Los Angeles — Mitzi Gaynor, the vivacious dancer and actress who played Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film “South Pacific” and acted in other musicals alongside Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Gene Kelly, has died. She was 93.
Gaynor, one of the few survivors of Hollywood’s so-called golden age of musicals, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Thursday morning, her long-time managers Rene Reyes and Shane Rosamonda announced in a statement to The Associated Press.
“As we celebrate her legacy, we thank her friends and fans, as well as the countless audiences she entertained over the course of her long life,” Reyes and Rosamonda said in a joint statement. “Your love, support and appreciation meant so very much to her and was a sustaining gift in her life.”
Mitzi Gaynor, Star Of ‘South Pacific,’ Dies At 93
Her entertainment career spanned eight decades, spanning film, television, and the stage. She starred in a number of important films, including “We’re Not Married!” and “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” but she is most known for her role in “South Pacific.”
The film adaptation of “South Pacific” got three Academy Award nominations and won for best sound, and Gaynor was nominated for best actress at the Golden Globes.
Hollywood stars have been vying for the part of the love-sick nurse Nellie, which Mary Martin originated on Broadway. Sinatra assisted Gaynor in landing it.
She was playing beside him in “The Joker Is Wild” when she was given a one-day opportunity to audition for songwriter Oscar Hammerstein II. It happened on the same day she was supposed to have her biggest moment with Sinatra. When she described her situation, he responded, “Don’t worry, I’ll change the schedule.”
Hammerstein was impressed by Gaynor, who had previously received clearance from director Josh Logan and composer Richard Rodgers. She starred opposite Rossano Brazzi, about whom she sang “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy.”
“South Pacific” was not the career-defining moment Gaynor had hoped for, so she moved her concentration from film to television, making early appearances on Donald O’Connor’s variety show “Here Comes Donald” and CBS’ “The Jack Benny Hour.” In October 1959, she was the sole female guest star on ABC’s “The Frank Sinatra Timex Show” special, which also featured Sinatra, Crosby, Dean Martin, and Jimmy Durante.
Later in her career, Gaynor reinvented herself as a performer. Working with her husband and manager, Jack Bean, she appeared in her own musical revue, which was a hit in theaters across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Gaynor established herself as a Las Vegas fixture for numerous years, appearing in week-long residencies at the Flamingo and Riviera hotels.
When touring with a full orchestra, dancers, and backstage people proved too cumbersome and costly, Gaynor pared down the production, eventually reducing it to a one-woman performance. They continued touring annually until 2002, when Bean’s sickness necessitated a break.
“I love touring; I’ve done it for most of my life,” Gaynor stated in a 2003 interview. “We return to the same locations; it’s like visiting friends. After the show, individuals return to the dressing room, where we reestablish friendships. We send out about 3,000 Christmas cards each year.”
“Off stage, she was a bright and exceptional lady, a compassionate and loyal friend, and a warm, gracious, very witty, and all-around wonderful person. And she could cook, too!” the statement from Rosamonda and Reyes said, referring to a song from the musical “On the Town” that Gaynor sang in one of her revue presentations.
Gaynor has appeared in various television variety shows, such as “Mitzi…Zings Into Springs” and “Mitzi…Roarin’ in the 20’s.” Many of the specials got Emmy nominations, including wins for choreography, lighting, visual design, and costume design, the latter of which went to Gaynor’s longtime collaborator, Bob Mackie. The specials were the focus of the 2008 documentary “Mitzi Gaynor: Razzle Dazzle!” “The Special Years.”
Mitzi Gaynor, Star Of ‘South Pacific,’ Dies At 93
Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber (Mitzi is a diminutive for Marlene) was born on September 4, 1931, in Chicago. She grew up in a musically interested household and began singing and dancing at an early age.
Gaynor told the Associated Press in 2003 that she remembers her theatrical debut vividly. She had been taking ballet and tap lessons, and at the age of seven, she was slated to perform a tap performance at the dancing school recital. She had neglected to use the restroom, and as she faced the audience, a puddle developed on the stage.
“I ran kicking and screaming off the stage,” she explains. “But I received thunderous applause. So I dried off and applied some lipstick. After the next female did a hula with batons and stumbled on the wet floor, I went outside and said, ‘I’m fine now. ‘Can I do it?’ “And I got cheers!”
Gaynor and Bean married in 1954 and purchased a magnificent Beverly Hills home in 1960, which they lived in until his death in 2006. They rarely attended Hollywood gatherings, preferring to entertain a few close friends. The couple had no children.
SOURCE | AP
