Sue Carol Ladd

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Actress | Agent Born Evelyn Lederer on Oct. 30, 1906 in Chicago, Ill.

Sue Carol Ladd was a movie star who quit to become a star-maker.

As Sue Carol, she was one of Hollywood's brightest stars from 1927 to 1935, inspiring Victor Young's popular song "Sweet Sue."

But it was her eye for talent as an agent that had a greater effect. She discovered a handsome young radio actor named Alan Ladd in 1939, later married him and helped build him into a superstar of the 1940s and '50s. Ladd died in 1964.

Born in Chicago as Evelyn Lederer, she lived for a time in Wisconsin before moving to California in the 1920s.

She was discovered by director Ted Reed when her high school class of 500 visited a movie set in 1926.

She was given a small part in the Fox Films movie "Slaves of Beauty" (1927). She later starred in a long series of movies, including "The Exalted Flapper," "The Air Circus" and "Soft Cushions."

It was while testing for a feature film at Warner Bros. that — after being criticized by the director for her "slowness" — she simply quit performing in front of cameras and became a behind-the-scenes developer of talent.

— Jerry Belcher in the Los Angeles Times Feb. 6, 1982