It is not uncommon for people to dramatically change their career paths in life, and that was certainly the case for Colleen (Coke) Townsend Evans. What makes this situation particularly interesting is that she gave up what many would consider to be a highly sought after career for another passion entirely: her faith.
Colleen was born on December 21, 1928, and grew up during the Depression Era. Being raised during this time still influences her today; she stated that when she goes out to eat nowadays, she still finds the cheapest item on the menu to buy. She was raised by a single mother, Stella, who Evans herself described as a "dynamite mom."
Colleen was 14 years old and on her way to meet with her mother for lunch and a movie when she was invited into showbusiness. As she was waiting for Stella to finish work, Colleen was approached by a man named Patrick Michael Cunning. Cunning asked Colleen if she was interested in a scholarship for training to be in television and movies.
When Colleen gave Cunning's business card to her mother, the first thing Stella did was contact the “Better Business Bureau” to ensure that this was a legitimate offer and not someone trying to scam her daughter. Once it was determined that this truly was real, Stella asked Colleen in earnest if she was interested in the opportunity. Colleen confirmed her genuine interest in acting, and so Stella moved them from East Los Angeles to West Los Angeles so that they would be in closer proximity to the Hollywood studios.
Colleen signed with Warner Bros initially, but was ultimately let go, the studio saying she was too old for children’s roles and too young to be cast as a lead in romance films. It was during this lull in her career that Colleen decided to attend Brigham Young University (BYU) to study education.
Colleen arrived at BYU with enough money to pay for her first semester of studies—and the knowledge that she'd have to work to cover the rest of her tuition. While in school, Townsend was contacted by C. A. Paterson, a photographer who was interested in having her model for commercial and advertising photoshoots. This work was highly successful; Colleen was on the cover of many periodicals at the time, the money from which went to her tuition.
During her sophomore year at BYU, she was contacted by 20th Century Fox’s head talent scout, Ivan Kahn. Colleen was wary at first, eager to keep her focus on her studies—but her financial situation led her to change her mind and return to acting. She signed a contract to work for 20th Century Fox from the ages of 18 to 21, asking to be released from her contract after just three years so that she could return to her studies—particularly so that she could study Theology at Pasadena College in California.
In January of 1950, the Religious News Service published a photograph of Colleen with the following caption: "Colleen Townsend, 21-year-old motion picture actress, holds a New Testament as she tells newsmen in Hollywood, Jan. 16, her plans to quit the movies and dedicate her life to Christianity. She intends to continue in Hollywood until September, then enter a theological school. She wants to work with orphans."
How did she come to this decision, to trade the silver screen for a degree in theology? Colleen did not grow up attending Sunday school or church, living as she was with a single parent who simply did not have enough time in the day to put emphasis on religious education. Rather, many of their neighbors were Mormons, and they ended up taking Colleen to their services—with the permission of her mother, Stella, of course. And so Colleen grew up “under the umbrella” of the Mormon church. It was not until she attended a Presbyterian church that she felt like she was in the right place and simply “belonged.”
Upon her return to Hollywood via 20th Century Fox, Colleen began attending First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. During this time—in the post WWII years—the pastor of the church, Rev. Dr. Louis Evans, Sr., was guiding his congregation through a period of massive growth. In 1949, First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood was the largest Presbyterian congregation in the United States with more than 5,500 members. When the Rev. Evans met with Colleen, he recommended that she study Christian doctrine and Bible interpretations.
Colleen had been acquainted with Louis H. Evans, Jr. since their shared schooling at Hollywood High. Once the reverend's son returned to California at the end of WWII after serving with the Navy, the two classmates reconnected at a play at Occidental College. Their reacquaintance sparked a friendship, and Colleen found herself agreeing to attend Forest Home Conferences with Louis and the members of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood's youth group.
It was at this conference that Colleen felt moved to turn to the Christian faith in a different way. She felt as if she was “washed in love.” It was at this time that she realized her passion did not lie in acting, but in serving God. She also knew she wanted to have a family, so after she left acting, when Louis Jr. asked for her hand in marriage, she accepted. The newlyweds then went off to seminary together. As the wife of a seminary student, Colleen was able to audit classes.
