June 4th 2024.
Veteran Hollywood actress and beloved Broadway star Janis Paige has passed away at the age of 101 after a remarkable 60-year career. Paige, who was one of the few remaining stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood, graced the silver screen with her talent in numerous films including The Pajama Game, Please Don't Eat the Daisies with Doris Day, and Silk Stockings where she danced alongside the legendary Fred Astaire. Despite reaching her 80s, Paige continued to work and share her passion for the arts with the world.
According to her friend Stuart Lampert, Paige passed away peacefully at her home in Los Angeles on Sunday due to natural causes. Her journey in the entertainment industry began as a child in Washington, where she performed in amateur shows before making her way to the bright lights of Hollywood. It was at the Hollywood canteen in the 1940s where she was first discovered as a pin-up model, leading to a contract with Warner Brothers and her debut film Bathing Beauty in 1944. Just two years later, she landed her first lead role in Her Kind of Man as a talented singer.
Paige's career was not limited to the big screen, as she also made her mark in theatre. In 1951, she left the film industry to pursue her passion for the stage, and she spent much of her time alternating between both mediums. Her performances in Mame, Guys and Dolls, and Gypsy: A Musical Fable were just a few of the many successful theatre productions she was a part of. In 1984, she graced the Broadway stage one last time in Alone Together.
In addition to her successful acting career, Paige also made a name for herself on television. She starred in her own sitcom It's Always Jan from 1955 to 1956, playing a widowed nightclub singer raising her daughter. She also appeared in popular shows such as All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and General Hospital.
Paige's talent and charm were recognized and honored throughout her career. She even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In a 2016 interview with the Miami Herald, she fondly recalled her experience performing with Fred Astaire in Silk Stockings. She shared that he never knew she wasn't a classically trained dancer and would often come up with new steps for them to try. Despite any challenges, she never turned down an opportunity to work with the iconic performer, and their chemistry on screen was undeniable.
Throughout her life, Paige was married three times, first to restaurateur Frank Martinelli Jr. from 1947 to 1951, then to It's Always Jan writer and producer Arthur Stander, and finally to composer Ray Gilbert from 1962 until his passing in 1976. She leaves behind a legacy of incredible talent and a love for the arts that will continue to inspire future generations.
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