Jean, Gloria (1926–)

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Jean, Gloria (1926–)

American actress and singer. Born Gloria Jean Schoonover, in Buffalo, NY, April 14, 1926; married (1962–66).

Made singing debut at 3 (billed as Baby Schoonover) and by 5 had her own radio program in Scranton; signed with Universal and made film debut in The Under-Pup (1939), followed by If I Had My Way (1940), with Bing Crosby, and Never Give a Sucker an Even Break with W.C. Fields (1941); made guest appearances radio shows (1940); with Universal losing interest, was paired with Donald O'Connor in a series of low-budget musicals that began with What's Cookin'? (1942) and ended with Moonlight in Vermont (1943); made a few tv appearances and starred in low-budget programmer Air Strike (1955), then retired from acting.

See also Women in World History.