Dorothy Provine
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Michelle Provine (January 20, 1935April 25, 2010) was an American
singer, dancer, actress, and comedienne.
, to Virgil and Kathleen Provine. She attended the University of Washington
, where she majored in drama.
In Washington she handed out prizes for a local television station's quiz show, until she was hired by Warner Bros.
at $500 per week. In Hollywood, she starred in The Bonnie Parker Story (1958) and The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock
(1959), which was Lou Costello
's last screen appearance.
She guest-starred on the television series Man Without a Gun
, starring Rex Reason
, and starred in two series: The Alaskans
with Roger Moore
(1959–60) and The Roaring Twenties
(1960–1962), both on ABC
. In Roaring Twenties, she played the beautiful singer Pinky Pinkham. A profile in TIME
stated that "It is Dorothy’s oooohing and shimmying that have kept the series afloat." Rex Reason co-starred with her in the series, along with Donald May, John Dehner
, Mike Road
, and Gary Vinson
. Provine recorded an album of songs from the show, and had two hit single
s in the UK Singles Chart
– "Don't Bring Lulu" (#17 in 1961) and "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune" (#45 in 1962).
Her later films included It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
(1963), Good Neighbor Sam
(1964), The Great Race
(1965), That Darn Cat! (1965), Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die (1966), Who's Minding the Mint?
(1967) and Never a Dull Moment (1968).
Provine married director
Robert Day in 1968 and retired from acting, apart from a handful of guest roles on television shows. The couple moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington
, around 1990, living with their son. Provine was somewhat reclusive in retirement, indulging her love of reading and movies, and occasionally driving around the island with her husband.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, dancer, actress, and comedienne.
Career
Provine was born in Deadwood, South DakotaDeadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is a city in South Dakota, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is named for the dead trees found in its gulch. The population was 1,270 according to a 2010 census...
, to Virgil and Kathleen Provine. She attended the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, where she majored in drama.
In Washington she handed out prizes for a local television station's quiz show, until she was hired by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
at $500 per week. In Hollywood, she starred in The Bonnie Parker Story (1958) and The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock is a 1959 film starring Lou Costello and Dorothy Provine.-Plot:Artie Pinsetter is a junk collector and amateur inventor who lives in the desert town of Candy Rock. Artie's finacée, Emmy Lou Raven happens upon magical waters of Dinosaur Springs and is changed into a...
(1959), which was Lou Costello
Lou Costello
Louis Francis "Lou" Costello was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott...
's last screen appearance.
She guest-starred on the television series Man Without a Gun
Man Without a Gun
Man Without a Gun is a western television series produced by 20th Century Fox television and presented in first-run syndication in the United States from 1957 to 1959...
, starring Rex Reason
Rex Reason
Rex Reason is an American actor.He is the brother of actor Rhodes Reason, who is two years younger...
, and starred in two series: The Alaskans
The Alaskans
The Alaskans is a 1959 television series set in the port of Skagway, Alaska during the 1890s. The show features Roger Moore as "Silky Harris" and Jeff York as "Reno McKee", a pair of adventurers intent on swindling travelers bound for the Yukon Territories during the height of the Klondike Gold...
with Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
(1959–60) and The Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties (TV series)
The Roaring 20s is an American drama series that aired on the ABC network beginning on October 15, 1960, and ending on September 21, 1962.-Synopsis:...
(1960–1962), both on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. In Roaring Twenties, she played the beautiful singer Pinky Pinkham. A profile in TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
stated that "It is Dorothy’s oooohing and shimmying that have kept the series afloat." Rex Reason co-starred with her in the series, along with Donald May, John Dehner
John Dehner
John Dehner was an American actor in radio, television, and films, playing countless roles, often as a droll villain. Between 1941 and 1988, he appeared in over 260 films and television programs. Prior to acting, Dehner had worked as an animator at Walt Disney Studios, and later became a radio...
, Mike Road
Mike Road
Mike Road is a voice actor and a Warner Bros. television series contract player whose career dates back to the 1950s....
, and Gary Vinson
Gary Vinson
Gary Vinson was an American actor who appeared in significant roles in three television series of the 1960s: The Roaring 20s, McHale's Navy, and Pistols 'n' Petticoats.-Early life and career:...
. Provine recorded an album of songs from the show, and had two hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
– "Don't Bring Lulu" (#17 in 1961) and "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune" (#45 in 1962).
Her later films included It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350,000 in stolen cash by a diverse and colorful group of strangers...
(1963), Good Neighbor Sam
Good Neighbor Sam
Good Neighbor Sam is a 1964 American comedy movie co-written and directed by David Swift and starring Jack Lemmon and Romy Schneider.It was based on the novel by Jack Finney. The screenplay was the motion picture debut of James Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, who had written many American...
(1964), The Great Race
The Great Race
The Great Race is a 1965 slapstick comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood, directed by Blake Edwards, written by Blake Edwards and Arthur A. Ross, and with music by Henry Mancini and cinematography by Russell Harlan. The supporting cast includes Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn,...
(1965), That Darn Cat! (1965), Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die (1966), Who's Minding the Mint?
Who's Minding the Mint?
Who's Minding the Mint? is a comedy movie from 1967 with elements of a caper film. Howard Morris directed a cast that included Jim Hutton, Dorothy Provine, Walter Brennan and Milton Berle. It was produced by Norman Maurer for Columbia Pictures....
(1967) and Never a Dull Moment (1968).
Provine married director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
Robert Day in 1968 and retired from acting, apart from a handful of guest roles on television shows. The couple moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington
Bainbridge Island, Washington
Bainbridge Island is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States, and the name of the island in Puget Sound on which the city is situated...
, around 1990, living with their son. Provine was somewhat reclusive in retirement, indulging her love of reading and movies, and occasionally driving around the island with her husband.