Actress Janis Paige has died at the age of 101.
The Golden Age actress died of natural causes Sunday at her Los Angeles home, longtime friend Stuart Lampert said Monday.
Paige appeared on Broadway in the mystery comedy “Remains to be Seen” opposite Jackie Cooper. In addition, she portrayed Josie in the very popular musical “The Pajama Game”.
She also took part in the comedies “Follow the Boys”, “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies” and “Bachelor in Paradise” starring Bob Hope.
In 2018, she joined the #MeToo movement and revealed that she was raped when she was 22 years old by the late Alfred Bloomingdale, a department store heir.
His hands seemed to be all over my body, not just on my breasts. I started kicking, biting, and screaming because he was so huge and muscular,” she noted.
“At ninety-five, I don’t want silence and time. I just want to say, ‘Me too,’ and add my name.”
Paige’s big break came while serving soldiers at the Hollywood Canteen during the war when she delivered an operatic aria.
The day after that, MGM hired her for a minor role in the film “Bathing Beauty”. She was fired after filming two series with Red Skelton and Esther Williams.
Later that day, she signed a contract with Warner Bros. and appeared in a dramatic scene in the star-studded film “Hollywood Canteen”.
Her first week of employment paid her $150.
In 2018, she told The Hollywood Reporter that during the Great Depression, her mother made less money in a month than she did in a week.
Light films such as “Two Guys from Milwaukee”, “A Time, a Place and a Girl”, “Love and Learn”, “Always Together”, “Wallflower” and her debut film “Romance on the High Seas” kept her busy. in the studio.
She took her grandfather’s name, Paige, instead of Donna May Tjaden.
It was named after the well-known entertainer Elsie Janis.
Television was so successful that the companies were getting rid of the stars when Paige’s contract expired in 1949.
In 1963 she remarked, “It was a shock.”
She performed as the lead in Remains to Be Seen on Broadway where she showcased her talent. Raitt played Sid and she played Babe in George Abbott’s original production of The Pajama Game, which debuted in 1954.
MGM producer Arthur Freed saw her singing at the Ambassador Hotel nightclub in Los Angeles and offered her a role in “Silk Stockings” opposite Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse.
She and Astaire parody modern film tricks like swinging from a chandelier in Cole Porter’s famous song “Stereophonic Sound”.
“I was just a mess of bumps. I wasn’t sure how to fall. I was never a classical dancer, so I didn’t know how to fall on a table or how to save myself,” she told the Miami Herald in 2016.
In May 2003, Paige resumed her acting career after a long hiatus.
She opened a performance at the Plush Room in San Francisco, which she called “The Third Act”.
She played songs from her stage shows and movies and talked about stars like Frank Sinatra and Fred Astaire.
Chad Jones of the Alameda Times-Star described the 80-year-old artist Paige as “charming, exhibiting a vitality, vigor, and spirit that would be the envy of artists half her age.”
Paige was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington.
Her mother barely made it to the Bank of Tacoma, and her father abandoned the family when she was four.
In 1963, Paige told the Post, “We always had plenty of food, but there was nothing to spare.” My mom put in a lot of work. She often expressed the wish that I was born a man so that he could be more helpful to me. To make up for my father, I always wanted to succeed for her.”
After leaving Warner Bros., she began her career in television. In addition to regular roles in “Flamingo Road,” “Santa Barbara,” “Eight Is Enough,” “Capitol,” “Fantasy Island” and “Trapper Jon, M.D.” she had the lead role in the television series “It’s Always Jan” from 1955 to 1956.
In “All in the Family,” she played a waitress who develops feelings for Carroll O’Connor’s character, Archie Bunker.
In the 1968 Broadway production of “Mame” in New York, Paige replaced Angela Lansbury. In 1969, she toured with this act.
She toured with “The Desk Set”, “Gypsy”, “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Born Yesterday”. “Alone Together” was her last Broadway production in 1984.
When Hope traveled to Japan and South Korea in 1962, Vietnam in 1964, and Cuba and the Caribbean for Christmas in 1960, she also served as a model for those trips.
She toured with “The Desk Set”, “Gypsy”, “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Born Yesterday”. “Alone Together” was her last Broadway production in 1984.
When Hope traveled to Japan and South Korea in 1962, Vietnam in 1964, and Cuba and the Caribbean for Christmas in 1960, she also served as a model for those trips.
She appeared on stage with artists Samantha Davis Jr., Alan King, Dinah Shore, and Perry Como.
Paige was briefly married to writer and producer Arthur Stander and also to San Francisco restaurateur Frank Martinelli.
She oversaw Ray Gilbert’s music business during their 1962 marriage, which ended in his death in 1976. Gilbert won an Academy Award for “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Da” from Disney’s “Song of the South.”
Janis Paige, the famous actress whose career spanned an impressive 60 years, has died aged 101. Known for her roles in Broadway hits like *The Pajama Game* and films like *Follow the Boys* and *Please Don’t Eat the Daisies*, Paige’s contributions to entertainment have been extensive and influential. Her career began with a significant break during World War II and continued with a variety of film, stage, and television roles.
Despite the challenges and developments throughout her career, Paige has remained a beloved figure in the industry. Her involvement in the #MeToo movement in 2018 and her candid discussions about past traumas highlighted her bravery and enduring spirit. Characterized by her charm and resilience, Paige’s performance left a lasting impact on viewers and colleagues alike. Her transition from early stage roles to iconic Broadway and television shows demonstrated her versatility and dedication.
Paige’s legacy is marked by her remarkable talent and the joy she brought to countless fans over the decades. Janis Paige’s career is a testament to her enduring appeal and talent, from her early days performing in the military to her later work on stage and screen. Her passing marks the end of an era for many who admired her work, but her contribution to art will continue to be celebrated and remembered.