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{{short description|South African-American dancer/actress (1936–1996)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Juliet Prowse
| image = Juliet Prowse (1960).JPG
| caption = Juliet Prowse in 1960
| birth_name = Juliet Anne Prowse
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1936|09|25}}
| birth_place = Bombay, British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1996|09|14|1936|09|25}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Actress
* dancer
* singer}}
| years_active = 1955–1995
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Eddie Frazier|1969|1970|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|[[John McCook]]|1972|1979|end=divorced}}
}}
| children = 1
}}

'''Juliet Anne Prowse''' (25 September 1936 – 14 September 1996) was a British-American dancer and actress whose four-decade career included stage, television, and film. She was born in [[Bombay]] (today's [[Mumbai]]) then part of [[British India]], and raised in [[South Africa]].<ref name="Lisanti">{{Cite book |last=Lisanti |first=Tom |url=https://archive.org/details/driveindreamgirl0000lisa |title=Drive-in dream girls: a galaxy of B-movie starlets of the sixties |date=2003 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-1575-5 |location=Jefferson, N.C |pages=307, 311 }}</ref> Known for her attractive legs, she was described after her death as having "arguably the best legs since [[Betty Grable]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=Juliet Prowse Dies At 59 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1996/09/15/juliet-prowse-dies-at-59/4f0f02fb-29e9-4964-8f66-152b06398389/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>

==Early life==
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2023}}
Prowse was born in [[Bombay]], to an English father and a South African mother, Phyllis Donne. After her father's death when she was three years old, her mother returned with her to South Africa. She began studying dance a year later, at the age of four.<ref name="Lisanti" />

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 small role of Claudine in the upcoming [[Walter Lang]] film ''[[Can-Can (film)|Can-Can]]'' (1960). She had already missed several opportunities to go to Hollywood due to existing contractual obligations, but eventually left a show in Spain in which she was starring to travel to Southern California to appear in ''Can-Can'', which starred [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Maurice Chevalier]], [[Louis Jourdan]], and [[Shirley MacLaine]].

==Career==
It was during the filming of ''Can-Can'' in 1959 that she captured the international spotlight. The [[Soviet Union]]'s then–[[Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Communist Party]] leader [[Nikita Khrushchev]], during his first American trip, visited the Los Angeles set of the film, and after Prowse performed a rather saucy exhibition of the 19th-century [[France|French]] dance the "[[can-can]]" for the Russian leader, he proclaimed it immoral. The ensuing publicity brought Prowse considerable attention in the United States. From there, her career accelerated, especially after her next film later that year, co-starring with rock and roll star [[Elvis Presley]].<ref name="immoral">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Juliet Prowse |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-480770/Juliet-Prowse |access-date=15 September 2007}}</ref>

===Film and television===
[[File:Juliet Prowse-Elvis Presley in G.I. Blues.jpg|thumb|Juliet Prowse with [[Elvis Presley]] in ''[[G.I. Blues]]'' (1960)]]

Prowse met Frank Sinatra on the set of ''Can-Can'' when she was 23 and he was 43 years old. ''[[Time (magazine)|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.{{'"}}<ref name=review>{{cite magazine |title=New Pictures, movie review of Can-Can |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,894827,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307133011/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,894827,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 March 2008 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=21 March 1960 |access-date=17 September 2007}}</ref> She would also go on to appear with Sinatra and other notable guests such as [[Ella Fitzgerald]], [[Peter Lawford]], [[Hermione Gingold]], [[the Hi-Lo's]], [[Red Norvo]], and [[Nelson Riddle]] and his orchestra on the December 1959 ''Frank Sinatra Show''. She at times would sing in the chorus with other guests or Sinatra would sing to her.<ref name="its alright with me">{{cite web |via=YouTube |title=The Frank Sinatra Show December 13, 1959 with Juliet Prowse |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB6A7gf1zZ4 |access-date=17 September 2007}}</ref>

Prowse's next major musical and dancing role was alongside [[Elvis Presley]] in his film shot partially in West Germany about his recent Army draftee experiences that drew world youth attention for two years in ''[[G.I. Blues]]'' (1960). During shooting of the film, they had a short and intense romantic fling mirroring the movie plot. "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," she later described in an interview.<ref name=Guardian/> Prowse also made a brief cameo appearance a decade later in the [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] documentary film, ''[[Elvis: That's the Way It Is]]'' (1970) as an interviewed audience member about to attend Elvis Presley's opening night show return as he restarted his concert tours and public appearances schedule after his 1960s feature film-making career lagged. It was held at the [[Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino|International Hotel]] (now the Westgate Resort & Casino) in Las Vegas on 10 August 1970.

