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{{short description|American actress and singer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{short description|American actress and singer (born 1937)|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Sandra Church
| name = Sandra Church
| image = Sandra Church in The Eleventh Hour.JPG
| image = Sandra Church in The Eleventh Hour.JPG
⚫
| caption = Church in ''[[Eleventh Hour (U.S. TV series)|Eleventh Hour]]'' (1963)
⚫
| alt =
| birth_name = Sandra Lee Church
⚫
| caption = Church in ''[[Eleventh Hour (U.S. TV series)|Eleventh Hour]]'' (1963)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|01|13}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|01|13}}
| birth_place = [[San Francisco]], [[California]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[San Francisco, California]], U.S.
| alma_mater = [[Immaculate Heart High School (Los Angeles)|Immaculate Heart High School]]
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) -->
⚫
| occupation = Actress, singer, artist
| death_place =
⚫
| years_active = 1944–1964
⚫
| occupation = Actress, [[Singing|singer]]
| known_for = ''[[Gypsy (musical)|Gypsy]]''
⚫
| years_active =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Norman Twain]]|1964|1975|end=divorced}}
| spouse = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[Norman Twain]]|1964|1975|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|Albert H. Clayburgh|1976|1997|end=death}}
| children =
}}
⚫
| relatives = [[Mary Florence Denton]] (great-aunt)
⚫
| parents =
⚫
| relatives = [[Mary Florence Denton]] (great-aunt)
}}
}}


'''Sandra Church''' (born January 13, 1938) is an [[Americans|American]] actress and singer. She is best known for her performance as [[Gypsy Rose Lee]] in the musical ''[[Gypsy: A Musical Fable]]'' (1959),<ref>Kantor, Michael and Laurence Maslon, ''Broadway: The American Musical'', Bulfinch Press, New York, p. 286.<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref> for which she was nominated for a [[Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical]].
'''Sandra Church''' (born January 13, 1937) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her performance as the original [[Gypsy Rose Lee]] in ''[[Gypsy (musical)|Gypsy]]'' (1959),<ref name=":0">Kantor, Michael and [[Laurence Maslon]], ''Broadway: The American Musical'', Bulfinch Press, New York, p. 286.<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref> for which she was nominated for a [[Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical]]. She also co-starred with [[Marlon Brando]] in ''[[The Ugly American (film)|The Ugly American]]'' (1963).


==Early life==
==Early life==
Church was born and raised in [[San Francisco, California]]. Her father died when she was two years old; her mother, a [[nurse]], "thrust her into show business."{{Citation needed |date=October 2020}} Although Church had originally detested the idea, she later decided to choose acting as her vocation.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sandra Church captures role of a stripper|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1798&dat=19600304&id=1gIdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8YoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5870,536408|work=Sarasota Journal|accessdate=4 June 2011|date=March 4, 1960}}</ref> She attended [[Immaculate Heart High School (Los Angeles)|Immaculate Heart High School, Hollywood]].<ref name="sarasota"/>
Church was born and raised in [[San Francisco, California]]. Her father died when she was two years old in a car accident. Her mother, a registered nurse with theatrical ambitions herself, moved Church at the age of five to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] to pursue a career in acting. She attended [[Immaculate Heart High School (Los Angeles)|Immaculate Heart High School]].{{Citation needed |date=May 2024}}


