Juliet Prowse
Juliet Prowse
Juliet Anne Prowse was a dancer, whose four-decade career included stage, television and film. She was raised in South Africa, where her family emigrated after World War II. Known for her attractive legs, she was described after her death as having "... arguably the best legs since Betty Grable." In her early twenties, she was dancing at a club in Paris when she was spotted by a talent agent and eventually signed to play the role of Claudine in the Walter Lang film Can-Can. It was during the filming of Can-Can in 1959 that she captured the international spotlight. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visited the set of the film and after Prowse performed a rather saucy can-can for the Russian leader, he proclaimed her dance immoral. The publicity brought Prowse considerable attention in the United States. Prowse met Frank Sinatra on the set of Can-Can. Time magazine did not rate the movie highly, but declared Prowse the best thing in it: "In fact, the only thing really worth seeing is Juliet Prowse, a young South African hoofer who puts some twinkle in the stub-toed choreography. And the only thing really worth hearing is the crack that Frank flips back at Juliet when she whips a redoubtable hip in his direction. "Don't point", he gasps. "It's rude." She would go on to appear with Sinatra and other notable guests such as Ella Fitzgerald, Peter Lawford, Hermione Gingold, the Hi-Lo's, Red Norvo, Nelson Riddle and his orchestra on the 1959 Frank Sinatra Show. She at times would sing in the chorus with other guests or Sinatra would sing to her. Sinatra invited Prowse to join him in Las Vegas, even though she was living with the actor Nico Minardos at the time. Sinatra and Prowse announced their engagement in 1962. Soon afterwards they broke up, reportedly because Prowse wanted to concentrate on her career. Prowse later admitted, "I was as much flattered as I was in love. He (Sinatra) was a complex person, and after a few drinks he could be very difficult." Prowse co-starred alongside Elvis Presley in G.I. Blues. During shooting of the film, they had a short and intense fling. "Elvis and I had an affair. ... We had a sexual attraction like two healthy young people, but he was already a victim of his fans. We always met in his room and never went out." Prowse also made a brief cameo appearance in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer documentary film, Elvis: That's the Way. She starred with Denny Scott Miller on her own NBC sitcom in the 1965-1966 season: Mona McCluskey, which was produced by George Burns. The series was based on the idea that the couple, Mike and Mona McCluskey, would live on his military salary, rather than her lucrative earnings as an actress. In the late 1980s, she was mauled by an 80-pound leopard – twice. Once, while filming a scene for Circus of the Stars in 1987 and later that same year rehearsing a promotional stunt on The Tonight Show, when the same leopard attacked her. The later attack was more serious, requiring upwards of twenty stitches to reattach her ear.
Known For Acting
Popularity 5.095
Birthday 1936-09-25
Place of Birth Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Also Known As Jon & Juliet, Juliet Anne Prowse,
G.I. Blues
1960

G.I. Blues

Who Killed Teddy Bear?
1965

Who Killed Teddy Bear?

The Second Time Around
1961

The Second Time Around

Ladies Night - Most Famous Hits
2003

Ladies Night - Most Famous Hits

The Right Approach
1961

The Right Approach

Happy Birthday, Las Vegas
1977

Happy Birthday, Las Vegas

Spree
1967

Spree

Elvis: #1 Hit Performances
2007

Elvis: #1 Hit Performances

Tom Jones: Duets by Invitation Only
2001

Tom Jones: Duets by Invitation Only

Dingaka
1964

Dingaka

Night of 100 Stars II
1985

Night of 100 Stars II

The Fiercest Heart
1961

The Fiercest Heart

Can-Can
1960

Can-Can

The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: An Afternoon with Frank Sinatra
1959

The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: An Afternoon with Frank Sinatra

Elvis: #1 Hit Performances & More
2007

Elvis: #1 Hit Performances & More

That's Dancing!
1985

That's Dancing!

Second Chance
1972

Second Chance

The Frank Sinatra Timex Show - To the Ladies
1960

The Frank Sinatra Timex Show - To the Ladies

Run for Your Wife
1965

Run for Your Wife

Musical Comedy Tonight II
1981

Musical Comedy Tonight II

Murder, She Wrote
1984

Murder, She Wrote

Burke's Law
1963

Burke's Law

The Muppet Show
1976

The Muppet Show

Password
1961

Password

Glitter
1984

Glitter

The Hollywood Palace
1964

The Hollywood Palace

The Big Show
1980

The Big Show

Adventures in Paradise
1959

Adventures in Paradise

Mona McCluskey
1965

Mona McCluskey

The Steve Allen Show
1956

The Steve Allen Show

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
1973

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Burke's Law
1963

Burke's Law

The Ed Sullivan Show
1948

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show
1948

The Ed Sullivan Show

Dinah!
1974

Dinah!

The Mike Douglas Show
1961

The Mike Douglas Show

The Name of the Game
1968

The Name of the Game

The Danny Thomas Hour
1967

The Danny Thomas Hour

The Carol Burnett Show
1967

The Carol Burnett Show

The Carol Burnett Show
1967

The Carol Burnett Show

The Love Boat
1977

The Love Boat

Vicki!
1992

Vicki!

The Danny Kaye Show
1963

The Danny Kaye Show