Sheree North (January 17, 1932 – November 4, 2005) was an American actress, singer, and dancer.
North was born as Dawn Shirley Crang in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of June, a pearl appraiser and real estate agent. She began dancing in USO shows during World War II at age ten. At 15, she married Fred Bessire and had a child at 16. She continued dancing in clubs under the moniker Shirley Mae Bessire.
After being spotted by a choreographer...
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Sheree North (January 17, 1932 – November 4, 2005) was an American actress, singer, and dancer.
North was born as Dawn Shirley Crang in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of June, a pearl appraiser and real estate agent. She began dancing in USO shows during World War II at age ten. At 15, she married Fred Bessire and had a child at 16. She continued dancing in clubs under the moniker Shirley Mae Bessire.
After being spotted by a choreographer performing at the Macayo Club in Santa Monica, North was cast as a chorus girl in the 1953 film Here Come the Girls starring Bob Hope. Around that time, she adopted the stage name Sheree North and made her Broadway debut in the musical Hazel Flagg, for which she won a Theatre World Award. She went on to reprise her role in the film version Living It Up.
In 1954, North signed on with 20th Century-Fox. The following year, she won the lead role in How to Be Very, Very Popular, a role that was initially rejected by Marilyn Monroe. Media attention...
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