Above is Kentucky-born Una Merkel, an unconventional face that brightened up such movies as 42nd Street (1933), Evelyn Prentiss (1934), and The Bank Dick (1940). A lot of times Una Merkel played the smart-a$$ girlfriend of the lead actress, much as Glenda Farrell did.
Below is Belfast, Ireland-born Una O'Connor, a marvelous character actress, who screamed and shrieked and howled her way through such movies as The Invisible Man (1933), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).
Me, I like Una Merkel movies better. Una O'Connor's cackling voice in early talkie sound recordings is like fingernails on a chalkboard to my ears. But both Unas added a lot to our favorite films of the 1930s.
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