LOUISE CUMMINGS

Real Name: Louise Cummings (see comments)

Identity/Class: Normal human (late 1950 era)

Occupation: Theater actress (retired)

Group Membership: None (see comments)

Affiliations: John Anderson, Charles, Daisy, Eric, Sam (others, last names unrevealed)

Enemies: Negative reviews

Known Relatives: John Anderson (husband)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York, USA

First Appearance: My Own Romance#76/1 (July, 1960)

Powers/Abilities: Louise Cummings is an experienced and sought-after actress in theater. Her popularity has reinforced her vanity and self-confidence, using her wily charms and beauty to ensnare men and manipulate them. However, finding true love has given her pause to reflect on her selfish nature.

Height: 5'7"
Weight: 133 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Dark brown

History:

(My Own Romance#76/1 (fb) - BTS) - Louise Cummings was a theater actress and rose to prominence, achieving Broadway fame with her agent Sam's assistance. However, her fame caused her to become smug and selfish; she would deliberately lure men close romantically only to crush them with rejection soon after.

(My Own Romance#76/1 (fb)) - In the latest fashion, Cummings would appear before her fans as she went to her chauffeur Charles.

(My Own Romance#76/1) - At a cocktail party where many fawned over her, Sam saw an opportunity for his star and introduced Cummings to popular playwright John Anderson, but he seemed aloof to her performances. Cummings saw this as a challenge and set about to lure him in as another romantic follower. Once her current play finished, she secured the lead role in Anderson's play with Sam's help. Her friend Eric was director. A few days passed and Cummings began her manipulations, sending home her chauffeur so that Anderson would drive her home instead and standing very close. At home, Cummings gloated to her maid Daisy, who instead suggested that she shouldn't hurt yet another man's feelings, but Cummings dismissed her notion. During rehearsals, Cummings came seductively close and asked for more lines in her lead role; Anderson reluctantly agreed. Soon, the play opened to rave reviews and the pair were now seemingly a romantic couple, but Cummings was ready to brush him off. But their first kiss thrilled Cummings and she realized she was truly in love. She later confided in Daisy that she had been selfish in her behavior; Daisy advised her to speak the truth. Cummings told Anderson of her initial plans but how her feelings had since changed. Anderson believed her and the pair later married with Cummings retiring from the stage.

Comments: Created by Stan Lee(?), Larry Lieber (?), Dick Giordano, Vince Colletta.

Given the era, she likely changed her surname, but this is unconfirmed. Nevertheless, popular actresses sometimes kept their surname.

She probably belonged to the Associated Actors and Artistes of America.

Another example of similar names for similar characters around this time, in this case romance-stricken actors: Diana Cummings (January 1960), Louise Cummings (July 1960) and Diane Cummings (August 1961).

These romance stories often had the flavor of the time in which they were written, and nothing else to tie them into Marvel's sliding timescale. As such, it's likely that the stories took place at the time of publication rather than being part of the sliding timescale.

Thanks to Grand Comics Database for the credits info.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Louise Cummings has no known connections to:

• CUMMINGS, DIANA - screen actress, paralyzed from virus, recovered with support from agent, later married him--Love Romances I#85/6
  
• CUMMINGS, DIANE - wife of Bob O'Bryan, hostess for "It's Amazing", former actress--Tales of Suspense I#20
• CUMMINGS, JOHN - disguise of of Jovian alien ZENO to capture Martian OGOR--Tales to Astonish I#14/3
• CUMMINGS, JOHN - encountered and thwarted the 2-D Men--Tales of Suspense I#33
• CUMMINGS, LANA - telepathic telephonist, helped free kidnap victim--Adventure Into Mystery I#3/7
• CUMMINGS, LISA - sister of Richard, gamma researcher, sacrificed life to prove Stark's armor wasn't safe--Incredible Hulk II#71
• CUMMINGS, RICHARD - brother of Lisa, blamed Stark for her death and sought vengeance--Incredible Hulk II#71
• or any other "Louise" or "Cummings" characters

John Anderson

John Anderson was an accomplished and popular playwright, but despite his handsome looks, he had little luck securing a steady girlfriend. Actress Louise Cummings' agent Sam saw an opportunity to have Anderson's latest play star Cummings and introduced the two at a cocktail party. Cummings was attracted to him and considered his aloof nature a challenge to snare him for a brief romantic affair, also to manipulate the writer to include more lines for her role. Two weeks after the show opened and having successfully lured him closer, she prepared to brush him off, but a deep kiss between the two left her thrilled and she realized that she truly loved him. She soon revealed that she selfishly wanted him only as a follower in her stardom, but had since fallen in love with him. Despite this, Anderson embraced her and the couple later married.

--My Own Romance#76/1

images: (without ads)
My Own Romance#76/1, p1 (main image)
   p4, pan6 (headshot)
   p4, pan4 (Anderson)
   p5, pan3 (manipulation)

Appearances:
My Own Romance#76/1 (July, 1960) - possibly Stan Lee & Larry Lieber (writer), Dick Giordano (pencils), Vince Colletta (inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 02/14/2023 - happy Valentine's Day!
Last updated: 02/14/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com.

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix!

Back to Characters