She starred with [[Denny Miller|Denny Scott Miller]] on her own brief [[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.

Prowse also did other feature films, including ''[[The Fiercest Heart]]'' (1961) and ''[[Who Killed Teddy Bear?]]'' (1965) with [[Sal Mineo]] and [[Elaine Stritch]].

Although her film and television career did not make her as big a star as predicted, Prowse had a rather philosophical way of looking at it. "Things generally happen for the best... I never worry about what happens in my career, because I can always do something else."<ref name="career">{{cite web |publisher=The Free Library |title=Juliet Prowse |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/JULIET+PROWSE,+59,+ACTRESS,+DANCER+IN+1960S+TELEVISION,+MOVIE...-a083967450 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017080802/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/JULIET+PROWSE,+59,+ACTRESS,+DANCER+IN+1960S+TELEVISION,+MOVIE...-a083967450 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 October 2012 |access-date=17 September 2007}}</ref> Prowse would later go on to headline successful Las Vegas shows, commanding a very high salary. Stating that Las Vegas was the most demanding place she ever worked, she won Entertainer of the Year for the Vegas run of ''[[Sweet Charity]]''. She would later show off her famous dancer's legs in a series of lucrative nationwide TV commercials for several advertisers, including [[L'eggs]] hosiery and Mannington Flooring.

Prowse was a guest in the first season of ''[[The Muppet Show]]''.<ref name="Muppet Show, The, Season One">Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc. 2005. Muppet Show, The, Season One. US: The Muppets Holding Company, LLC.</ref>

In 1987, she was mauled by the same 80-pound [[leopard]] on two occasions: the first time while filming a scene for ''[[Circus of the Stars]]'', then later while rehearsing a promotional stunt on ''[[The Tonight Show]]''. The latter attack was more serious, requiring upwards of twenty stitches to reattach her ear.<ref name=LAT>{{cite news |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-03-me-26193-story.html |title=Juliet Prowse Bitten Again by Same Leopard |access-date=21 February 2011 |date=3 December 1987}}</ref>

Throughout the mid-1980s and 1990s, Prowse hosted the ''Championship Ballroom Dance Competition'' on [[PBS]].{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

==Personal life==
Prowse was living with actor [[Nico Minardos]] when Frank Sinatra invited her to join him in Las Vegas.<ref>{{Citation| last=Prell| first=Owen| title=Watch Finding Nico Online| website=Vimeo On Demand| date=2017-01-19| url=https://vimeo.com/ondemand/findingnico| access-date=2021-02-08}}</ref> She and Sinatra announced their engagement in 1962, which lasted only six weeks before the relationship ended. Prowse wanted to focus on her career and, shortly before calling off the wedding, she told celebrity columnist [[Hedda Hopper]], "Frank wants me to give up the business," and stated that was a problem for her.<ref name="LATimes Obit">{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-15-mn-44283-story.html| title=Juliet Prowse; Actress, Dancer on Stage, TV and Film| first=Bob| last=Pool| newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]| date=15 September 1996| access-date=20 May 2023}}</ref> 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."<ref name=Guardian>{{cite news| newspaper=[[The Guardian]]| location=London| title=Juliet Prowse, obituary| date=16 September 1996| author-link=Ronald Bergan| first=Ronald| last=Bergan}}</ref>

Prowse married Eddie Frazier, a dancer and choreographer, in 1969. The couple separated after eight months, and then divorced.<ref name="LATimes Obit" /> She married actor [[John McCook]] in 1972, after the wedding had been delayed for five weeks when she gave birth to their only child, a son whom they named Seth, on the originally scheduled date.<ref name="LATimes Obit" /> The marriage ended in divorce in 1979.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04E4DB123AF936A2575AC0A960958260| title=Juliet Prowse is Dead at 59| first=Robert| last=Thomas| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=15 September 1996| url-access=subscription| access-date=17 July 2021}}</ref>

