The name that comes to mind when thinking about glamorous Hollywood starlets of the late 1940s and early 50s is Larson. She wasn’t just another pretty face—Larson actually began her journey in the entertainment world with a strong artistic foundation, trained as a commercial artist before stepping into the film industry. Her first break came behind the scenes, where she worked as a costume designer for Western Costume Company in Los Angeles. During this time, Larson contributed her creative talents to several 20th Century Fox productions, including “State Fair,” “The Dolly Sisters” (both released in 1945), and “Dragonwyck” in 1946.

But Larson had more up her sleeve than design sketches. With a passion for horses and a track record as a trophy-winning horsewoman, she smoothly transitioned in front of the camera. This unique blend of equestrian skill and screen presence led her to Monogram Pictures, where she quickly became a leading lady in a string of B Westerns. Between 1948 releases like “Fighting Ranger,” “Hidden Danger,” “Outlaw Brand,” and “Partners of the Sunset,” Larson made a name for herself opposite popular Monogram stars such as Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton, and Jimmy Wakely. Each role added depth to her growing reputation—not just as a beauty, but as a capable and dynamic actress.

After wrapping up her work with Monogram, Larson took on one final film with Republic Pictures—”Trial Without Jury” in 1950. Then, she stepped into the emerging world of television, appearing on the show “Lights, Cameras, Action.” It was there that producer Harry Popkin spotted her talent and cast her in what could have been a breakout role in “Second Woman” (1951). Unfortunately, fate intervened—appendicitis forced her to withdraw, and the opportunity slipped away.

Still, Larson pressed forward. That same year, she starred in “The Well,” marking the first of four films she would make under Columbia Pictures. By 1953, after completing “The Valley of the Headhunters,” she quietly stepped away from acting, virtually retiring from the spotlight. For years, Larson remained out of the public eye—until decades later, when her name resurfaced in an unexpected place: the 1991 Kitty Kelley biography of Nancy Reagan. There, it was revealed that Larson had once been proposed to by Ronald Reagan before he married Nancy Davis—a little-known chapter that brought her story back into the cultural conversation.

Even though her time in Hollywood was relatively brief, Larson left a quiet but lasting impression. From costume design to cowgirl roles, from near-breakthroughs to personal milestones behind the scenes, Larson’s journey reflects the complex paths many actresses navigated during Hollywood’s golden era.