Janis Paige
Janis Paige ( born September 16, 1922 in Tacoma, Washington; actually: Donna Mae Tjaden ) is an American actress who is best known in musical comedies in the 1940s and 1950s.
Life and career
The spirited redhead had as a child such a powerful singing voice that her mother she wanted to train to become an opera singer. But Donna Mae showed more tendency to show business. She moved to Los Angeles, changed her name and got during the Second World War, an engagement as a singer at the Hollywood Canteen, one financed by the film studios entertainment venue for soldiers. There they but only in a small role in the Esther Williams movie Bathing Venus (1944 ) was discovered by MGM and contracted, are used. After a year of Janis Paige moved to Warner Bros., where she had to give with little success in second-rate movies usually the fun-loving friend of the actress. Your best chance at stardom in 1948 was the lead role in the musical comedy magic nights in Rio. However, the film gained primarily as a film debut of Doris Day important. More success was Janis Paige in the following year as a sharp-tongued reporter in the comedy thriller One morning in the Hopkins Street.
The big breakthrough was still missing. Warner did not renew the expiring contract. Janis Paige toured then by night clubs in Europe and North America and has appeared in various TV shows, including 1955 in a short-lived own personality show: It's Always Jan on Broadway they had in 1951 a great success in the crime comedy Remains to Be Seen, at the side of the former child star Jackie Cooper. Finally, she finally managed in 1954 with the lead role in the musical The Pajama Game at least on stage breakthrough to stardom. As Janis Paige's former employer Warner Bros. in 1957, the piece filmed ( picnic in pajamas ), almost the entire stage cast members Janis Paige was adopted, however, replaced by Doris Day. But in the same year, she had to see silk stockings on the side of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse her until today known screen appearance, and in 1960 she was next to her old rival Doris Day in the comedy championship escapade for MGM in the film adaptation of the musical.
In the following years, Janis Paige barely had screen appearances, but played up in the new century, more than 60 television roles, including 1990 to 1993 the role of the " Minx Lockridge " in the series California communities.
From 1962 until his death she was his third wife with the song writer Ray Gilbert ( 1912-1976 ) married.