Marie McDonald
Biography
Marie McDonald was an American actress and singer who was born in Burgin, Kentucky, and started out in beauty pageants and modeling before reaching Broadway in George White's Scandals of 1939. After joining Tommy Dorsey's radio show, she signed with Universal in 1942 and appeared in Pardon My Sarong that same year, which earned her the nickname The Body and made her a popular World War II pin-up. She later worked at Paramount, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Columbia Pictures, appearing in films such as Guest in the House (1944), Tell It to the Judge (1949), The Geisha Boy (1958), and Promises! Promises! (1963). In the 1950s she focused on theater and music, recording the album The Body Sings in 1957 and touring a nightclub act. She died in 1965.
42years old at death
- Born Burgin
- Died Calabasas
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Also credited as Marie Frye, The Body Beautiful, The Body and Cora Marie Frye
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 21 years1942 to 1963
Every film, newest first
- 1963Promises! Promises!IMDb rating 5.0
- 1958The Geisha BoyIMDb rating 6.4
- 1949Tell It to the JudgeIMDb rating 6.4
- 1944Guest in the HouseIMDb rating 6.2
- 1942Pardon My SarongIMDb rating 6.7
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A change of course
McDonald joined Dorsey and His Orchestra on his radio show after auditioning for him in December 1940, and later performed with other big bands.
Beyond film
In the 1950s McDonald turned to theater and music. She made The Body Sings, a 1957 RCA Victor LP with Hal Borne and His Orchestra that held 12 standard ballads.
First role
McDonald earned the title "Miss New York State" in 1939, and her debut came later that year in George White's Scandals of 1939.
First role
At 17, McDonald got a showgirl part in the Broadway production Earl Carroll's Vanities, staged at the Earl Carroll Theatre.
Marie McDonald movies on Netflix
Worked with
Marie McDonald made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Irving Bacon's page
Jerry Lewis's page
Douglas Fowley's page
Barton MacLane's page
Jerome Cowan's page
Marjorie Bennett's page
Erle C. KentonDirector, 1 film, 1942
All films by Erle C. Kenton
Frank TashlinDirector, 1 film, 1958
All films by Frank Tashlin
All films by André De Toth
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.