Peggy King, 1950s TV and Recording Star, Dies at 96
Peggy King, 1950s TV and Recording Star, Dies at 96
Peggy King, a singer and actress who was a familiar face on 1950s television, died on Sunday at age 96. She died after a battle with Alzheimer's disease, at the Saunders House Assisted Living facility in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, according to Variety. Her publicist, Alan Eicher, confirmed the death.
King was born on Feb. 16, 1930, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Floyd Henry King and Margaret Finan. She signed a contract with MGM in 1952. From 1954 to 1957 she was a regular on The George Gobel Show, where the host gave her a nickname that stuck: "Pretty Perky Peggy King."
Her work reached well beyond that series. She was nominated for an Emmy Award, the industry's top television prize, for best female singer in 1955. The same year she performed "Count Your Blessings" at the Academy Awards. In 1958 she co-hosted the Emmys ceremony.
On records, she worked under a long-term contract with Columbia Records, signed by the producer Mitch Miller. She made two best-selling albums there. Composer Arthur Hamilton wrote "Cry Me a River" for her, but Miller would not let her record the song.
She also acted on television. She starred with Tab Hunter in the television musical Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates.
Her later honours included induction into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2010, a group that recognises people who helped build broadcasting. She was also among the first celebrities to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the sidewalk plaques in Los Angeles. Her last released recording was the album Songs a la King, issued in 2016.
King is survived by her daughter, Suzy Rudofker, and her son-in-law, Dwain Goforth.
