JP
Juliet Prowse
Actor
Born September 25, 1936Died September 14, 1996 (59 years)
Juliet Anne Prowse was a dancer, whose four-decade career included stage, television and film. She was raised in South Africa, where her family emigrated after World War II. Known for her attractive legs, she was described after her death as having "... arguably the best legs since Betty Grable."
In her early twenties, she was dancing at a club in Paris when she was spotted by a talent agent and eventually signed to play the role of Claudine in the Walter Lang film Can-Can. It was during the filming of Can-Can in 1959 that she captured the international spotlight. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visited the set of the film and after Prowse performed a rather saucy can-can for the Russian leader, he proclaimed her dance immoral. The publicity brought Prowse considerable attention in the United States. Prowse met Frank Sinatra on the set of Can-Can. Time magazine did not rate the movie highly, but declared Prowse the best thing in it: "In fact, the only thing really worth seeing is Juliet Prowse, a young South African hoofer who puts some twinkle in the stub-toed choreography. And the only thing really worth hearing is the crack that Frank flips back at Juliet when she whips a redoubtable hip in his direction. "Don't point", he gasps. "It's rude." She would go on to appear with Sinatra and other notable guests such as Ella Fitzgerald, Peter Lawford, Hermione Gingold, the Hi-Lo's, Red Norvo, Nelson Riddle and his orchestra on the 1959 Frank Sinatra Show. She at times would sing in the chorus with other guests or Sinatra would sing to her.
Sinatra invited Prowse to join him in Las Vegas, even though she was living with the actor Nico Minardos at the time. Sinatra and Prowse announced their engagement in 1962. Soon afterwards they broke up, reportedly because Prowse wanted to concentrate on her career. Prowse later admitted, "I was as much flattered as I was in love. He (Sinatra) was a complex person, and after a few drinks he could be very difficult."
Prowse co-starred alongside Elvis Presley in G.I. Blues. During shooting of the film, they had a short and intense fling. "Elvis and I had an affair. ... We had a sexual attraction like two healthy young people, but he was already a victim of his fans. We always met in his room and never went out." Prowse also made a brief cameo appearance in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer documentary film, Elvis: That's the Way.
She starred with Denny Scott Miller on her own NBC sitcom in the 1965-1966 season: Mona McCluskey, which was produced by George Burns. The series was based on the idea that the couple, Mike and Mona McCluskey, would live on his military salary, rather than her lucrative earnings as an actress.
In the late 1980s, she was mauled by an 80-pound leopard – twice. Once, while filming a scene for Circus of the Stars in 1987 and later that same year rehearsing a promotional stunt on The Tonight Show, when the same leopard attacked her. The later attack was more serious, requiring upwards of twenty stitches to reattach her ear.
In her early twenties, she was dancing at a club in Paris when she was spotted by a talent agent and eventually signed to play the role of Claudine in the Walter Lang film Can-Can. It was during the filming of Can-Can in 1959 that she captured the international spotlight. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visited the set of the film and after Prowse performed a rather saucy can-can for the Russian leader, he proclaimed her dance immoral. The publicity brought Prowse considerable attention in the United States. Prowse met Frank Sinatra on the set of Can-Can. Time magazine did not rate the movie highly, but declared Prowse the best thing in it: "In fact, the only thing really worth seeing is Juliet Prowse, a young South African hoofer who puts some twinkle in the stub-toed choreography. And the only thing really worth hearing is the crack that Frank flips back at Juliet when she whips a redoubtable hip in his direction. "Don't point", he gasps. "It's rude." She would go on to appear with Sinatra and other notable guests such as Ella Fitzgerald, Peter Lawford, Hermione Gingold, the Hi-Lo's, Red Norvo, Nelson Riddle and his orchestra on the 1959 Frank Sinatra Show. She at times would sing in the chorus with other guests or Sinatra would sing to her.
Sinatra invited Prowse to join him in Las Vegas, even though she was living with the actor Nico Minardos at the time. Sinatra and Prowse announced their engagement in 1962. Soon afterwards they broke up, reportedly because Prowse wanted to concentrate on her career. Prowse later admitted, "I was as much flattered as I was in love. He (Sinatra) was a complex person, and after a few drinks he could be very difficult."
Prowse co-starred alongside Elvis Presley in G.I. Blues. During shooting of the film, they had a short and intense fling. "Elvis and I had an affair. ... We had a sexual attraction like two healthy young people, but he was already a victim of his fans. We always met in his room and never went out." Prowse also made a brief cameo appearance in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer documentary film, Elvis: That's the Way.
