Helene Stanley
Helene Stanley (born Dolores Diane Freymouth; July 17, 1929 – December 27, 1990) was an American actress who was the live model for Cinderella, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and Anita Radcliffe in One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
Helene Stanley

Film screenshot · The Snows of Kilimanjaro film · Public domain
- Name
- Helene Stanley
- Birth Name
- Dolores Diane Freymouth
- Born
- 17 July 1929
- Birthplace
- Gary, Indiana, U.S.
- Died
- 27 December 1990
- Place of death
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Occupation
- Actress
- Full name
- Dolores Diane Freymouth.
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Helene Stanley (born Dolores Diane Freymouth; July 17, 1929 – December 27, 1990) was an American actress who was the live model for Cinderella, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and Anita Radcliffe in One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
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wikidata · Q2402882 · wikipedia · Helene Stanley
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Helene Stanley • Birth Name — Dolores Diane Freymouth • Born — 17 July 1929 • Birthplace — Gary, Indiana, U.S. • Died — 27 December 1990 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Other Names — Dolores Diane • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1942–1961 • Children — 1
Early life
Early life
Stanley was born in Gary, Indiana. Her parents were Michael Freymouth, who was an acrobat who worked in Europe, and Gerty Freymouth (née Seigert). She spent most of her childhood in southern California. At the age of four, she won the World’s Fair Contests of Contests in Chicago as an acrobatic dancer, winning a $25 prize.
Career
Career
Stanley used the stage name "Dolores Diane." In 1946, she received a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and began to use the stage name "Helene Stanley," with one of her most notable appearances being a brief role in John Huston's The Asphalt Jungle (1950). Her collaboration with Disney started around 1948. She became the live-action model for both the main character and one of the stepsisters Anastasia Tremaine in Cinderella, Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and Anita Radcliffe in One Hundred and One Dalmatians. In the season three episode of Walt Disney's Disneyland (1957), Tricks of Our Trade, Stanley appears as herself performing a ballet routine for several studio animation directors animating scenes from the Dance of the Hours segment of Fantasia.
Personal life
Personal life
Helene Stanley was married to Johnny Stompanato on January 17, 1953, with their divorce dated February 10, 1955. After Stompanato, Stanley married a physician from Beverly Hills, David Niemetz. They had a son, David Niemetz Jr., in 1961. After they were married, Stanley formally retired from show business in 1962, one year after the birth of her son.
Death
Death
Stanley died on December 27, 1990, in Los Angeles of ovarian cancer.
Filmography
Filmography
• 1942: Girls' Town - Sally • 1943: Hi, Buddy - Specialty • 1943: Moonlight in Vermont - A Jivin' Jill • 1945: Patrick the Great - Member, Jivin' Jills (uncredited) • 1945: Thrill of a Romance - Susan • 1946: Holiday in Mexico - Yvette Baranga • 1947: Brick Bradford - Carol Preston • 1948: My Dear Secretary - Miss 'Clay' Pidgeon (uncredited) • 1949: Mr. Soft Touch - Donna (uncredited) • 1949: Bandit King of Texas - Cynthia Turner • 1949: All the King's Men - Helene Hale (uncredited) • 1950: Cinderella (As live-action model for Disney animators to use as a guide) (Cinderella and Anastasia Tremaine) • 1950: A Woman of Distinction - Minor Role (uncredited) • 1950: The Asphalt Jungle - Jeannie - Girl in Diner (uncredited) • 1952: Diplomatic Courier - Airline Stewardess • 1952: Wait till the Sun Shines, Nellie - Eadie Jordan • 1952: We're Not Married! - Mary (uncredited) • 1952: Dreamboat - Mimi • 1952: The Snows of Kilimanjaro - Connie • 1953: Roar of the Crowd - Marcy Parker • 1953: Once I Will Return - Gloria • 1954: Carnival Story - Peggy • 1954: Circus of Love - Lore • 1955: Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier - Polly Crockett (archive footage) • 1955: Dial Red O - Connie Wyatt • 1957: Walt Disney's Disneyland Tricks of Our Trade - Herself • 1959: Sleeping Beauty (As live-action model for Disney animators to use as a guide) - Aurora • 1959: Perry Mason The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll" - Fran Driscoll • 1961: One Hundred and One Dalmatians (As live-action model for Disney animators to use as a guide) - Anita
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Gary.
Birth place
Los Angeles.
Death place
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.https://web.archive.org/web/20250618214753/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2022/06/22/potempa-helene-stanley-actress-from-gary-found-walt-disney-film-fame/
- 2.https://web.archive.org/web/20250618214753/https://www.chicagotribune.com/2022/06/22/potempa-helene-stanley-actress-from-gary-found-walt-disney-film-fame/
- 3.Helene Stanley. The New York Times. 2014.
- 4.Cinderella Character History. Disney Archives.
- 5.Walt Disney Home Entertainment. Sleeping Beauty Platinum Edition (Disc 1). 2008.
- 6.Walt Disney Home Entertainment. Sleeping Beauty Special Edition (Disc 2). 2003.
- 7.John Grant. The Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters. 228. 1987. 0060157771.
- 8.Conradt, Stacy. Helene Stanley. Mental Floss.
- 9.4th Stompanato Marriage Hinted. Albany Democrat-Herald. 2. April 15, 1958.
- 10.Star's Child Tells of Killing. Independent. Independent Press-Telegram. 3. April 6, 1958.
- 11.Another Woman Linked With Johnny as Police Continue To Search Into Past of Slain 'Gigolo'. The San Bernardino County Sun. 4. April 16, 1958.
- 12.Police Hang Gigolo Tag On Johnny Stompanato. Tucson Daily Citizen. 8. April 5, 1958.
- 13.Helene Stanley - the Private Life and Times of Helene Stanley. Helene Stanley Pictures.
- 14.Potempa, Philip. Potempa: Helene Stanley, actress from Gary, found Walt Disney film fame. Chicago Tribune. 22 June 2022.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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