She was taken out of high school to audition for the lead role in ''[[Picnic (play)|Picnic]]'', which kicked off her acting career.{{Citation needed |date=May 2024}}
⚫
Church's great-aunt was educator [[Mary Florence Denton]], a longtime faculty member at [[Doshisha University]] in [[Kyoto]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stoneberg|first=David|date=January 24, 2008|title=Japanese college honors a beloved missionary|url=https://napavalleyregister.com/star/lifestyles/japanese-college-honors-a-beloved-missionary/article_74ea5176-e101-55c6-a630-cb4d74968845.html|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-10-15|website=Napa Valley Register|language=en}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
⚫
===Theatre===
⚫
From 1953 to 1959, Church played various ingénue roles in theatrical plays. In 1953, Church made her [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut in the role of Madge Owens, replacing [[Janice Rule]], in [[William Inge]]'s ''[[Picnic (play)|Picnic]]'' with [[Ralph Meeker]].<ref name="MarillAlvin">Marill, Alvin H. ''More Theatre: Stage to Screen to Television, Vol II (M-Z)'', Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1993. p. 944<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref><ref>Inge, William. Four Plays. New York: Grove Press, 1958. p. 73.<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref><ref>Hawkins-Dady, Mark (Editor). ''International Dictionary of Theatre - 1: Plays'', Chicago: St. James Press, 1992. pp. 613-14.<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref> Her next performance was playing Sonya in [[Uncle Vanya]] (1956), an off-broadway production with [[Franchot Tone]] and [[Signe Hasso]], followed by a role as Betsy Dean in the [[Ronald Alexander (playwright)|Ronald Alexander]] play ''Holiday for Lovers'' (1957). Church was featured as Helen White in [[Sherwood Anderson|Sherwood Anderson's]] ''[[Winesburg, Ohio]]'' alongside [[Dorothy McGuire]] and [[James Whitmore]].{{Citation needed |date=May 2024}}


⚫
Church's breakout performance came in 1959 as the original [[Gypsy Rose Lee]] in ''[[Gypsy (musical)|Gypsy]]'' (1959),<ref name=":0" /><ref name="barnes">Barnes, Clive. "Gypsy Bounces Back With Zest and Lilt", ''New York Times'', September 24, 1974</ref><ref name="times">[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E0DB163CF931A35756C0A9659C8B63&scp=1&sq=%22Gypsy%22+&st=nyt][[Ben Brantley|Brantley, Ben]]. "New Momma Takes Charge" ''New York Times'' May 2, 2003.</ref><ref name="rich">[[Frank Rich|Rich, Frank]]. ''The Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980-1993'', Random House, 1998, {{ISBN|0-679-45300-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=March 4, 1960|title=Sandra Church captures role of a stripper|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1798&dat=19600304&id=1gIdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8YoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5870,536408|accessdate=4 June 2011|work=Sarasota Journal}}</ref> for which she was nominated for a [[Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical]]. In his autobiography, playwright [[Arthur Laurents]] states, "It came down to between [[Suzanne Pleshette]] and Sandra Church. Suzanne was the better actress, but Sandra was the better singer. We went with Sandra."<ref name="NYT21">Gates, Anita.[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/arts/21cnd-pleshette.html?hp NYTimes-21cnd-Pleshette "Suzanne Pleshette, 70, 'Newhart' Actress, Dies" (bio)] ''The New York Times'', January 21, 2008</ref> In ''Gypsy'', Church introduced the popular standard "Let Me Entertain You."<ref>Sondheim, Stephen, ''Finishing the Hat'', New York: Alfred Knopf, 2010; {{ISBN|978-0-679-43907-3}}, pp. 58-77</ref>
⚫
===Films and television===
⚫
Church's first on-screen appearance was on the ''[[Producers' Showcase]]'', followed by the role of Jeannie in ''[[The Mugger]]'' (1958). She subsequently guest starred on the television series ''Look Up And Live'' (1959), as well as ''[[The DuPont Show of the Month]]'' in 1960. Three years later, she played Marion MacWhite in the film adaptation of [[Eugene Burdick]] and [[William Lederer]]'s novel, ''[[The Ugly American (film)|The Ugly American]]'' (1963). Also in 1963, she appeared on television in ''[[Eleventh Hour (U.S. TV series)|The Eleventh Hour]]'' and ''[[Kraft Suspense Theatre]]''.<ref>{{IMDb name|0161393}}</ref>


