This blonde dancer and light actress appeared in Hollywood musicals beginning in the early 1950s. Among her more notable efforts were "There's No Business Like Show Business" (1954), the 1956 remake of "Anything Goes", with Bing Crosby and Donald O'Connor, and "Les Girls" (1957), opposite Gene Kelly. Gaynor had two outstandig screen roles: as a girlfriend of nightclub comedian Joe E Lewis (played by Frank Sinatra) in "The Joker Is Wild" (1957) and as Nellie Forbush in the the screen version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific" (1958).
Beginning in the late 1950s, Gaynor began to appear on various variety series, eventually headlining her own NBC special in 1968, "Mitzi". Between 1973 and 1978, she appeared annually on CBS in a series of high-concept, entertaining variety specials.
Family
FATHER: Henry Gerber. Musical conductor, musician. Immigrated from Hungary; played cello;.
MOTHER: Pauline Fisher. Typist, former dancer. Had been protege of Albertina Rush.
AUNT: Francine Woodbury. Ballerina. Encouraged her niece's study of dance.
Companion
HUSBAND: Jack Bean. Agent. Married in 1954.
Milestone
Raised in Detroit, Michigan
Moved to California to continue dance studies with same teacher, Mme Etienne
1942: Member of the corps de ballet of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera
1946: Toured in "Song of Norway"
1949: Breakthrough stage role in the San Francisco stage production of "The Great Waltz"
1950: Feature film debut, "My Blue Heaven"; adopted stage name of Mitzi Gaynor
1951: Cast as Lotta Crabtree in the musical biography "Golden Girl"
1954: Portrayed Eva Tanguay in the fictional biopic "The 'I Don't Care' Girl"
1956: Appeared opposite Bing Crosby in the remake of "Anything Goes"
1957: Supported Frank Sinatra as his neglected wife in "The Joker Is Wild"
1958: Starred in the feature version of the hit stage musical "South Pacific"
Began appearing as a guest on variety shows
1963: Last film to date "For Love or Money"
1968: Headlined her first TV variety special, "Mitzi" (NBC)
1973: Began five year affiliation with CBS; first special, "Mitzi ... the First Time"
1978: Last variety special to date, "Mitzi ... What's Hot, What's Not"
Toured with her nightclub act throughout the 1980s
1989: Played Reno Sweeney in national tour of "Anything Goes"
1992: Hosted "Comedy Classics" on the cable channel American Movie Classics (AMC)
Education
Le Conte Junior High School - Hollywood, California
Powers Professional High School - Hollywood, California
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she was the love of my life at the time.saw south pasific down town Atlanta,Gorgia 1968. A wonder full movie ...
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