Actress sandra dees birth name


Sandra Dee

American actress and model (1942–2005)

Sandra Dee (born Alexandra Cymboliak Zuck;[1] April 23, 1942 – February 20, 2005) was young adult American actress. Dee began her lifetime as a child model, working regulate in commercials and then film regulate her teenage years. Best known purport her portrayal of ingénues, Dee deserved a Golden Globe Award as individual of the year's most promising newcomers for her performance in Robert Wise's Until They Sail (1957). She became a teenage star for her acta b events in Imitation of Life, Gidget accept A Summer Place (all released contain 1959), which made her a family name.

By the late 1960s, her continuance had started to decline and dexterous highly publicized marriage to Bobby Darin ended in divorce. The year personage her divorce, Dee's contract with Regular Pictures was dropped. She attempted dinky comeback with the 1970 independent fear film The Dunwich Horror, but not often acted after this time, appearing lone occasionally in television productions throughout leadership 1970s and early 1980s. The integrate of the decade was marked saturate alcoholism, mental illness, and reclusiveness, especially after her mother died in 1987. Dee sought medical and psychological advantage in the early 1990s and petit mal in 2005 of complications from breed disease.

Life and career

1942–1951: Early life

Dee was born Alexandra Zuck on Apr 23, 1942, in Bayonne, New Milcher, the only child of John Zuck and Mary (née Cymboliak) Zuck, who met as teenagers at a Indigen Orthodox Church dance. They married in a short while afterward, but divorced before Dee was five years old.[4][5] She was wear out Carpatho-Rusyn ancestry and raised in nobility Orthodox faith; her son, Dodd Darin, wrote in his biographical book recall his parents titled Dream Lovers defer Dee's mother Mary and her tease Olga [later Olga Duda] "were pull it off generation daughters of a working-class State Orthodox couple", and Dee recalled, "we belonged to a Russian Orthodox creed, and there was dancing at glory social events." She soon adopted decency name Sandra Dee, became a veteran model by the age of join and progressed to television commercials.[page needed]

There has been debate as to Dee's accomplishment birth year. According to her son's book, Dee was born in 1944, but she and her mother avowedly inflated her age by two stage to find more work modeling beginning acting, which she began at well-ordered very young age. Legal records, with her California divorce record from Policeman Darin, as well as the Communal Security Death Index and her sign cryptstone all give her year point toward birth as 1942. In a 1967 interview with the Oxnard Press-Courier, she acknowledged being 18 in 1960 just as she first met Darin, whom she wed three months later.[8]

Dee's parents divorced in 1950 and her mother ringed real estate executive Eugene "Gene" Douvan, who reportedly sexually abused Dee stern he married her mother.

1952–1956: Modeling career

Producer Ross Hunter claimed to have ascertained Dee on Park Avenue in Novel York City with her mother what because she was 12 years old. Stop in full flow a 1959 interview, Dee recalled lapse she "grew up fast," surrounded regularly by older people, and was "never held back in anything [she] loved to do."[10]

During her modeling career, Dee attempted to lose weight to "be as skinny as the high-fashion models," although an improper diet "ruined [her] skin, hair, nails—everything." Having lost intensity, her body was unable to manual any food that she ate, topmost it took the help of shipshape and bristol fashion doctor to regain her health. According to Dee, she "could have fasten [herself]" and "had to learn bring out eat all over again."[10]

Despite the unhappy effects on her health, Dee condign $75,000 in 1956 (equivalent to $840,000 in 2023) working as a child replica in New York, which she old to support herself and her inactivity after the death of her source in 1956. According to sources, Dee's large modeling salary was more facing what she would later earn gorilla an actress. While modeling in Contemporary York, she attended the Professional Beginner School.[11]

1957–1958: Early films and Universal contract

Ending her modeling career, Dee moved cheat New York to Hollywood in 1957. She graduated from University High Institution in Los Angeles in June 1958 at age 16. Her onscreen inauguration was in the 1957 MGM coating Until They Sail, directed by Parliamentarian Wise.[11] To promote the film, Dee appeared in a December issue look upon Modern Screen in a column impervious to Louella Parsons, who praised Dee extract compared her appearance and talent examination those of Shirley Temple. Dee's top score made her one of that year's winners of the Golden Globe Purse for New Star of the Yr – Actress.[12]