⚫
Following ''Gypsy'', Church appeared in the 1960 Broadway play ''[[Under the Yum Yum Tree]]'', directed by [[Joseph Anthony]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Roman|first=Lawrence|title=Cast (''in order of appearance'')|work=Under the yum-yum tree: a new comedy|publisher=Dramatists Play Service, Inc|year=1961}}</ref>
⚫
===Theatre===
⚫
In 1953, she made her [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut in [[William Inge]]'s ''[[Picnic (play)|Picnic]]'' at the [[Music Box Theatre]].<ref name="MarillAlvin">Marill, Alvin H. ''More Theatre: Stage to Screen to Television, Vol II (M-Z)'', Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1993. p. 944<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref><ref>Inge, William. Four Plays. New York: Grove Press, 1958. p. 73.<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref><ref>Hawkins-Dady, Mark (Editor). ''International Dictionary of Theatre - 1: Plays'', Chicago: St. James Press, 1992. pp. 613-14.<!-- ISSN/ISBN needed --></ref> Church then starred as Betsy Dean in the [[Ronald Alexander (playwright)|Ronald Alexander]] play ''[[Holiday for Lovers]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2614|title=Profile for the 1957 play|work=imdb.com|accessdate=May 20, 2015}}</ref>


⚫
===Films and television===
⚫
Church's first major theatre role was in ''[[Gypsy: A Musical Fable]]'', in which Church starred as Louise Hovick ("[[Gypsy Rose Lee]]").<ref name="barnes">Barnes, Clive. "Gypsy Bounces Back With Zest and Lilt", ''New York Times'', September 24, 1974</ref><ref name="times">[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E0DB163CF931A35756C0A9659C8B63&scp=1&sq=%22Gypsy%22+&st=nyt [[Ben Brantley|Brantley, Ben]]. "New Momma Takes Charge"] ''New York Times'' May 2, 2003.</ref><ref name="rich">[[Frank Rich|Rich, Frank]]. ''The Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980-1993'', Random House, 1998, {{ISBN|0-679-45300-8}}</ref> In his autobiography, Arthur Laurents states, "It came down to between [[Suzanne Pleshette]] and Sandra Church. Suzanne was the better actress, but Sandra was the better singer. We went with Sandra."<ref name="NYT21">Gates, Anita.[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/arts/21cnd-pleshette.html?hp NYTimes-21cnd-Pleshette "Suzanne Pleshette, 70, 'Newhart' Actress, Dies" (bio)] ''The New York Times'', January 21, 2008</ref> In ''Gypsy'', Church introduced the popular standard "Let Me Entertain You."<ref>Sondheim, Stephen, ''Finishing the Hat'', New York: Alfred Knopf, 2010; {{ISBN|978-0-679-43907-3}}, pp. 58-77</ref>
⚫
Church's first on-screen appearance was on the ''[[Producers' Showcase]]'', followed by the role of Jeannie in ''[[The Mugger (film)|The Mugger]]'' (1958). She subsequently guest starred on the television series ''Look Up And Live'' (1959), as well as ''[[The DuPont Show of the Month]]'' in 1960. Three years later, she played Marion MacWhite in the film adaptation of [[Eugene Burdick]] and [[William Lederer]]'s novel, ''[[The Ugly American (film)|The Ugly American]]'' (1963). Also in 1963, she appeared on television in ''[[Eleventh Hour (U.S. TV series)|The Eleventh Hour]]'' and ''[[Kraft Suspense Theatre]]''.


⚫
==Personal life==
⚫
Following ''Gypsy'', Church appeared in the 1960 Broadway play ''[[Under the Yum Yum Tree]]'' at [[Henry Miller's Theatre]], directed by [[Joseph Anthony]], which ran for 173 performances.<ref>{{cite web|last=Roman|first=Lawrence|title=Cast (''in order of appearance'')|work=Under the yum-yum tree: a new comedy|publisher=Dramatists Play Service, Inc|year=1961}}</ref>
⚫
In October 1961 it was widely reported that Church and ''Gypsy'' composer [[Jule Styne]] would marry, although this was untrue.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SSYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HAEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7200,3585008&dq=sandra+church&hl=en ''Toledo Blade'', October 1961]</ref> In November 1964, she married Broadway play producer [[Norman Twain]] in [[Bridgetown]], [[Barbados]] at the home of stage designer [[Oliver Messel]].<ref name="sarasota">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wnEjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nGUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7171,6883884&dq=sandra+church&hl=en Profile of Sandra Church], ''Sarasota-Harold Tribune''; accessed May 20, 2015.</ref> The couple divorced in 1975. She later married Albert H. Clayburgh until his passing in 1997.{{Citation needed |date=May 2024}}

