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Elyse Knox

Elyse Knox

Actor · Died February 16, 2012, aged 94 · Hartford, Connecticut, USA

Elyse Knox, the actress best known for starring in The Mummy's Tomb (1942) and for being Heisman Award-winner Tom Harmon's wife and actor Mark Harmon's mother, was born Elsie Lillian Kornbrath on December 14, 1917 in Hartford, Connecticut, to Austrian parents Hermine Sophie (Muck) and Frederick Kornbrath, from Vienna. Knox's first love was not acting but art: she began painting in oils during high school, and painting remained a passion throughout her life. She had an exhibition of her work in 1981. After graduating from New York City's Traphagen School of Fashion, she got a job in a New York design studio as an artist's assistant intent on becoming a fashion designer. When a model did not arrive as scheduled, she filled in and soon became a top fashion model herself, appearing in all the major magazines. She modeled some of her own creations in "Vogue Magazine" in 1937. That and an appearance as a fashion model in a newsreel landed her a Hollywood contract from 20th Century-Fox. She made her debut in an uncredited bit part in Wake Up and Live (1937), starring gossip columnist Walter Winchell, in 1937. Knox would not appear again on-screen for another three years, until Free, Blonde and 21 (1940) in 1940. In all, she made 39 movies in the 1940s. Knox bounced around between studios, including Paramount and Universal. While at Paramount, she met Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon, to whom she became engaged. The engagement was broken off when he went off to WWII and she married another man, but that marriage proved short-lived. When Harmon returned from the war, she married him in 1944. She was a contract player at Universal in the 1940s, where she made the "Mummy" movie with Lon Chaney Jr. who - having had to carry her in a kidnapping scene - thanked her for being petite. The real-life love of a genuine sports hero, she also played Anne Howe, girl friend of fictional boxer "Joe Palooka," in a series of B-movies at Monogram. After having two children with Harmon, she retired in 1949. "I'm just a mother at heart," she said, "so I decided it was time to retire from the screen." Her son Mark, born in 1951, played for UCLA as a quarterback and became a top TV star. One of her daughters, Kristin Nelson (1945-2018), was an actress who married singer/actor Ricky Nelson (1940-1985). The twin singer-songwriters Gunnar Nelson and Matthew Nelson are her grandchildren. Elyse Knox died on February 16, 2012 in Los Angeles. She was 94 years old.

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Biography from IMDb.

Born
December 14, 1917
Died
February 16, 2012 (aged 94)
From
Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 37 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 13% in 30 days

What are Elyse Knox's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
36%
Bonds
24%
Self
16%
Society
12%
Ideas
5%
Power
4%
Survival
3%
Justice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 4 · Charged 4 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 4 of 6 analyzed roles.

Ally
4 of 6
Herald
1 of 6
Shapeshifter
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
5
Tense
4
Absurd
4
Warm
3
Hopeful
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Elyse Knox's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Elyse Knox's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

37 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.

  • I Was a Burlesque Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Linda Prentiss

  • There's a Girl in My Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Claire Adamson

  • Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Anne Howe

  • Forgotten Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Kate Allison

  • Joe Palooka in Winner Take All(1948)

    as Anne Howe

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes(1948)

    as Ann Quinn

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Anne Howe

  • Linda, Be Good (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Linda Prentiss

  • Joe Palooka in the Knockout (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Anne Howe

  • Black Gold (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Ruth Frazer

  • Sweetheart of Sigma Chi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Betty Allen

  • Gentleman Joe Palooka (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Anne Howe

  • Joe Palooka, Champ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Anne Howe

  • Army Wives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Jerry Van Dyke

  • A Wave, a WAC and a Marine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Marian

  • Moonlight and Cactus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Louise Ferguson

  • Follow the Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Elyse Knox (uncredited)

  • Hi'ya, Sailor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Pat Rogers

  • So's Your Uncle(1943)

    as Patricia Williams

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Hit the Ice(1943)

    as Peggy Osborne

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Mister Big (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Alice Taswell

  • Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Mercedes Colby

  • Keep 'Em Slugging (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Suzanne

  • Arabian Nights(1942)

    as Slave Girl (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Mummy's Tomb(1942)

    as Isobel Evans

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Top Sergeant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Helen Gray

  • Hay Foot(1942)

    as Betty Barkley

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Miss Polly(1941)

    as Barbara Snodgrass

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • All-American Co-Ed(1941)

    as Co-ed

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Tanks a Million(1941)

    as Jeannie

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Sheriff of Tombstone(1941)

    as Mary Carson

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Footlight Fever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Eileen Drake

  • Youth Will Be Served (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Pamela

  • The Girl from Avenue A (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Angela

  • Girl in 313 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Judith Wilson

  • Lillian Russell(1940)

    as Lillian Russell's Sister

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Free, Blonde and 21 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Marjorie

Career shape

Star power in the 63rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 37 titles from 1940 to 1953.

Highest rated

Hit the Ice (1943)

Midcredits 71st

Most popular right now

I Wouldn't Be in Your Shoes (1948)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting37 of 37: 37 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score35th

By decade

1940s36 · acting1950s1 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Elyse Knox's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 35th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 42nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

19thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 12 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

So's Your Uncle (1943)

68th percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Hit the Ice (1943)

Midcredits 71st · 68% liked

Reviewers score the acting 62/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 69, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Elyse Knox work with?

People who share at least 2 of Elyse Knox's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Fred Guiol shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors