Margaret O'Rene Ryan (August 28, 1924 – October 30, 2004) was an American dancer and actress, best known for starring in a series of movie musicals at

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

with

Donald O'Connor Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. His best ...

and

Gloria Jean Gloria Jean (born Gloria Jean Schoonover; April 14, 1926 – August 31, 2018) was an American actress and singer who starred or co-starred in 26 feature films from 1939 to 1959, and made numerous radio, television, stage, and nightclub app ...

Career

Ryan joined her parents'

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

act, "The Merry Dancing Ryans", before she was 3 years old, and appeared in her first film, ''Wedding of Jack and Jill'' (1929) when she was 4. She attended

Hollywood Professional School Hollywood Professional School was a private school in Hollywood, California. Initially established as a music conservatory by pianist Gladys T. Littell in 1921 under the name Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts, the school quickly expanded it ...

. Her singing, acting, and dancing skills were noticed by song-and-dance actor

George Murphy George Lloyd Murphy (July 4, 1902 – May 3, 1992) was an American dancer, actor, and politician. Murphy was a song-and-dance leading man in many big-budget Hollywood musicals from 1930 to 1952. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild fro ...

, who helped her get a role in 1937's ''

Top of the Town ''Top of the Town'' was a 1950s radio programme, broadcast on the BBC Light Programme and hosted by Terry-Thomas. The pilot episode was broadcast on 5 June 1953 on the BBC Home Service; the first series started shortly afterwards, on 1 November ...

''. However, her entry in the book ''Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America, Volume 1'' notes, " then she was outgrowing the kiddie parts, yet not old enough for the teenage roles." She continued working in small roles until 1942, when she had a solo number in the feature film '' What's Cookin'?''. The Gloria Jean-Donald O'Connor-Peggy Ryan team were a great hit with audiences and exhibitors, and the three teens made five features together. Her screen character in these films was usually brash, wisecracking, and boy-crazy. In 1944, Ryan advanced to more elaborate productions, in support of

Jack Oakie Jack Oakie (born Lewis Delaney Offield; November 12, 1903 – January 23, 1978) was an American actor, starring mostly in films, but also working on Theatre, stage, radio and television. He portrayed Napaloni in Charlie Chaplin, Chaplin's ''T ...

and

Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People *Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansas ...

. She left Universal in 1945 and married James Cross that same year; they were divorced in 1952. She returned to the screen with dancer

Ray McDonald Raymondo Antoine McDonald (born September 2, 1984) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida, where he was a member o ...

for 1949's ''

There's a Girl in My Heart ''There's a Girl in My Heart'' is a 1949 American musical comedy film directed by Arthur Dreifuss, starring Lee Bowman, Elyse Knox, and Gloria Jean. It was made by Allied Artists with many former contract stars from Universal. Filming started ...

'' and '' Shamrock Hill'', and 1953's ''

All Ashore ''All Ashore'' is a 1953 American comedy musical film directed by Richard Quine and starring Mickey Rooney, Dick Haymes, Peggy Ryan and Ray McDonald. In the tradition of MGM's ''Anchors Aweigh'' and '' On the Town'', the film tells the stories o ...

''. They wed in 1953 and toured together in a nightclub act before being divorced in 1957. Her third marriage, in 1958, was to Hawaii columnist Eddie Sherman, following which she left movies for

choreography Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design ...

and semiretirement. Sherman adopted her two children from her previous marriages. On television, Ryan played a recurring role as secretary Jenny Sherman in ''

Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to: * ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series * ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productio ...

'' from 1969–76. In later years, she trained Las Vegas showgirls in tap dancing. Her last public performance, at her 80th birthday party, was a hilarious song-and-dance routine for her former Universal studio colleagues. She continued to teach tap until two days before her death.

Death

Ryan died at the age of 80 after two

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

s. Her ashes were scattered under the Hollywood sign in Hollywood, California. She was survived by two children and five grandchildren. One of her children is retired actress Kerry Sherman.

Filmography

Features: * ''

'' (1937) - Peggy * ''

The Women Men Marry ''The Women Men Marry'' is a 1937 American film directed by Errol Taggart and starring George Murphy, Josephine Hutchinson, Claire Dodd and Toby Wing. The film's script is credited to Donald Henderson Clarke. Cast * George Murphy - Bill Raebur ...

'' (1937) - Mary Jane * ''

The Flying Irishman ''The Flying Irishman'' (aka ''Born to Fly'') is a 1939 biographical drama film produced by RKO Pictures about Douglas Corrigan's unofficial transatlantic flight the previous year in a dilapidated Curtiss Robin light aircraft. The film was direc ...

'' (

1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...

) - Miss Edith Corrigan - Doug's Sister (uncredited) * ''

She Married a Cop ''She Married a Cop'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Sidney Salkow and written by Olive Cooper. The film stars Phil Regan, Jean Parker, Jerome Cowan, Dorothea Kent, Benny Baker and Barnett Parker. The film was released on July 12, ...

'' (1939) - Trudy * ''

The Grapes of Wrath ''The Grapes of Wrath'' is an American realist novel written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize ...

'' ( 1940) - Hungry Girl (uncredited) * ''

Sailor's Lady ''Sailor's Lady'', also known as ''Sweetheart of Turret One'', is a 1940 film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Nancy Kelly and Jon Hall. The supporting cast includes Joan Davis, Dana Andrews, and Buster Crabbe. Football player Amby Schindler ...

'' (1940) - Ellen * '' What's Cookin'?'' (

1942 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Declaration by United Nations is signed by China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and 22 other nations, in wh ...

