Janis Paige

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia Janis Paige September 16 1922 June 2 2024 born as Donna Mae Tjaden in Tacoma Washington was an American film musical theatre and television actress She began singing in public from the age of five in local amateur shows She then moved to Los Angeles after graduating from high school and then got a job as a singer at the Hollywood Canteen during World War II The Canteen which was a studiosponsored gathering spot for servicemen is where Warner Bros saw her potential and signed her up She began her film career costarring in secondary musicals often paired with either Dennis Morgan or Jack Carson She later was relegated to rugged adventures and dramas in which she was out of her element Following her role in the forgettable Two Gals and a Guy released in 1951 she decided to leave the Hollywood scene She then took to the Broadway boards and scored a huge hit with the 1951 comedymystery play Remains to Be Seen costarring Jackie Cooper She also toured successfully as a cabaret singer performing everywhere from New York City and Miami to Las Vegas and Los Angeles Stardom came in 1954 with the role of Babe in the Broadway musical The Pajama Game Doris Day went on to play the role on film After a sixyear hiatus Paige returned to films in Silk Stockings 1957 which starred Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse plus the Doris Day comedy Please Dont Eat the Daisies 1960 followed by a role as a lovestarved married neighbor in Bachelor in Paradise with Bob Hope 1961 One of her rare dramatic roles was Marion an institutionalized hooker in the 1963 drama The Caretakers Description above from the Wikipedia article Janis Paige licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia