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Vivian Blaine

Vivian Blaine (born Vivian Stapleton; November 21, 1921 – December 9, 1995) was an American actress and singer, best known for originating the role of Miss Adelaide in the musical theater production of Guys and Dolls, as well as appearing in the subsequent film version, in which she co-starred with Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons and Frank Sinatra.

Vivian Blaine
Blaine in 1955
Born
Vivian Stapleton

(1921-11-21)November 21, 1921
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedDecember 9, 1995(1995-12-09) (aged 74)
New York City, U.S.
EducationSouth Side High School
Occupations
  • Actress
  • Singer
Years active1934–1985
Known forGuys and Dolls
Something for the Boys
State Fair
Spouses
Manny Franks
​
​
(m. 1945; div. 1956)​
​
​
(m. 1959; div. 1961)​
Stuart Clark
​
(m. 1973)​

Early life

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Blaine was born in Newark, New Jersey to Leo Stapleton, an insurance agent,[1] and Wilhelmina Tepley.[2] The cherry-blonde-haired Blaine appeared on local stages as early as 1934 and she started touring after graduating from South Side High School.[3]

Personal appearances

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Blaine was a touring singer with dance bands starting in 1937.

At one point in the 1940s, she was the top-billed act at New York's Copacabana nightclub. In his book, Dean and Me: (A Love Story), Jerry Lewis wrote about appearing at the club when Blaine was on the same bill: "We [Lewis and Dean Martin, as the double act Martin and Lewis] weren't even the top-billed act. That honor went to a Broadway singing star named Vivian Blaine, who'd conquered Manhattan, gone out to Hollywood to make movies for 20th Century Fox, then returned to the Big Apple in triumph. Vivian was a lovely and very talented actress and singer ..."[4]

Film

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Vivian Blaine in Something for the Boys (1944)
 
Screenshot of Vivian Blaine from the trailer for State Fair (1945)
 
(L-R): June Haver, Vera-Ellen and Vivian Blaine in Three Little Girls in Blue (1946)

In 1942, Blaine's agent and soon-to-be husband Manny Franks signed her to a contract with Twentieth Century-Fox, and she moved to Hollywood,[citation needed] sharing top billing with Laurel and Hardy in Jitterbugs (1943) and starring in Greenwich Village (1944), Something for the Boys (1944), Nob Hill (1945), and State Fair (1945).

Stage

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Blaine appeared on Broadway in A Hatful of Rain; Say, Darling; Enter Laughing; Company; and Zorba, as well as participating in the touring companies of musicals such as Gypsy.[citation needed]

Television

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Blaine was a special guest during the This is Your Life tribute episode to Laurel and Hardy, seen over NBC-TV on December 1, 1954. Blaine had worked with the duo in the film Jitterbugs and had fond memories of the experience.

On the 25th annual Tony Awards in 1971, she appeared as a guest performer and sang "Adelaide's Lament" from Guys and Dolls.

Later in her career, her television career took off, with guest appearances on shows like Fantasy Island, The Love Boat (S2 E9 1978), and a recurring role in the cult hit Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.[5]

Her final onscreen appearance was in "Broadway Malady", a Season 1 episode of Murder, She Wrote.

Personal life

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In 1983, Blaine became the first celebrity to make public service announcements for AIDS-related causes. She made numerous appearances in support of the then-fledgling AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) and in 1983 recorded her cabaret act for AEI Records, which donated its royalties to the new group; this included the last recordings of her songs from Guys and Dolls. Her prior albums for Mercury Records[citation needed] have all subsequently been reissued on CD.[6]

According to Blaine, she was a registered Democrat and a lifelong practicing Roman Catholic.[7]

Death

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Blaine died of congestive heart failure in Beth Israel Hospital North in New York City on December 9, 1995, aged 74.[8]

Filmography

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Vivian Blaine in 1946 film Doll Face
 
Pin-up photo of Vivian Blaine for the September 1, 1944 issue of Yank, the Army Weekly

