calsfoundation@cals.org
July 14, 1931
The mayor of Pine Bluff (Jefferson County) declared “Peggy Shannon Day,” and the world premiere of the movie The Secret Call was held in Pine Bluff. Pine Bluff native Winona Sammon, whose stage and screen name was Peggy Shannon, had been thrust into the movie’s leading role two days after her arrival in Hollywood to replace Clara Bow, who had suffered her second nervous breakdown. Shannon enjoyed several years of prominence on stage and screen until her heavy drinking and reputation for being temperamental and hard to work with brought a decline in demand for her appearance.