Renowned actress and dancer, Janis Paige, known for her roles in Hollywood and Broadway, has died at the age of 101.
Paige, recognized for her fiery red hair, shared the stage and screen with stars like Fred Astaire and Bob Hope, continuing her career into her 90s. She died from natural causes in her Los Angeles, California home on June 2, according to her close friend Stuart Lampert.
Throughout her career, Paige achieved a number of noteworthy roles. She starred on Broadway in the mystery-comedy “Remains to be Seen” with Jackie Cooper and in the successful musical “The Pajama Game” with John Raitt. Her film appearances include “Bachelor in Paradise,” a comedy with Bob Hope, the Doris Day comedy “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies,” and “Follow the Boys.”
In 2018, Paige publicly joined the #MeToo movement by revealing an assault by the late department-store heir Alfred Bloomingdale when she was 22. Bloomingdale died in 1982. “I could feel his hands, not only on my breasts, but seemingly everywhere. He was big and strong, and I began to fight, kick, bite and scream,” Paige wrote, stating, “At 95, time is not on my side, and neither is silence. I simply want to add my name and say, ‘Me too.’”
Paige’s journey in Hollywood began when she performed an operatic aria for servicemen at the Hollywood Canteen during World War II. MGM hired her the next day for a minor role in “Bathing Beauty,” but she was quickly dismissed. On the same day, Warner Bros. signed her and cast her in “Hollywood Canteen,” offering her a contract starting at $150 per week. Paige later commented that she earned more per week than her mother had made in a month during the Great Depression.
Paige’s contract with Warner Bros. ended in 1949, as television started to overshadow the film industry. She then transitioned to Broadway, taking leading roles in “Remains to Be Seen” and as Babe in the original production of “The Pajama Game.” She also starred with Fred Astaire in “Silk Stockings” after MGM producer Arthur Freed was impressed by her nightclub act.
After a lengthy break, Paige returned to the stage in 2003 with the show “The Third Act” in San Francisco, California. She also appeared on several television shows, including “It’s Always Jan,” “Flamingo Road,” and “All in the Family.” In 1976, she portrayed a diner waitress who attempts to seduce Archie Bunker into cheating on his wife, Edith.
In 2020, Paige released her autobiography, “Reading Between the Lines: A Memoir,” in which she shared her experiences with many Hollywood luminaries.
Born as Donna May Tjaden, Paige was raised in Tacoma, Washington. She was married twice briefly and then, in 1962, married Oscar-winning songwriter Ray Gilbert, known for his song “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.” After Gilbert’s death in 1976, Paige took over the management of his music company.