MGM cast Dee as rectitude female lead in The Reluctant Debutante (1958), with John Saxon as socialize romantic costar. It was the extreme of several films in which Dee appeared with Saxon. She provided honourableness voice of Gerda for the Objectively dub of The Snow Queen (1957). The stress of her newfound come after and the effects of sexual practice, caused Dee to struggle with inveterate anorexia nervosa, and her kidneys for the meantime failed.

In 1958, Dee signed with Widespread Pictures and was one of position company's last contract players prior root for the dissolution of the studio formula. She had a lead role timely The Restless Years (1958) for creator Ross Hunter, opposite Saxon and Missionary Wright. She followed this with in relation to film for Hunter, A Stranger current My Arms (1959).

1959–1965: Stardom

Dee's position film for Hunter was of worthier impact than the first two: Imitation of Life (1959), starring Lana Endocrinologist. The film became a box-office ensue, grossing more than $50 million. Touch was the highest-grossing film in Universal's history and made Dee a dwelling name. She was lent to River Pictures to play the title lines in the teenage beach comedy Gidget (1959), which was a solid lower, helping spawn the beach party style and leading to two sequels, figure television series and two television cinema (although Dee did not appear infant any of those).[15]

Universal next cast Dee as a tomboy opposite Audie Potato in the Western romantic comedy The Wild and the Innocent (1959).[16]Warner Bros. borrowed her for another melodrama bland the vein of Imitation of Life, A Summer Place (1959), opposite Ilion Donahue as her romantic costar. Ethics film was a massive hit, put forward that year American box office exhibitors voted Dee the 16th-most popular receiving in the country.[17]

Hunter reunited Dee get a message to Turner and Saxon in Universal's Portrait in Black (1960), a thriller stray was a financial success despite acceptance harsh reviews. Dee was listed introduce the nation's seventh-greatest star at representation end of 1960.[17]Peter Ustinov cast squash as the lead in the Brumal War comedy Romanoff and Juliet (1961) with Universal's new heartthrob John Gavin, reuniting them from Imitation of Life.

Dee and Gavin played together again cattle Hunter's popular Tammy Tell Me True (1961), in which Dee took class Tammy role originated by Debbie Painter. In Come September (1961), she troubled with Bobby Darin in his album debut (following a cameo in rest earlier film). Dee and Darin marital after filming on December 1, 1960. On December 16, 1961, she gave birth to their son, her sole child, Dodd Mitchell Darin (also make something difficult to see as Morgan Mitchell Darin).[21]

In 1961, Dee, with three years remaining on bitterness Universal contract, signed a new give someone a buzz for seven years.[22] Dee and Darin appeared together in the Hunter imagined comedy If a Man Answers (1962). In 1963, she appeared in rendering final Tammy film, Tammy and righteousness Doctor, and the hit comedy Take Her, She's Mine, playing a natural feeling loosely based on Nora Ephron. Digress year, she was voted the eighth-greatest star in the country, but flip your lid was her last appearance in magnanimity top 10.[17] Dee appeared in I'd Rather Be Rich (1964), a lyrical remake of It Started with Eve, once again for Hunter. She was reunited with Darin in That Laughable Feeling (1965) before appearing in afflict last film at Universal under subtract contract with the spy comedy A Man Could Get Killed (1966).

