friend Mrs. Effie
Forrest on the other, when Mrs. Brunson attempted to hug and
234:
In 1950, Michel told one of her friends that her adoptive mother
Lorraine Michel was "starving her to keep her small and slim so that she could continue to get screen roles," leading to Lorraine's arrest. Lora Lee's birth mother, Lena Brunson, alerted by the resulting publicity, filed a countersuit
264:
On
February 28, 1958, Michel married Donald Mayo Ford at the age of 17. Michel gave birth to a girl named Donna Ann, who she put up for adoption. Ford later told authorities that they divorced in November or December 1958. On February 12, 1959 Michel gave birth to a son named William Henry. He was
243:
At the trial, a clergyman testified that Michel appeared to him to have been "terribly bruised", which the girl claimed was from physical punishment administered by
Lorraine. He said he had seen Michel at the home of her drama coach and that she had "black and blue marks on her arms, shoulders,
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convertible, and used three credit cards they found in the glove compartment to run up $ 3,700 in bills (equivalent to $ 36,800 in 2023). Scott was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison while Michel was sentenced to 13 months at the
284:. Although they were both legally married to other people, they married on July 22, 1961. Scott deserted the Army in February 1962, and Michel and Scott began engaging in various schemes. She and Scott were arrested in
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Michel was a successful child actress in the late 1940s. By the age of 9, she was earning $ 100 a day (equivalent to $ 1,300 in 2023). By her own count, she appeared in 19 films.
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296:, and driven it to Houston. They then embarked on a six-month trip around the southern and eastern United States after stealing Michel's ex-husband's car, a
288:, in December 1962 and charged in federal court with driving a stolen car over state lines. According to newspaper reports, she and Scott had stolen a 1957
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Perman ultimately discovered notes kept by Michel's second husband, Joe Wendel Owen, which suggested that Michel had died in 1979 of cancer.
276:. She was working as a waitress in a night club when she met Frank O'Neil Scott. Scott was a former Marine sergeant who had served in the
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198:, September 13, 1940) is an American former child actress. She appeared in several feature films during the
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unknown (February 9, 1950). "Movie Moppet's
Adoption Upheld; Career Ends to Begin Normal Life".
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in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In 1950, she was the focus of a custody dispute in
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Barrileaux, Gladys (February 2, 1950). "Mrs. Brunson of
Nederland Asks Custody".
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Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government
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788:. Associated Press. July 18, 1952. p. 9 – via
718:"Lora Lee Tells Tearful Tale of Hunger and Filched Food"
811:"Former Schulenberg Child Star Jailed for Stealing Car"
780:"Former Child Film Starlet Awarded $ 1,000 Damages"
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309:. After her release, Michel disappeared.
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252:Back in Texas, Michel was enrolled at
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698:The Mirror (Los Angeles)
240:physically hold Michel.
909:American film actresses
723:Knoxville News Sentinel
607:"Little Lora Lee Mixup"
307:Alderson, West Virginia
292:demonstration model in
261:$ 11,500 in 2023).
200:Golden Age of Hollywood
267:congenital atelectasis
196:Virginia Joy Willeford
35:Virginia Joy Willeford
572:The Los Angeles Times
210:Early life and family
919:Actresses from Texas
530:The Beaumont Journal
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91: 1958;
294:Jonesboro, Arkansas
254:Saint Agnes Academy
214:Michel was born in
884:Where is Lora Lee?
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631:"Lora Lee Michel?"
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844:"Lora Lee Michel"
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619:: 22. 1950.
323:Filmography
893:Categories
512:References
278:Korean War
265:born with
248:Later life
57:Occupation
41:1940-09-13
412:Tokyo Joe
68:1948–1972
849:TV Guide
612:Newsweek
429:Jessica
361:Good Sam
182:Children
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407:1949
366:Lulu
346:1948
341:Role
338:Film
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298:Ford
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