Fern Aline Waller (née Eggen; 7 November 1919 – 2 February 1996), known as Aline Towne, was an American film and television actress, best remembered for her lead roles in 1950s Republic serials, such as Radar Men from the Moon.
Early life and career Born Fern Aline Eggen in St. Paul, Minnesota and raised in Charles City, Iowa,Mayer, Geoff (2017). Encyclopedia of American Film Serials. Jefferson, NC: MacFarland & Company. p. 278. ."United States Census, 1930", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMJW-1JS : Sun Jul 14 18:19:28 UTC 2024), Entry for Oscar E Eggen and Gertrude Eggen, 1930. Towne was the daughter of Gertrude N. Jennings and Norwegian American design engineer Oscar Edward Eggen. She attended the University of Iowa, becoming a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1942."Sororities as S. U.I. Pledge 175 at Ceremonies Friday; Many Iowa Citians Among Group Affiliating with Greek Letter Organizations at Close of Annual Rush Week". Iowa City Press-Citizen. September 16, 1939. p. 7. Retrieved October 6, 2024."List Candidates for Degrees at Iowa State University; 82nd Commencement Will Be This Afternoon at Iowa City". The Waterloo Courier. May 10, 1942. p. 14. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
Towne was a Powers model.
Towne appeared in dozens of roles on television, in series such as Lassie, Leave It to Beaver, Sea Hunt, Wagon Train, Maverick, The Lone Ranger, Tales of Wells Fargo, and The Donna Reed Show. In 1952 she played Lara, Superman's mother in the first episode of the Adventures of Superman. She also had a small speaking role (billed as Fern Eggen) in White Heat (1949).Goff, Ivan (1984). White Heat. Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Press. p. 206. .Erickson, Glenn. "I Am Cody Jarrett, Destroyer of Worlds", in Silver, Alain; Ursini, James, eds. (2007). The Gangster Film Reader. Pompton Plains, NJ: Limelight Editions. pp. 141–142. . "Field agent Hank Fallon began as a womanizing playboy and a devil-may-care man of action, similar to the later James Bond. When he goes undercover as Vic Pardo to become Cody's criminal apprentice, Fallon is assigned a fake 'Mrs Pardo,' a curvaceous female treasury agent named Margaret Baxter. Margaret visits Fallon in prison and carries messages back to Evans. Early drafts implied that the two agents are carrying on an affair. By the final script, Fallon's skirt chasing is reduced to a few smiles and a raised eyebrows. As deftly played by Edmond O'Brien, Hank is more happy-go-lucky than daredevil, and his prison visits with Margaret (Fern Eggen) are mild parodies of domesticity. They chat about divorce while arranging for Cody's police-monitored prison breakout."
Personal life and death Towne was married to Bill Waller.
She died in Burbank, California in 1996.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1950 A Woman of Distinction Young Lady Uncredited1950 Harbor of Missing Men Angelique Corcoris 1950 The Vanishing Westerner Barbara 1950 The Invisible Monster Carol Richards Serial1950 Highway 301 Madeline Welton 1951 Rough Riders of Durango Janis Adams 1951 I Can Get It for You Wholesale Model Uncredited1951 Don Daredevil Rides Again Patricia Doyle Serial1951 Purple Heart Diary Lt. Cathy Dietrich 1952 Radar Men from the Moon Joan Gilbert Serial1952 Confidence Girl Peggy Speel 1952 Zombies of the Stratosphere Sue Davis Serial1952 The Steel Trap Gail Woodley 1953 A Blueprint for Murder Hospital File Clerk Uncredited1954 Trader Tom of the China Seas Vivian Wells Serial1954 Gog Dr. Kirby Uncredited1955 The Lone Ranger Wife of Ben Talbot Serial1956 Julie Denise Martin 1957 Man Afraid Mrs. Wilbur Fletcher Uncredited1958 Maverick Laura Miller Trail West to Fury 1958Tales of Wells Fargo Nell Forrester “Billy the Kid” S1 E211964 The Brass Bottle Miss Glidden 1964 Bullet for a Badman Saloon Girl Uncredited1964 Send Me No Flowers Cora 1964 Taggart Kate Uncredited1965 Mirage Receptionist Uncredited1967 A Guide for the Married Man Mousey Man's Wife 1970 Song of Norway Mrs. Thoresen
References
External links
Aline Towne at Rotten Tomatoes