Peggy King, the beloved 1950s Hollywood actress and singer, died on Sunday, October 25, at the age of 96 in the Saunders House Assisted Living facility. Her death was confirmed by her agent and friend Alan Eicher.
Sharing an image on Facebook, Eicher wrote: "Sad to report that wonderful singer Peggy King has died today at 96 after a long illness. She had a long, colourful career and was nicknamed 'Pretty perky Peggy King' on "The George Gobel Show." She last performed at 54 Below in 2013 and the Catalina Jazz Club in 2014.
A Career Spanning Nearly Seven Decades
King began performing professionally at just 18 in 1948, giving her a career that spanned almost seven decades. Her first major jobs were singing on a local radio station in Cleveland during the day and performing at the Cleveland Hotel Nightclub at night. This led to a 1950 contract to tour nationally with prominent big bands, including the orchestras of Charlie Spivak, Ray Anthony, and Ralph Flanagan.
She signed a contract with MGM in 1952, which brought her to an even wider audience when she was given a singing cameo in Vincente Minnelli's epic melodrama The Bad and the Beautiful. Lending her voice to a series of commercial jingles for Hunt's tomato sauce around the same time also led to a recording contract, under which she made two best-selling albums, Wish Upon a Star and Girl Meets Boy.
Film and Television Fame
She also enjoyed a string of hit singles, including Make Yourself Comfortable in 1954. In 1955, she sang the Oscar-nominated song Count Your Blessings from White Christmas at the Academy Awards telecast, when Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney's respective record labels refused them permission to commercially perform or release music together outside of the film.
That same year, she appeared and sang in the 1955 comedy Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, which featured her prominently on the poster. Other notable film roles included playing the stewardess Janet Turner in the 1957 suspense thriller Zero Hour!, which became the basis for the satirical comedy Airplane!.
She also became a popular presence on the relatively new medium of television, appearing as a regular on The George Gobel Show between 1954 and 1957. It was George who gave her the nickname "Pretty Perky Peggy King," which stuck with her for the rest of her career.
Tributes From Fans and Friends
Tributes flooded in for the beloved star as friends and fans learned the sad news. On Facebook, one user wrote: "Today, the Entertainment World lost one of its brightest and most talented stars: Hollywood Walk of Fame Vocalist, Stage and Film Actress, Educator and All-Around Superstar Peggy King. The experiences I shared with Peggy, beginning with a long musical association in 2013, helped shape my understanding of what true stardom coupled with pure humanity should and could be..."
Another added: "Another beautiful voice from television's golden age has sadly fallen silent...During the 1950s, she became a household favourite through The George Gobel Show, charming audiences with her lovely voice and warm personality...Peggy belonged to a generation when families gathered around their television sets to enjoy music and laughter together. Her passing marks another sad farewell to that wonderful era of entertainment. Rest in peace, Peggy King. 1930 to 2026."
A third chimed in: "I am so sad to read that "Pretty Perky" Peggy King passed away...I was fortunate enough to call Peggy a dear friend, and I will always be grateful that our shared love of the Great American Songbook brought us together...May flights of angels sing you to your rest."
