Born on April 20, 1924 in Leyden, Holland.
The daughter of Dutch conductor-composer Dirk Fock and American showgirl and actress Consuelo Flowerton, a famous WWI poster girl, Nina Foch was raised in Manhattan and after a brief early career as a concert pianist and amateur painter took up acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She appeared with little theater groups and with stock and touring companies before signing up with Columbia Pictures in 1943.
Despite poor film vehicles during her early film career, she demonstrated from the start the screen presence and acting ability that soon helped her secure increasingly better roles. She made her Broadway debut in 1947 and eventually appeared on the stage in several Shakespearean productions. She also directed the play “Ways and Means” (1967) and was John Houseman's assistant on the TV special “A Night at Ford's Theater.”
A chic and cool blonde, in films she typically portrayed aloof, sophisticated ladies, often fragile, sometimes neurotic, such as her Oscar-nominated role in “Executive Suite” (1954). She has appeared in numerous TV productions in addition to many films and plays, including the series “Shadow Chasers” (1985-86).
Oscar Alert
In 1954, Nina Foch competed for the Supporting Actress Oscar with Katy Jurado in “Broken Lance,” Eva Marie Saint (who won) in “On the Waterfront,” Jan Sterling and Claire Trevor, both nominated for “The High and the Mighty.”