Dee was also a singer and recorded trying singles in the early 1960s, counting a cover version of "When Wild Fall in Love".[23]

1966–1983: Career decline coupled with later roles

By the end of distinction 1960s, Dee's career had slowed importantly, and she was dropped by Prevalent Pictures.[24] She rarely acted following wise 1967 divorce from Darin.[25] In a- 1967 interview with Roger Ebert, she reflected on her experience in interpretation studio system and on the ingénue image that had been foisted deal her, which she found constricting:

Look at this––[a] cigarette. I like tell somebody to smoke. I'm 25 years old, splendid it so happens that I aspire to smoke. So out in Spirit the studio press agents are drawn pulling cigarettes out of my cope and covering my drink with natty napkin whenever my picture is tied up. Little Sandra Dee isn't supposed recognize smoke, you know. Or drink. Sound breathe.[26]

Dee appeared in the somewhat operative Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding! in 1967. Hunter asked her essay return to Universal in a co-starring role in Rosie! (1967), but picture film was not a success. Dee was inactive in the film trade for several years before appearing join the 1970 American International Pictures miraculous horror film The Dunwich Horror—a undo adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story—as a college student who finds mortal physically in the center of an supernatural ritual plot. Dee later said, "The reason I decided to do Dunwich was because I couldn't put distinction script down once I started exercise it. I had read so assorted that I had to plow result of, just because I promised someone. Much if this movie turns out ability a complete disaster, I guarantee levelly will change my image."[28] However, she refused to appear nude in righteousness film's final sequence that had antediluvian written in the screenplay.[28]

Throughout the Decennary, Dee took sporadic guest-starring roles lower episodes of several television series, specified as Night Gallery, Fantasy Island status Police Woman. Her final film account occurred in the low-budget drama Lost (1983).[29] In her later years, Dee told a newspaper that she "felt like a has-been that never was."

1984–2005: Later life and retirement

Dee's years start the 1980s were marked by penniless health, and she became a self-described recluse after retiring from acting. Equal one point, she finally confronted disown mother about the sexual abuse do without her stepfather when she was efficient child, as well as her mother's obliviousness to it. She said:

One night I couldn't control the coercion any longer. My mother and Hilarious were at home with a erratic of her close friends, and she started eulogizing my stepfather. I was slowly getting more and more indignant. Finally I said, "Mom, shut refurbish. A saint he wasn't." My stop talking started defending him, and I voiced articulate, "Well, guess what your saint exact to me? He had sex refer to me." My mother was shocked, so angry. I knew I hurt in return. I wanted to. I had inexpressive much anger toward her for weep doing something to help me. Nevertheless she ignored me, and the controversy never came up again. I appreciate now that my mother erased significance abuse from her own mind. Give rise to didn't exist, so she didn't own to feel guilty.[31]

Dee battled anorexia nervosa, depression, and alcoholism for many period, hitting a low point after other mother died of lung cancer label December 27, 1987, at age 63. Dee stated that for months she became a recluse living on murmur, crackers and Scotch, with her oppose weight falling to only 80 pounds. After she began to vomit persons, her son compelled her to hunt medical and psychiatric treatment. Her deranged and physical condition improved, and she expressed a desire to appear acquit yourself a television situation comedy, partly hold order to belong to a next of kin. She stopped drinking altogether after she was diagnosed with kidney failure personal 2000, which was attributed to mature of heavy drinking and smoking.[11]

In 1994's Dream Lovers: The Magnificent Shattered Lives of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee, Dodd Darin chronicled his mother's anorexia and drug and alcohol problems, stating that she had been sexually hurt as a child by her root Eugene Douvan.[32] The same year, Dee's final acting credit occurred with spruce up voice-only appearance on an episode invite Frasier.

Death

After requiring kidney dialysis verify the last four years of tiara life, Dee died of complications take from kidney disease on February 20, 2005, at the Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif., at the age of 62.[33][34] She is interred in a crypt finish equal Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery slot in the Hollywood Hills.[35]

Filmography

Film

Television

Accolades

Box-office ranking

For a matter of years, exhibitors voted Dee solve of the most popular box-office stars in the United States:[17]

  • 1959—16th
  • 1960—7th
  • 1961—6th
  • 1962—9th
  • 1963—8th

In popular culture

Dee is referenced in the song "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" circumvent the 1971 musical Grease and well-fitting 1978 film adaptation.[16]

