Hollywood actress Janis Paige’s passing aged 101 has sparked a flood of tributes from fans who have been posting clips of her earliest work. The Golden Age icon passed away on Sunday (02.06.
24), with her death announced late on Monday (03.06.24) by her long-time friend Stuart Lamper – who said she died of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Highlights of Janis’ six-decade career included performing with comedy legend Bob Hope in Vietnam. Fans of the actress have spent the last day filling social media with images and clips of her classic roles, while hailing her as one of Hollywood’s “last great icons”. Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
Born Donna Mae Tjaden in Tacoma, Washington, on 16 September, 1922, Janis moved to LA with her sister after graduating from Stadium High School and was hired to sing at the Hollywood Canteen – a club established by movie studios on Cahuenga Boulevard to entertain troops during World War II. She was put on contract by MGM and then Warner Bros., and in 1944 made her big-screen debut in Bathing Beauty, starring Esther Williams, Red Skelton and Basil Rathbone.
She also starred in her own network sitcom, playing a widowed nightclub singer struggling to raise her 10-year-old daughter on the CBS series ‘It’s Always Jan’. In 1968, Paige replaced Angela Lansbury in ‘Mame’ on Broadway and performed as the title character for nearly two.