) - Peggy * ''

Girls' Town ''Girls' Town'' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Victor Halperin and starring Edith Fellows, June Storey and Alice White.Fetrow p.176 The winner of a Midwest beauty contest receives a screen test in Hollywood and takes her sister along, ...

'' (1942) - Penny * ''

Private Buckaroo ''Private Buckaroo'' is a 1942 American comedy-musical film directed by Edward F. Cline starring The Andrews Sisters, Dick Foran, Harry James, Shemp Howard, Joe E. Lewis, and Jennifer Holt. The film tells the story of army recruits following b ...

'' (1942) - Peggy * ''

Miss Annie Rooney '' Miss Annie Rooney '' is a 1942 American drama film directed by Edwin L. Marin. The screenplay by George Bruce has some similarities to the silent film, ''Little Annie Rooney'' starring Mary Pickford, but otherwise, the films are unrelated. ''M ...

'' (1942) - Myrtle * ''

Give Out, Sisters ''Give Out, Sisters'' is a 1942 American film starring The Andrews Sisters. The film co-stars Dan Dailey and the teenage couple of the time, Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan. Dailey and O'Connor went on to be in the 1954 film '' There's No Busin ...

'' (1942) - Peggy * ''

Get Hep to Love ''Get Hep to Love'' is a 1942 musical film starring Gloria Jean, Donald O'Connor, Jane Frazee, Robert Paige and Peggy Ryan. The film was directed by Charles Lamont. Plot Doris Stanley is an adolescent singer ("14 going on 15") billed as an ...

'' (1942) - Betty Blake * ''

When Johnny Comes Marching Home "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" (Roud 6637), sometimes "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again", is a popular song from the American Civil War that expressed people's longing for the return of their friends and relatives who were fighting in the ...

'' (1942) - Dusty * '' Mister Big'' (

1943 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured. * January 4 – ...

) - Peggy * '' Top Man'' (1943) - Jane Warren * ''

Chip Off the Old Block ''Chip Off the Old Block'' is 1944 American comedy musical film starring Donald O'Connor, Peggy Ryan, and Ann Blyth. It was Blyth's film debut. The son of a strict Navy man, O'Connor falls in love with a girl from a performing family (Ann Blyt ...

'' (

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...

) - Himself * '' Follow the Boys'' (1944) - Peggy Ryan * '' This Is the Life'' (1944) - Sally McGuire * '' The Merry Monahans'' (1944) - Patsy Monahan * ''

Babes on Swing Street ''Babes on Swing Street'' is a 1944 musical comedy film directed by Edward C. Lilley and starring Ann Blyth, Peggy Ryan, and Andy Devine. It was produced by Universal Pictures. Plot Barber's daughter Trudy Costello gives close shaves at her dad ...

'' (1944) - Trudy Costello * ''

Bowery to Broadway ''Bowery to Broadway'' is a 1944 American film starring Maria Montez, Jack Oakie, and Susanna Foster. Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan also had a small specialty act, and it was the only film they were in together where they didn't have a name or ...

'' (1944) - Specialty Number * ''

Here Come the Co-Eds ''Here Come The Co-Eds'' is a 1945 American comedy film starring the comedy team Abbott and Costello. Plot Oliver Quackenbush, Molly McCarthy and her brother Slats who acts as her publicity agent work for the Miramar Ballroom as taxi dancers. Sla ...

'' (

1945 1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. Januar ...

) - Patty Gayle * ''

Patrick the Great ''Patrick the Great'' is a 1945 American drama film starring Donald O'Connor, Peggy Ryan, and Frances Dee. This was the last film for O'Connor and Ryan together, who had been a teenage team for the past several years. This was also O'Connor's la ...

'' (1945) - Judy Watkin * '' That's the Spirit'' (1945) - Sheila Gogarty * ''

On Stage Everybody ''On Stage Everybody'' is a 1945 film starring Jack Oakie, Peggy Ryan, and Johnny Coy. Also appearing are Otto Kruger, Esther Dale, Milburn Stone, Wallace Ford, Julie London, and The King Sisters, who sang " Stuff Like That There", written by ...

'' (1945) - Molly Sullivan * ''

Men in Her Diary ''Men in Her Diary'' is a 1945 American comedy film. It stars Peggy Ryan and Jon Hall and was written by Lester Cole and directed by Charles Barton. It followed from the success of ''San Diego, I Love You''. Cast *Jon Hall *Peggy Ryan *Louise ...

'' (1945) - Doris Mann * '' Shamrock Hill'' (

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...

) - Eileen Rogan * ''

'' (1949) - Sally Mullin * ''

'' (

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a Estonian government-in-exile, government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito i ...

) - Gay Night Short subjects: * ''Billy Rose's Casa Mañana Revue'' (

1938 Events January * January 1 ** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the a ...

) - Peggy Dixon * ''A Night at the Troc'' (1939) * ''Varsity Vanities'' (1940) * ''Universal Musical Short 3655: Singin' and Swingin'' ( 1950)

Television work

* ''

'' (appeared in 49 episodes between 1968–76) * ''

Pleasure Palace ''Pleasure Palace'' is a 1980 television movie. Plot A high stakes womanizer and gambler agrees to help a female casino owner. We are led to believe that Principal's character is a glamorous jewel thief. A successful gambler, known internationally ...

'' (

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...

)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Peggy 1924 births 2004 deaths Actresses from California American tap dancers American female dancers American film actresses American television actresses People from Long Beach, California Vaudeville performers 20th-century American dancers 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American women