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1942 It Happened in Flatbush Minor Role
Thru Different Eyes Sue Boardman
Girl Trouble Barbara Alternate titles: Between You and Me / Man from Brazil
1943 He Hired the Boss Sally Conway
Jitterbugs Susan Cowan
1944 Greenwich Village Bonnie Watson
Something for the Boys Blossom Hart
1945 Nob Hill Sally Templeton
State Fair Emily Edwards
Doll Face Mary Elizabeth 'Doll Face' Carroll Alternate title: Come Back to Me
1946 If I'm Lucky Linda Farrell
Three Little Girls in Blue Liz Charters
1952 Skirts Ahoy! Una Yancy
1953 Main Street to Broadway Vivian Blaine Uncredited
1955 Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide
1957 Public Pigeon No. 1 Rita DeLacey
1972 Richard Washington Doctor
1979 The Dark Courtney Floyd
1982 Parasite Miss Elizabeth Daley
1983 I'm Going to Be Famous Laura Lowell (final film role)

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1953 The Philco Television Playhouse Episode - "Double Jeopardy"
1954 Center Stage Episode - "Heart of a Clown"
1954 The Colgate Comedy Hour Winnie Potter Episode - "Let's Face It"
1955 Damon Runyon Theater Cutie Singleton Episode - "Pick the Winner"
1955 Hallmark Hall of Fame Georgina Allerton Episode - "Dream Girl"
1955 What's My Line? Mystery Guest
1956 The Bob Hope Show Episode - "The Awful Truth"
1956 G.E. Summer Originals Episode - "It's Sunny Again"
1957 Lux Video Theatre Coral Episode - "The Undesirable"
1963 Route 66 Dixie Martin Episode - "A Bunch of Lonely Pagliaccis"
1976 Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Betty McCullough 21 episodes
1978 Fantasy Island Mrs. Deverse Episode - "The Big Dipper/The Pirate"
1978 Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold Marietta Cutler TV movie
1978 The Love Boat Barbara Sharp Episode - "The Minister and the Stripper"
1979 Vega$ Lenora Episode - "Everything I Touch"
1979 The Cracker Factory Helen TV movie
1979 Fast Friends Sylvia TV movie
1979 Sooner or Later Make-up Artist TV movie
1979 CHiPs Vivian Blaine Episode - "Roller Disco: Part 2"
1983 Amanda's Aunt Sonia Episode - "Aunt Sonia"
1985 Murder, She Wrote Rita Bristol Episode - "Broadway Malady" (final television role and final onscreen appearance)

Stage work

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References

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  1. ^ 1930 United States Federal Census
  2. ^ U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
  3. ^ Grimes, William (December 14, 1995). "Vivian Blaine, the First Adelaide In 'Guys and Dolls,' Is Dead at 74". The New York Times. Accessed December 19, 2019. "Ms. Blaine was born in Newark. Originally her last name was Stapleton. While she was still in elementary school, her father, a theatrical agent, booked $1-a-night singing dates for her at nightclubs, company parties and police benefits. At 14 she began singing with the Halsey Miller Orchestra, and after graduating from Southside High School went on the road with little-known bands."
  4. ^ Lewis, Jerry; Kaplan, James (2007). Dean and Me: (A Love Story). Crown/Archetype. ISBN 978-0-3074-2355-9. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  5. ^ "Vivian Blaine - About This Person". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2008. Archived from the original on February 7, 2008. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  6. ^ "Vivian Blaine: Songs from The Ziegfeld Follies & The Great White Way". Sepia Records. February 12, 2008. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  7. ^ An Interview With Vivian Blaine, Skip E. Lowe, 1992
  8. ^ "Vivian Blaine, Broadway Star of 'Guys and Dolls', dies at 74". Bangor Daily News. December 15, 1995. Retrieved February 26, 2014.

Further reading

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  • Oderman, Stuart, Talking to the Piano Player 2. BearManor Media, 2009. ISBN 1-59393-320-7
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