Born: September 25, 1936 in Bombay, India.
Died: September 14, 1996 of pancreatic cancer
Spouse
John McCook (1972 - 1979) (divorced) 1 child
Eddie Frazier (1969 - 1970) (divorced)
Born in India to South African parents, Juliet studied
to be a dancer from the age of 4. Attending the Royal
Academy of Dance, by the time Juliet was 14, she was
deemed too tall at just under six feet to enter the
world of ballet. She signed as a chorus dancer with
the London Palladium and then pursued a career as a
dancer in European nightclubs. While dancing in Paris,
she was spotted by Hollywood choreographer Hermes Pan
and signed to a role in the movie 'Can-Can (1960)'.
While rehearsing for the movie, Soviet Premier Khrushchev
was invited to watch the then unknown Prowse and others
rehearsing their steps. The next day, he denounced the
dance as immoral and it was Prowse's photo that accompanied
the news across newspapers worldwide.
An instant celebrity, Juliet shot to stardom with her
acting and dancing and the tabloids filled with her
romance with star Frank Sinatra. That same year, she
also appeared with Elvis Presley in 'G.I. Blues (1960)'
and again the tabloids followed her. Juliet's original
claim to fame was being the girl that offended Krushchev!
She was just another actress in Can-Can (1960), when
the Soviet leader visited the set of the movie, and
sat through one of the can-can numbers during a rehearsal.
He publicly denounced the dance as "vulgar", and in
many newspapers and articles, it was accompanied with
a photo that featured Juliet. This publicity, along
with a romance with one of the stars of the film, Frank
Sinatra, led to other film roles immediately. The first
one to come along was G. I. Blues. She appeared in more
films the next year, but as her celebrity status waned,
so did her movie career. Her engagement to Sinatra in
1962 fueled her nightclub act, but did nothing for her
movie career. In 1965, Juliet moved to Television with
the Series "Mona McCluskey" playing a nutty Hollywood
starlet, but the show soon ended. Her big screen career
ended with 'Run for Your Wife (1966)' and she thereafter
appeared on the stage and on the nightclub circuit.
Some of her stage shows included "Sweet Charity", "Kismet",
"Irma La Douce", "Mame" and "The Pajama Game". She also
appeared as a guest on Television, but most of the time,
she worked in her nightclub act. In 1994, she was diagnosed
with cancer.
69th
Annual Academy Awards, The (1997) (TV) .... Herself,
Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Circus of the Stars #12 (1987) (TV) .... Herself
Glitter (1984) (TV)
Musical Comedy Tonight II (1981) (TV)
... aka Sylvia Fine Kaye's Musical Comedy Tonight II (1981) (TV) (USA: complete title)
Happy Birthday, Las Vegas (1977) (TV) .... Herself
Second Chance (1972) (TV) .... Martha Foster
Elvis: That's the Way It Is (1970) (uncredited) .... Herself
... aka Elvis: Thats the Way It Is - Special Edition (2001) (USA: video title)
Juliet Prowse Special (1967) (TV) .... Herself
Spree (1967)
... aka Las Vegas by Night (1967)
Moglie americana, Una (1966) .... Wife
... aka American Wife, The (1966)
... aka Femmes américaines, Les (1966)
... aka Mes femmes américaines (1966) (France)
... aka Run for Your Wife (1966) (USA)
Who Killed Teddy Bear (1965) .... Norah
"Mona McCluskey" (1965) TV Series .... Mona Carroll McCluskey
... aka "Presenting Mona McCluskey" (1965)
Dingaka (1965) .... Marion Davis
Right Approach, The (1961) .... Ursula Poe
Second Time Around, The (1961) .... Rena
Fiercest Heart, The (1961) .... Francina
G.I. Blues (1960) .... Lili
Can-Can (1960) .... Claudine
Premier Khrushchev in the USA (1959) .... Herself
|