Mary Castle — Biography

Mary Castle, born Mary Ann Castle on January 22, 1931, was an American actress whose promising career in early film and television was ultimately derailed by personal struggles. At just fifteen years old, in 1946, she welcomed her daughter Judith into the world, without marrying the child's father, identified only as a "Navy man" stationed in Long Beach, California. Castle's most recognizable performance came as the female detective Frankie Adams in the syndicated western series Stories of the Century, which had a run from 1954 to 1955. She also appeared as a cheerleader in the 1962 film The Music Man. Her personal life was marked by three marriages. In April 1957, Castle eloped to Las Vegas with William France Minchen, an actor trying to establish his career. This tumultuous union dissolved in divorce in September 1959, after enduring slightly over two years. Her second marriage was to insurance broker Wayne Cote, commencing in September 1960. By August 1961, Castle was seeking an annulment, and the divorce was finalized the subsequent year. On May 7, 1971, she wed musician Erwin Angelo Frezza, but this marriage concluded in July 1972. Mary Castle passed away on April 29, 1998.