⚫
Church's great-aunt was educator [[Mary Florence Denton]], a longtime faculty member at [[Doshisha University]] in [[Kyoto]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stoneberg|first=David|date=January 24, 2008|title=Japanese college honors a beloved missionary|url=https://napavalleyregister.com/star/lifestyles/japanese-college-honors-a-beloved-missionary/article_74ea5176-e101-55c6-a630-cb4d74968845.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-10-15|website=Napa Valley Register|language=en}}</ref>


== Discography ==
== Discography ==
{{Expand list|date=June 2011}}
{{Expand list|date=June 2011}}
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2024}}
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
Line 43: Line 51:
!width="400" | Label
!width="400" | Label
|-
|-
| <center>1959</center> || <center>''Gypsy: A Musical Fable <br>(Original Broadway Cast Recording)''</center> || <center>[[Columbia Records]]</center>
| {{center|1959}} || {{center|''Gypsy: A Musical Fable <br />(Original Broadway Cast Recording)''}} || {{center|[[Columbia Records]]}}
|-
|-
| <center>1959</center> || <center>''Let Me Entertain You''</center> || <center>[[Columbia Records]]</center>
| {{center|1959}} || {{center|''Let Me Entertain You''}} || {{center|[[Columbia Records]]}}
|-
|-
| <center>2011</center> || <center>''Gypsy Meets Gypsy''</center> || <center>[[Sepia Records]]</center>
| {{center|2011}} || {{center|''Gypsy Meets Gypsy''}} || {{center|[[Sepia Records]]}}
|}
|}

⚫
==Personal life==
⚫
In October 1961 it was widely reported that Church and ''Gypsy'' composer [[Jule Styne]] would marry, although this was untrue.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SSYxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HAEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7200,3585008&dq=sandra+church&hl=en ''Toledo Blade'', October 1961]</ref> In November 1964, she married Broadway producer Norman Twain in [[Barbados]]; the couple divorced in 1975. Church has no children.<ref name="sarasota">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wnEjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nGUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7171,6883884&dq=sandra+church&hl=en Profile of Sandra Church], ''Sarasota-Harold Tribune''; accessed May 20, 2015.</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 59: Line 64:
*{{IBDB name}}
*{{IBDB name}}
*{{IMDb name|0161393}}
*{{IMDb name|0161393}}
* {{Playbill person}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Church, Sandra}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Church, Sandra}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:American female singers]]
[[Category:American women singers]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from San Francisco]]
[[Category:Actresses from San Francisco]]
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Singers from San Francisco]]
[[Category:Singers from San Francisco]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]

Latest revision as of 18:01, 24 October 2024

Sandra Church
Church in Eleventh Hour (1963)
Born
Sandra Lee Church

(1937-01-13) January 13, 1937 (age 87)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Alma materImmaculate Heart High School
Occupation(s)Actress, singer, artist
Years active1944–1964
Known forGypsy
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1964; div. 1975)​
Albert H. Clayburgh
​
​
(m. 1976; death 1997)​
RelativesMary Florence Denton (great-aunt)

Sandra Church (born January 13, 1937) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her performance as the original Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (1959),[1] for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She also co-starred with Marlon Brando in The Ugly American (1963).

