Peggy King, a Hollywood actress and singer known for her roles in 1950s films and television, has died at the age of 96. She passed away on Sunday, October 25, at the Saunders House Assisted Living facility, following a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Her death was confirmed by her agent and friend Alan Eicher in a Facebook post, which read: "Sad to report that wonderful singer Peggy King has died today at 96 after a long illness."
Career Highlights and Early Life
King began her career at the age of 18 in 1948, marking nearly seven decades in the entertainment industry. She first gained recognition singing on a local Cleveland radio station during the day while performing at the Cleveland Hotel Nightclub in the evenings. This led to a 1950 contract to tour nationally with prominent big bands, including the orchestras of Charlie Spivak, Ray Anthony, and Ralph Flanagan.
In 1952, she signed with MGM, which boosted her fame through a singing cameo in Vincente Minnelli's melodrama The Bad and the Beautiful. Around the same period, she recorded commercial jingles for Hunt's tomato sauce and secured a recording contract, producing two best-selling albums titled Wish Upon a Star and Girl Meets Boy.
Film and Television Fame
King had a run of hit singles, including Make Yourself Comfortable in 1954. In 1955, she performed the Oscar-nominated track Count Your Blessings from White Christmas at the Academy Awards telecast, after Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney's record labels refused them permission to perform or release music together outside the film.
That same year, she appeared in the comedy Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy. Her other notable film roles include stewardess Janet Turner in the 1957 thriller Zero Hour!, which later inspired the satirical comedy Airplane!.
Television Regular and Final Years
King was a regular cast member on The George Gobel Show from 1954 to 1957. It was George Gobel who coined her nickname "Pretty Perky Peggy King," which stayed with her throughout her career.
She last performed at the age of 54, with later appearances in 2013 and at the Catalina Jazz Club in 2014. King's career spanned almost seven decades in entertainment, leaving a lasting legacy in film, television, and music.
