Doris Houck

About Doris Houck

Doris Colleen Houck, who graced the entertainment world as Doris Colleen, was born in Wallace, Idaho, on September 28, 1921. Her career spanned modeling, performing at Florentine Gardens in the 1940s, and acting for Columbia Studios, where she appeared in over two dozen films between 1945 and 1947. By the 1950s, she had transitioned to songwriting, holding a contract with BMI. Doris was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Houck. In 1942, she legally adopted the surname Howe.

Modern audiences may recognize Doris Colleen from her appearances in several Three Stooges short films, including "G.I. Wanna Home." Her role as the determined girlfriend in "Brideless Groom," who famously pressured Shemp Howard into marriage by threatening his head with a vise, remains a memorable performance. Beyond film, she also graced nightclub stages.

In 1955, Houck embarked on a seven-year exclusive songwriting agreement with Arthur Valanda, who managed T-C Publishing Corporation. Her personal life included marriages to San Antonio oil magnate Edward G. Nealis, from whom she divorced in May 1948, and Los Angeles police officer and Hollywood operative Fred Otash. Their initial marriage on January 6, 1950, in Beverly Hills, was followed by a reconciliation in November 1950, nullifying their first divorce. However, their second and final separation occurred on June 19, 1952. Doris Colleen Houck passed away on December 14, 1965, at the age of 44, due to a barbiturate overdose. She was cremated, and her ashes are interred at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.