Dorothy Provine: 1960s Television and Film Star
Dorothy Provine (January 20, 1935 – April 25, 2010) was an American singer, dancer, and actress. She became known for her starring roles in 1960s television series and films, most notably as Emeline Marcus-Finch in Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).
Early Life and Education
Provine was born in Deadwood, South Dakota, to William and Irene Provine, who ran a nightclub in Seattle, Washington, where she grew up. She attended the University of Washington in Seattle and graduated in 1957 with a degree in Theater Arts. While there, she joined the women’s fraternity Alpha Gamma Delta. Before moving to Hollywood, she worked handing out prizes for a quiz program on a local television station.
Career and Achievements
Warner Bros. hired Provine in 1958 at $500 per week. That year she starred in the title role of The Bonnie Parker Story, directed by William Witney, playing the cigar-chomping, machine-gun firing heroine. She made her television debut in 1958 with a walk-on part in the NBC Western Wagon Train.
Throughout 1959, Provine appeared in multiple television series including Cimarron City, Sugarfoot, Colt .45, The Real McCoys, The Texan, and Man Without a Gun. She had starring roles in two ABC/Warner Bros. series: The Alaskans (1959–1960), where she played Rocky Shaw alongside Roger Moore, and The Roaring Twenties (1960–1962), in which she portrayed singer and dancer Pinky Pinkham. A Time profile noted that her performances kept The Roaring Twenties afloat. She recorded an album of songs from the show and achieved chart success with two UK hit singles: “Don’t Bring Lulu” (number 17 in 1961) and “Crazy Words, Crazy Tune” (number 45 in 1962).
Provine’s film career expanded significantly in the 1960s. She appeared in Good Neighbor Sam (1964) with Jack Lemmon, The Great Race (1965) with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, Walt Disney’s That Darn Cat! (1965), Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die (1966), Who’s Minding the Mint? (1967) with Walter Brennan and Milton Berle, and Never a Dull Moment (1968) with Dick Van Dyke. In 1965, she starred in a two-part episode of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. that was later repackaged as the theatrical feature One Spy Too Many (1966).
Notable Events and Milestones
Provine’s best-known role came in 1963 when she played Emeline Marcus-Finch, the beleaguered wife of Milton Berle’s character in Stanley Kramer’s epic comedy It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In 1959, she appeared in The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock, which marked Lou Costello’s last screen appearance. She guest-starred in The Gallant Men in March 1963, playing Joyce Adams, a singer who entertained troops.
Additional Resources
Dorothy Provine’s career spanned film, television, and music during Hollywood’s golden age of television in the 1950s and 1960s. More detailed information about her life, complete filmography, and television appearances can be found through Wikipedia and other biographical archives.
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