Virginia Gibson | |
---|---|
Born | Virginia Gorski April 9, 1925
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
Died | April 25, 2013 | (aged 88)
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1937–1971 |
Virginia Gibson (born Virginia Gorski; April 9, 1925 – April 25, 2013) was an American dancer, singer and actress of film, television and musical theater. [1]
Gibson was born on April 9, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri. She was of Polish and Irish lineage [2] and graduated from St. Alphonsus Parochial School. [3]
Gibson started her career in musicals in her hometown of St. Louis. In 1937, she was one of 35 girls chosen for the St. Louis Opera Company's ballet productions. [4] She danced in the chorus of a production of The Student Prince there in 1940, [5] and in 1943 she was part of the dancing chorus of the summer season of the Muny Opera. [6] In the fall of 1943, she was one of three dancers from that group to sign contracts to perform in Roll Up Your Sleeves on Broadway. [7] She used her birth name on Broadway through 1949. [8] In 1947, she returned to perform at the Muny Opera as the star of No, No, Nanette. [3]
Gibson was signed by Warner Bros. in 1950 [9] and made her film debut in Tea for Two (1950). [10] Billed as a starlet, she was a member of a group of Hollywood actors who traveled across the country in 1951-1952 promoting the 50th anniversary of movie theaters. With Roscoe Ates and Charles Starrett, she toured eastern Oklahoma greeting the public. In Hollywood, she played supporting or leading roles in a number of Warner Bros. musicals. Her most famous film role was Liza in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). [11] Warner Bros. elected to not renew her contract option. Gibson later said: "There are just so many musicals, and they had Doris Day. And who can shine in comparison to her vivacity?" [9]
On television, Gibson was a regular on Captain Billy's Showboat (1948). [12] She also starred in So This Is Hollywood (1955). [12]: 987 She was a regular performer on The Johnny Carson Show (1955–56). [12]: 540 In 1956, she returned to Broadway to play Ethel Merman's daughter in the musical Happy Hunting. She then became one of the stars of Your Hit Parade, [12]: 1209 one of the most popular TV shows of the 1950s, for one season. She had a three-month stint as a jazz singer on the TV version of Young Doctor Malone. From 1962 to 1971, she cohosted (with Frank Buxton [2] and later Bill Owen) the ABC-TV children's documentary program Discovery. [2]
Gibson also appeared in commercials for a cake mixes, cameras, candy bars, detergents and various soap products, hair sprays and paper towels. [13]
When her performing career ended, Gibson taught at the HB Studio in New York. [8]
Gibson never married or had any children. She adhered to Roman Catholicism [14] and was a lifelong Republican who supported Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election. [15]
On April 25, 2013, Gibson died in Newtown, Pennsylvania [16] at the age of 88.
In 1957, Gibson was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Beth Livingstone in Happy Hunting. [17]
Virginia Gibson | |
---|---|
Born | Virginia Gorski April 9, 1925
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
Died | April 25, 2013 | (aged 88)
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1937–1971 |
Virginia Gibson (born Virginia Gorski; April 9, 1925 – April 25, 2013) was an American dancer, singer and actress of film, television and musical theater. [1]
Gibson was born on April 9, 1925, in St. Louis, Missouri. She was of Polish and Irish lineage [2] and graduated from St. Alphonsus Parochial School. [3]
Gibson started her career in musicals in her hometown of St. Louis. In 1937, she was one of 35 girls chosen for the St. Louis Opera Company's ballet productions. [4] She danced in the chorus of a production of The Student Prince there in 1940, [5] and in 1943 she was part of the dancing chorus of the summer season of the Muny Opera. [6] In the fall of 1943, she was one of three dancers from that group to sign contracts to perform in Roll Up Your Sleeves on Broadway. [7] She used her birth name on Broadway through 1949. [8] In 1947, she returned to perform at the Muny Opera as the star of No, No, Nanette. [3]
Gibson was signed by Warner Bros. in 1950 [9] and made her film debut in Tea for Two (1950). [10] Billed as a starlet, she was a member of a group of Hollywood actors who traveled across the country in 1951-1952 promoting the 50th anniversary of movie theaters. With Roscoe Ates and Charles Starrett, she toured eastern Oklahoma greeting the public. In Hollywood, she played supporting or leading roles in a number of Warner Bros. musicals. Her most famous film role was Liza in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). [11] Warner Bros. elected to not renew her contract option. Gibson later said: "There are just so many musicals, and they had Doris Day. And who can shine in comparison to her vivacity?" [9]
On television, Gibson was a regular on Captain Billy's Showboat (1948). [12] She also starred in So This Is Hollywood (1955). [12]: 987 She was a regular performer on The Johnny Carson Show (1955–56). [12]: 540 In 1956, she returned to Broadway to play Ethel Merman's daughter in the musical Happy Hunting. She then became one of the stars of Your Hit Parade, [12]: 1209 one of the most popular TV shows of the 1950s, for one season. She had a three-month stint as a jazz singer on the TV version of Young Doctor Malone. From 1962 to 1971, she cohosted (with Frank Buxton [2] and later Bill Owen) the ABC-TV children's documentary program Discovery. [2]
Gibson also appeared in commercials for a cake mixes, cameras, candy bars, detergents and various soap products, hair sprays and paper towels. [13]
When her performing career ended, Gibson taught at the HB Studio in New York. [8]
Gibson never married or had any children. She adhered to Roman Catholicism [14] and was a lifelong Republican who supported Dwight Eisenhower during the 1952 presidential election. [15]
On April 25, 2013, Gibson died in Newtown, Pennsylvania [16] at the age of 88.
In 1957, Gibson was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Beth Livingstone in Happy Hunting. [17]