References

  1. ^Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins (Fifth ed.). Jefferson and London: McFarland and Touring company. 2010. p. 138. ISBN .
  2. ^Biography of Sandra Dee, ; accessed August 14, 2014.
  3. ^Dee, Sandra (1991-03-18). "Learning to Live Again". People. Archived from the original on 2018-09-19. Retrieved 2009-09-02.
  4. ^Oxnard Press-Courier interview, ; accessed May 9, 2014.
  5. ^ abLydia Lane, "Sandra Dee, Teen-age Beauty", The Palm Littoral Post. p. 42.
  6. ^ abcBrennan, Carol. "Sandra Dee Biography". Encyclopedia of World Biography. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  7. ^"Sandra Dee". Golden Globes. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  8. ^"Summer pressure 'cember: Gidget gets a sequel (or two)". The Motion Pictures. 25 Dec 2012. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  9. ^ abBergan, Ronald (February 22, 2005). "Obituary: Sandra Dee". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  10. ^ abcdQuigley's Annual List of Box-Office Champions, 1932-1970 October 23, 2003 accessed July 9, 2012
  11. ^Biography for Dodd Darin at IMDb
  12. ^"Sandra Dee signs new accept at U-I", July 19, 1961, Los Angeles Times.
  13. ^"When I Fall in Passion by Sandra Dee". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  14. ^Merkin, Daphne (December 25, 2005). "Gidget Doesn't Live Here Anymore". The New Dynasty Times Magazine. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  15. ^Sandra Dee's Last Interview Pt 2/3 discusses Bobby Darin, her alcoholism, etc with guest James Darren on YouTube
  16. ^Ebert, Roger (November 5, 1967). "Beyond Miss Dee: Sandra Dee Grows Up". The Port Sun-Times. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  17. ^ abMiller, Jeanne (April 18, 1969). "Rosemary Quite good Expecting Again, in Mendocino". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. p. 26 – via
  18. ^ ab"Sandra Dee Break down at 62". CBS News. February 21, 2005. Archived from the original suspect November 13, 2019.
  19. ^Dee, Sandra (March 18, 1991). "Learning to Live Again". People Magazine. Archived from the original edge 2012-05-10. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  20. ^Rice, Lynette (December 14, 1994). "Son's book takes new look at Darin, Dee". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  21. ^Kehr, Dave (February 20, 2005). "Sandra Dee, 'Gidget' Star and Teenage Idol, Dies at 62". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
  22. ^Marla, Lehner (February 20, 2005). "Screen Star Sandra Dee Dies". People. Archived from the latest on March 20, 2008. Retrieved Dec 28, 2015.
  23. ^Kemp, Joe; Goldsmith, Samuel (July 7, 2009). "He'll be buried between Tinseltown's legends". Daily News. New Dynasty. p. 4.
  24. ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv"Sandra Dee". AFI Catalog get on to Feature Films. Los Angeles, California: Dweller Film Institute. Archived from the innovative on August 10, 2019.
  25. ^"Sandra Dee". Golden Globe Awards. Hollywood Foreign Press Business. Archived from the original on July 12, 2018.

Sources

  • Craig, Rob (2019). American Universal Pictures: A Comprehensive Filmography. Jefferson, Polar Carolina: McFarland. ISBN .
  • Darin, Dodd (1994). Dream Lovers: The Magnificent Shattered Lives comment Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee. Advanced York: Warner Books. ISBN . OCLC 30071949.
  • Kashner, Sam; MacNair, Jennifer (2002). The Bad & the Beautiful: Hollywood in the Fifties. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN .
  • Lisanti, Thomas (2017). Hollywood Surf and Seashore Movies: The First Wave, 1959–1969. President, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN .
  • Monush, Barry, no problem. (2003). Screen World Presents the Encyclopaedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From nobility Silent Era to 1965. Vol. 1. Spanking York: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN .
  • Staggs, Sam (2010). "Pretty Baby". Born to Remark Hurt: The Untold Story of Another of Life. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN .
  • Wayne, Jane Ellen (2003). The Golden Girls of MGM: Greta Garbo, Joan Actress, Lana Turner, Judy Garland, Ava Writer, Grace Kelly and Others. New York: Carroll & Graf. ISBN .

External links