Peggy King, Celebrated 1950s Television and Music Star, Passes Away at 96
Peggy King, a prominent actress and singer from the 1950s, passed away on Sunday after her long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was residing at the Saunders House Assisted Living facility in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, at the time of her death. She was 96 years old.
Her passing was confirmed by her publicist, Alan Eicher.
King made a name for herself as a regular on the "George Gobel Show" from 1954 to 1957, where she was affectionately nicknamed "Pretty Perky Peggy King" by Gobel. This moniker became synonymous with her throughout her illustrious career. In 1955, she earned an Emmy Award nomination for Best Female Singer, and she performed the song “Count Your Blessings” at the Academy Awards the same year. Additionally, she co-hosted the Emmy Awards in 1958.
Throughout her career, King made notable appearances on various iconic television shows including Bob Hope’s "Chevy Show," "American Bandstand," "The Steve Allen Show," "The Kraft Music Hall with Milton Berle," "What’s My Line?," "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," "The Perry Como Show," "The Garry Moore Show," and "The Jack Benny Program." She also showcased her dramatic talents in series like "Maverick" and "Dragnet."
In 1952, Peggy King signed a contract with MGM, which allowed her to feature in a cameo for Vincente Minnelli’s film "The Bad and the Beautiful," where she also contributed to the soundtrack. She appeared in "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy" during this time.
Later, she was signed to a long-term deal with Columbia Records by Mitch Miller, resulting in two successful albums. Even though she recorded several hit singles, composer Arthur Hamilton wrote the iconic song “Cry Me a River” specifically for her, but Miller prohibited her from recording it.
King starred alongside Tab Hunter in the television musical "Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates," and lent her talents to a TV musical adaptation of "Jack and the Beanstalk," sharing the screen with Joel Grey, Celeste Holm, and Cyril Ritchard. She played a stewardess in the thriller "Zero Hour!" alongside Dana Andrews and Linda Danell in 1957.
In recognition of her contributions to broadcasting, King was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2010 and was one of the earliest celebrities to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her last album, "Songs a la King," was released in 2016, and she continued to perform in Philadelphia, New York, and Los Angeles until as recently as 2014.
Born on February 16, 1930, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, to Floyd Henry King and Margaret Finan, Peggy King graduated from Ravenna High School. She began her singing career on radio in Cleveland and was a regular on "The Mel Torme Show" for CBS, in addition to featuring in a popular commercial jingle for Hunt’s Tomato Sauce.
She is survived by her daughter, Suzy Rudofker, and son-in-law, Dwain Goforth.