Early life

[edit]

Church was born and raised in San Francisco, California. Her father died when she was two years old in a car accident. Her mother, a registered nurse with theatrical ambitions herself, moved Church at the age of five to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting. She attended Immaculate Heart High School.[citation needed]

She was taken out of high school to audition for the lead role in Picnic, which kicked off her acting career.[citation needed]

Career

[edit]

Theatre

[edit]

From 1953 to 1959, Church played various ingénue roles in theatrical plays. In 1953, Church made her Broadway debut in the role of Madge Owens, replacing Janice Rule, in William Inge's Picnic with Ralph Meeker.[2][3][4] Her next performance was playing Sonya in Uncle Vanya (1956), an off-broadway production with Franchot Tone and Signe Hasso, followed by a role as Betsy Dean in the Ronald Alexander play Holiday for Lovers (1957). Church was featured as Helen White in Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio alongside Dorothy McGuire and James Whitmore.[citation needed]

Church's breakout performance came in 1959 as the original Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (1959),[1][5][6][7][8] for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In his autobiography, playwright Arthur Laurents states, "It came down to between Suzanne Pleshette and Sandra Church. Suzanne was the better actress, but Sandra was the better singer. We went with Sandra."[9] In Gypsy, Church introduced the popular standard "Let Me Entertain You."[10]

Following Gypsy, Church appeared in the 1960 Broadway play Under the Yum Yum Tree, directed by Joseph Anthony.[11]

Films and television

[edit]

Church's first on-screen appearance was on the Producers' Showcase, followed by the role of Jeannie in The Mugger (1958). She subsequently guest starred on the television series Look Up And Live (1959), as well as The DuPont Show of the Month in 1960. Three years later, she played Marion MacWhite in the film adaptation of Eugene Burdick and William Lederer's novel, The Ugly American (1963). Also in 1963, she appeared on television in The Eleventh Hour and Kraft Suspense Theatre.

Personal life

[edit]

In October 1961 it was widely reported that Church and Gypsy composer Jule Styne would marry, although this was untrue.[12] In November 1964, she married Broadway play producer Norman Twain in Bridgetown, Barbados at the home of stage designer Oliver Messel.[13] The couple divorced in 1975. She later married Albert H. Clayburgh until his passing in 1997.[citation needed]

Church's great-aunt was educator Mary Florence Denton, a longtime faculty member at Doshisha University in Kyoto.[14]

Discography

[edit]
Year Title Label
1959
Gypsy: A Musical Fable
(Original Broadway Cast Recording)
Columbia Records
1959
Let Me Entertain You
Columbia Records
2011
Gypsy Meets Gypsy
Sepia Records

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Kantor, Michael and Laurence Maslon, Broadway: The American Musical, Bulfinch Press, New York, p. 286.
  2. ^ Marill, Alvin H. More Theatre: Stage to Screen to Television, Vol II (M-Z), Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1993. p. 944
  3. ^ Inge, William. Four Plays. New York: Grove Press, 1958. p. 73.
  4. ^ Hawkins-Dady, Mark (Editor). International Dictionary of Theatre - 1: Plays, Chicago: St. James Press, 1992. pp. 613-14.
  5. ^ Barnes, Clive. "Gypsy Bounces Back With Zest and Lilt", New York Times, September 24, 1974
  6. ^ [1]Brantley, Ben. "New Momma Takes Charge" New York Times May 2, 2003.
  7. ^ Rich, Frank. The Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980-1993, Random House, 1998, ISBN 0-679-45300-8
  8. ^ "Sandra Church captures role of a stripper". Sarasota Journal. March 4, 1960. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  9. ^ Gates, Anita.NYTimes-21cnd-Pleshette "Suzanne Pleshette, 70, 'Newhart' Actress, Dies" (bio) The New York Times, January 21, 2008
  10. ^ Sondheim, Stephen, Finishing the Hat, New York: Alfred Knopf, 2010; ISBN 978-0-679-43907-3, pp. 58-77
  11. ^ Roman, Lawrence (1961). "Cast (in order of appearance)". Under the yum-yum tree: a new comedy. Dramatists Play Service, Inc. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  12. ^ Toledo Blade, October 1961
  13. ^ Profile of Sandra Church, Sarasota-Harold Tribune; accessed May 20, 2015.
  14. ^ Stoneberg, David (January 24, 2008). "Japanese college honors a beloved missionary". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
[edit]
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