She starred with Denny Scott Miller on her own NBC sitcom in the 1965-1966 season: Mona McCluskey, which was produced by George Burns. The series was based on the idea that the couple, Mike and Mona McCluskey, would live on his military salary, rather than her lucrative earnings as an actress.
In the late 1980s, she was mauled by an 80-pound leopard – twice. Once, while filming a scene for Circus of the Stars in 1987 and later that same year rehearsing a promotional stunt on The Tonight Show, when the same leopard attacked her. The later attack was more serious, requiring upwards of twenty stitches to reattach her ear.
Juliet Prowse Filmography
| 1985 | That's Dancing! · as From 'can-Can' (archive Footage) |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) · as Valerie Bechet |
| 1984 | Glitter (TV Series) |
| 1982 | The Devlin Connection (TV Series) · as Tanya |
| 1977 | The Love Boat (TV Series) · as Samantha Bricker |
| 1977 | Fantasy Island (TV Series) · as Margaret Smith |
| 1972 | Second Chance · as Martha Foster |
| 1971 | Great Performances (TV Series) · as Interviewee |
| 1968 | The Name of the Game (TV Series) · as Aja Fowler |
| 1967 | The Carol Burnett Show (TV Series) · as Guest Performer |
| 1967 | The Danny Thomas Hour (TV Series) · as Aphrodite |
| 1965 | Mona McCluskey (TV Series) · as Mona Mccluskey |
| 1965 | Run for Your Wife · as Jenny |
| 1965 | Who Killed Teddy Bear · as Norah Dain |
| 1964 | Dingaka · as Marion Davis |
| 1963 | Burke's Law (TV Series) · as Renee De Armand |
| 1961 | The Second Time Around · as Rena Mitchell |
| 1961 | Password (TV Series) |
| 1961 | The Right Approach · as Ursula Poe |
| 1961 | The Fiercest Heart · as Francina |
| 1960 | G.I. Blues · as Lili |
| 1960 | Can-Can · as Claudine |
| 1959 | Adventures in Paradise (TV Series) · as Simone Hall |
| 1956 | The Best Things in Life Are Free · as Chorus Girl |
| 1955 | Gentlemen Marry Brunettes · as Dancer |
| 1951 | The Red Skelton Show (TV Series) · as Guest |
| 2009 | |
| 2007 | Elvis: The King of Rock 'n' Roll · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2007 | Elvis Through the Years · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2003 | Ladies Night - Most Famous Hits · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2002 | |
| 1997 | The 69th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Memorial Tribute |
| 1992 | Vicki! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1986 | The New Hollywood Squares (TV Series) · as Self - Center Square |
| 1985 | Night of 100 Stars II · as Self |
| 1984 | Sunday Night Live · as Self - Host |
| 1982 | 39th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self |
| 1979 | Password Plus (TV Series) · as Self - Celebrity Contestant |
| 1977 | |
| 1976 | The Muppet Show (TV Series) · as Self - Special Guest Star |
| 1974 | Dinah! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1974 | Tattletales (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1973 | The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1973 | Match Game (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 1972 | Don Rickles: Alive and Kicking · as Self |
| 1972 | The ABC Comedy Hour (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | The 43rd Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1970 | Elvis: That's the Way It Is · as Self |
| 1969 | The Engelbert Humperdinck Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1969 | This is Tom Jones (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1968 | The Jim Nabors Hour (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1967 | Spree · as Self |
| 1966 | The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1966 | The Sammy Davis, Jr. Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1965 | The Dean Martin Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1965 | The Hollywood Squares (TV Series) · as Self - Panelist |
| 1964 | The Hollywood Palace (TV Series) · as Self - Dancer |
| 1963 | The Danny Kaye Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1963 | You Don't Say (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1963 | Hollywood: The Great Stars · as Self |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1961 | The 33rd Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Dancer |
| 1959 | The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: An Afternoon with Frank Sinatra · as Self - Dancer / Singer |
| 1959 | Premier Khrushchev in the USA · as Self |
| 1959 | Juke Box Jury (TV Series) · as Self - Panellist |
| 1956 | The Steve Allen Show (TV Series) · as Self - Dancer |
| 1955 | This is Your Life (UK) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1950 | This Is Your Life (US) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1950 | The Bob Hope Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1948 | The Perry Como Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1948 | The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1947 | Stump the Stars (TV Series) · as Self - Guest Panelist |