Vivian Blaine(1921-1995)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Ms. Blaine is most noted for having portrayed Miss Adelaide, the
long-suffering, perpetually engaged chorus girl, in the Broadway and
film versions of
Guys and Dolls (1955). She
originated the role in 1950 on Broadway and stopped the show each night
with her rendition of "Adelaide's Lament," in which she complains about
having a bad cold because of her long engagement to gambler Nathan
Detroit. Ms. Blaine also originated roles on Broadway in "Say Darling"
and "Enter Laughing." She also starred on Broadway in "Hatful of Rain,"
"Company," and, briefly, in "Zorba." She starred in many national
tours, including "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Don't Drink the Water,"
"Hello Dolly," and "Gypsy." Before going to Broadway, Ms. Blaine was a
starlet at 20th Century-Fox, appearing in many musical comedy films,
including Jitterbugs (1943),
Greenwich Village (1944), and
State Fair (1945). In the mid 1950s,
Ms. Blaine reprised her role as Adelaide in the film version of
Guys and Dolls (1955) with
Frank Sinatra and
Marlon Brando. After her Broadway
appearance in "Company" in 1972, she appeared on national television at
the 25th Tony anniversary special. This led to a revival of her TV
career, and she continued to appear in guest roles on TV and in
independent films and theater until her retirement in 1984.