Colleen and Louis functioned as a team in their ministry. Louis ultimately became a missionary to a “mission church;” they wanted to go to Africa but were assigned to a mission church in Bel Air, Los Angeles. This was because there was no Presbyterian congregation in this area of Los Angeles until 1956, when a church was constructed in the Bel Air Hills. At the beginning of the church’s formation, the congregation met in Colleen and Louis' living room since there was not yet any established church building.
Colleen was dedicated to her family (and still is, at 97 years old). Eventually, Louis let her know that she would have to work again, since all of their children would be in college at the same time, and they would need the extra money. Colleen had been taking a class that Louis was teaching on the Beatitudes, and she had written a reflection on the topic. She realized that she could send the article to a magazine where she would be compensated for her writing. After Guideposts Magazine bought and published the article, Colleen was contacted by a publisher to write a book on theology. This was the start of her authorial career, during which she wrote nine religious books. However, Colleen is quoted as saying that writing was one thing that was not part of her passions—once their four children graduated from college, it was no longer something she was interested in.
In the March 1949 edition of "Modern Screen," Louis Pollock wrote a brief article on Colleen titled “Soldier of God." "Hollywood likes her. She's young and talented and charming. But Hollywood is just beginning to understand Colleen Townsend, who puts service above self...," Pollack wrote by way of introduction. Further in, he wrote that, “she goes where those in need can be found.” This can be seen in many cases, including in 1946 when she spent six weeks in a childcare course at the Children’s Home Society in Los Angeles. In 1950, Colleen joined members of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood to assist in work camps in Europe. In that same year, she also went on a three-month tour of France, Switzerland, and Luxembourg, where she was able to assist in displaced persons camps during the reconstruction period in Europe following WWII.
Colleen's passions, both within the church and outside of it, involved justice and righteousness, including helping people experiencing homelessness. While Colleen and Louis were serving in Washington, D.C., they attended a Billy Graham crusade, where Colleen was approached by a group of Black individuals eager to start a committee. They asked her to be a chairman of their group; Colleen agreed to do it, on the condition that they elect a Black member to be her co-chair.
While Colleen no longer saw acting as a passion, she did not leave the film world completely. Instead, she combined her love of acting and religion, and began starring in religious films.
She starred in the first film of the religious production company Light of the World Films, entitled “Great Discovery.” This was part of a movement in association with the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) to create films that showed the “family life of normal American citizens” to be viewed abroad.
After meeting Billy Graham at a Forest Home conference where he was the guest speaker, a friendship blossomed between Graham, Colleen, and Louis. It was through this friendship that Colleen and Louis were able to attend a myriad of events; Colleen went on to star in two movies produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. One of these events included Colleen serving as a guest speaker during the third annual Congressional Wives’ Prayer Breakfast. The event, covered by the Religious News Service, was attended by "President Kennedy, top government leaders, and evangelist Billy Graham." The published photograph shows President Kennedy standing at the podium at the far left of the frame. Colleen sits directly to his left—she is the first of the three seated women. Colleen smiles on at President Kennedy as he speaks on religion. Behind her stands Vice President Johnson; two over is Billy Graham.
In an interview with her daughter, Colleen shared the word she chose to guide her in her 96th year of life: simplify. The advice and wisdom that she had to share boiled down to this: simplify your faith. Colleen finds the most important commandments to be “to love God with all of your heart and with all of your soul” and to love your neighbor. She shared her belief that joy and pain can coexist; that you can know deep pain and still experience incredible joy. She said that joy can ultimately be a choice, and is something you can and ought to choose every day.
At 97-years-old, Colleen feels she can appreciate beauty and kindness now more than ever before. Colleen Townsend, movie star and missionary and mother, believes in many ways that life gets richer as one ages.
Resources & Further Reading
- Video tribute by First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood: Colleen Townsend Evans—This is Your Life
- Wheaton College Library Special Collections: Colleen Townsend Evans
- "Colleen (Townsend) With a Plan" by Dorothy O'Leary, Movieland magazine, July 1948, p. 42
- Colleen on the cover of LIFE: "The Big Build-Up", Life magazine, August 1948, p. 77–81
- "Soldier of God" by Louis Polluck, Modern Screen magazine, March 1949, p. 42–43
- "Something For The Pupils," Colleen pictured in March 1948 edition of the Kansas City Star
- "The Rev. Louis H. Evans, organizing pastor of Bel Air Presbyterian Church, dies at 82," LA Times, November 2, 2008
- "A Renaissance Woman for Christ, Billy Graham Center archives, Wheaton College
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