Veronica Lake

Date of Birth: November 14, 1922

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: July 7, 1973

Biography

Veronica Lake, born Constance Frances Marie Ockelman, was an iconic American film actress and pin-up model. She was born on November 14, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York. Lake is best remembered for her roles in film noir classics of the 1940s, where her signature peek-a-boo hairstyle became a defining element of her allure and screen persona. Some of her most notable films include “This Gun for Hire” (1942), “The Glass Key” (1942), and “Sullivan’s Travels” (1941). Lake’s career began in the late 1930s, but she rose to fame in the early 1940s. Her on-screen chemistry with actor Alan Ladd made them one of Hollywood’s most popular duos. Despite her success, Lake’s career declined in the late 1940s due to personal issues and struggles with alcoholism. After a brief stint in television and theater, she largely retired from acting in the early 1950s. Lake’s later years were marked by financial difficulties, and she worked various jobs outside the entertainment industry. She made a brief return to film in the 1960s but never regained her former glory. Veronica Lake passed away on July 7, 1973, in Burlington, Vermont, due to hepatitis and acute renal failure.

5 Interesting Facts about Veronica Lake

1. Veronica Lake’s famous peek-a-boo hairstyle became so popular that it reportedly caused an increase in accidents among women workers during World War II because it would get caught in machinery.

2. She was discovered by an agent while performing in plays at her high school.

3. Lake had a tumultuous personal life, including four marriages and three divorces.

4. She suffered from schizophrenia, which was not publicly known during her lifetime.

5. Lake wrote an autobiography titled “Veronica: The Autobiography of Veronica Lake” in 1969, which detailed her struggles with mental illness and her fall from stardom.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Veronica Lake

1. “You could put all the talent I had into your left eye and still not suffer from impaired vision.”

2. “I wasn’t a sex symbol; I was a sex zombie.”

3. “I never did cheesecake; I just used my hair.”

4. “I wasn’t a conventional beauty. My mother once said I should have been born a boy.”

5. “I have no regrets. I wouldn’t have lived my life the way I did if I was going to regret it.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of her career in the 1940s, Veronica Lake’s net worth was estimated to be around $1 million, which would be equivalent to several million dollars today.

Children

Veronica Lake had four children: 1. Elaine Detlie (born 1941) with her first husband, John S. Detlie. 2. Anthony Detlie (born 1943) with her first husband, John S. Detlie. 3. Michael Frederick (born 1944) with her second husband, André De Toth. 4. Diana De Toth (born 1948) with her second husband, André De Toth.