==Death==
In 1994, Prowse was diagnosed with [[pancreatic cancer]]. In 1995, she went into remission and was well enough to tour with [[Mickey Rooney]] in ''[[Sugar Babies (musical)|Sugar Babies]]'', but the cancer subsequently returned. Prowse died on 14 September 1996, 11 days before her 60th birthday.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-juliet-prowse-1363611.html| title=Obituary: Juliet Prowse| first=Tom| last=Vallance| newspaper=[[The Independent]]| date=16 September 1996| access-date=20 May 2023}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
* ''[[Gentlemen Marry Brunettes]]'' (1955) as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
* ''[[Can-Can (film)|Can-Can]]'' (1960) as Claudine
* ''[[G.I. Blues]]'' (1960) as Lili
* ''[[The Fiercest Heart]]'' (1961) as Francina (A.K.A. ' No Right to Love ')
* ''[[The Right Approach]]'' (1961) as Ursula Poe
* ''[[The Second Time Around (1961 film)|The Second Time Around]]'' (1961) as Rena Mitchell
* ''[[Run for Your Wife (1965 film)|Run for Your Wife]]'' (1965) as Jenny
* ''[[Dingaka]]'' (1965) as Marion Davis
* ''[[Who Killed Teddy Bear?]]'' (1965) as Norah Dain
* ''Spree'' (1967) as herself (documentary)

===Television===

* ''[[The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Here's to the Ladies]]''
* ''[[The Steve Allen Plymouth Show]]'' (14 March 1960)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''[[Adventures in Paradise (TV series)|Adventures in Paradise]]'' as Simone (season 2, episode 6 "A Whale of a Tale")
* ''The [[Perry Como]] Show'' (12 November 1960)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''Remember How Great?'' (9 February 1961)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''The [[Bob Hope]] Buick Show'' (13 May 1961)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''[[Kraft Music Hall (TV series)|The Kraft Music Hall]]'' (10 January 1962)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''Hollywood Melody'' (19 March 1962)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''Highways of Melody'' (22 April 1962)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''[[The Red Skelton Show]]'' as Daisy June (season 12, episode 2 in 1962)
* ''The [[Bob Hope]] Show'' (24 October 1962)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''Story of a Songwriter'' (1963)<ref name="Lisanti" />
* ''[[Burke's Law (1963 TV series)|Burke's Law]]'' as Angel Crown /(2 episodes, 1963–1964)
* ''[[The Dean Martin Show]]'' (3 February 1966, and 14 September 1967)
* ''[[Mona McCluskey]]'' as Mona Carroll McCluskey (1965–1966)
* ''[[The Danny Thomas Hour]]'' as Aphrodite (1 episode, 1967)
* ''[[The Name of the Game (TV series)|The Name of the Game]]'' as Aja Fowler (1 episode, 1968)
* ''The Carol Burnett Show in London'' (1970) (TV) as guest performer
* ''Second Chance'' (1972) as Martha Foster
* ''Tattletales'' as herself
* ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' as herself (1 episode, 1976)
* ''[[Match Game|Match Game 77]]'' as herself (5 episodes, 1977)
* ''Musical Comedy Tonight II'' (1981) (TV)
* ''[[The Love Boat]]'' as Samantha Bricker (3 episodes, 1979–1984), as Faye Marsh (episode 65 and 66, 1984)
* ''[[Fantasy Island]]'' (1 episode, 1983)
* ''[[Glitter (American TV series)|Glitter]]'' (1984) (TV)
* ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' as Valerie Bechet (1 episode, 1987)

==Theatre==
*''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]'' (1955)
*''[[Eddie Fisher (singer)|Eddie Fisher]] at the Winter Garden'' (1962)
*''[[Irma La Douce (musical)|Irma La Douce]]'' 1963, 1966 (Houston Music Theater), 1968
*''[[The Boy Friend (musical)|The Boy Friend]]'' (1966)
*''[[Sweet Charity]]'' (1967; 1971)
*''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'' (1969; 1990; 1994)
*''[[Damn Yankees]]'' (1972)
*''[[The Pajama Game]]'' (1973)
*''[[I Do! I Do!]]'' (1976)
*''[[Funny Girl (musical)|Funny Girl]]'' (1984)
*''[[Follies]]'' (1987; 1988; 1990)
*''[[Chicago (musical)|Chicago]]'' (1992)
*''[[Sugar Babies (musical)|Sugar Babies]]'' (1995), second national tour (1984–85)

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* [[List of dancers]]

==References==
{{Reflist|33em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{TCMDb name}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prowse, Juliet}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:British female dancers]]
[[Category:British film actresses]]
[[Category:British musical theatre actresses]]
[[Category:British television actresses]]
[[Category:British people of South African descent]]
[[Category:American female dancers]]
[[Category:Dancers from California]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American musical theatre actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer in California]]
[[Category:Actresses from Mumbai]]
[[Category:British people in British India]]
[[Category:Actresses from British India]]
[[Category:Actresses from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:South African actresses]]
[[Category:South African female dancers]]
[[Category:British emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:South African emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:South African people of English descent]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century British actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century British women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century British dancers]]

Juliet Prowse - Revision history

LibbyAlba221 at 15:58, 21 April 2026