Doretta Morrow (January 27, 1927 – February 28, 1968) was an American actress, singer, and dancer who appeared in stage and television productions during the 1940s and 1950s. She is best remembered for creating roles in the original productions of three successful Broadway musicals: Kitty Verdun in Where's Charley? (1948), Tuptim in The King and I (1951), and Marsinah in Kismet (1953). She co-starred in the 1951 Hollywood film Because You're Mine, as Mario Lanza's love interest. She appeared in several live television musicals. She retired from performance in 1960 at the age of 33.
Life and career
Morrow was born as Doretta Marano in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, New York in 1927. Popular singer Vic Damone was her cousin. At the age of 2 she moved with her family to Venice, Italy where she began studying piano and singing. At age she decided that she wanted to become a professional singer. In 1943 she and her family moved back to New York, and she entered New Utrecht High School. In New York she studied singing with soprano Alice Zeppilli.
After completing high school, Morrow was cast in the musical Shooting Star in 1945 which opened in Boston but never made it to New York. In 1946 she made her Broadway debut as Gretchen in the revival of Victor Herbert's The Red Mill, replacing Ann Andre early in the show's run. A hit with the public, she played the role for a total of 17 months. In October 1948 she created the role of Kitty Verdun in the original production of Where's Charley?; notably introducing the song "My Darling, My Darling" (duet with Byron Palmer). She remained with the production through its September 1950 closing.
Morrow made her television debut in 1949 on The Ed Sullivan Show. She appeared on that show several more times through 1958. She sang as a guest performer on several other variety programs during the 1950s, including Cavalcade of Stars, The Voice of Firestone, Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue, The Arthur Murray Party, The Steve Allen Show, and General Motors 50th Anniversary Show among others. For the Pulitzer Prize Playhouse show she appeared in a 1950 live television version of the Kurt Weill musical Knickerbocker Holiday in which she played Tina Tienhoven. She played Monique DuPont in a 1951 television version of the musical Miss Liberty for the Musical Comedy Time program, and performed the role of Polly Peachum in a 1952 television adaptation of The Beggar's Opera for CBS.
She also starred in the live television musical specials Once Upon an Eastertime (1954) and The Adventures of Marco Polo (1956). She made her last television appearance in a 1959 episode of The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen.
In March 1951 Morrow created the role of Tuptim in the original Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I, with Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner. In the production she introduced the songs "I Have Dreamed" and "We Kiss in a Shadow"; both duets with Larry Douglas. She left the production in late 1951 to film her only Hollywood movie, Because You're Mine, in which she starred opposite Mario Lanza. In 1953 she returned to Broadway for the last time to create the role of Marsinah in the original cast of Kismet. She had previously appeared at the show's world premiere in Los Angeles with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera (LACLO); a performance which notably introduced the song "Baubles, Bangles, & Beads" to the public. She also portrayed Marsinah in the original West End production of Kismet in 1955. In 1957 she portrayed the title role in the first national tour of the musical Fanny. Her final stage appearance was in 1959 in the original West End cast of Cole Porter's Aladdin in the role of The Princess. She retired in 1960.
Morrow was married to Fred A. Miller, a cargo-airline executive. That marriage ended in divorce in 1955. Shortly after her withdrawal from the public eye, she married Albert Hardman, an Englishman who worked as an underwriter for Lloyd's of London. They had one child, a daughter. Morrow died in London in 1968, aged 41, from cancer.
1946 The Red Mill Broadway revival; portrayed the role of Gretchen1948 Where's Charley? Broadway production. Morrow created the role of Kitty Verdun1951 The King and I Broadway production. Morrow created the role of Tuptim1953 Kismet Broadway production. Morrow created the role of Marsinah1955 Kismet London production1957 Fanny American touring company production in the title role1959 Aladdin London production of the Cole Porter musical in the role of The PrincessActress
1959
The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen (TV Series) as
Dr. Winifred Schneider
- The Paper Tigers (1959) - Dr. Winifred Schneider
1956
Max Liebman Spectaculars (TV Series) as
Nell Valentine
- Holiday (1956) - Nell Valentine
1956
The Adventures of Marco Polo (TV Movie) as
Beggar Girl
1954
Once Upon an Eastertime (TV Movie) as
Sally
1952
Because You're Mine as
Bridget Batterson
1952
CBS Television Workshop (TV Series) as
Polly Peachum
- The Beggar's Opera (1952) - Polly Peachum
1951
Musical Comedy Time (TV Series) as
Monique DuPont
- Miss Liberty (1951) - Monique DuPont
1950
Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (TV Series) as
Tina Tienhoven
- Knickerbocker Holiday (1950) - Tina Tienhoven
Soundtrack
1959
Music from Shubert Alley (TV Special) (performer: "Baubles, Bangles and Beads", "Love Me Tonight")
1958
The Voice of Firestone (TV Series) (performer - 2 episodes) - Episode #10.8 (1958) - (performer: "Stranger in Paradise", "My Darling, My Darling", "Something Wonderful", "Wunderbar", "While Hearts are Singing", "My Hero")
- Episode #10.1 (1958) - (performer: "All the Things You Are", "So in Love", "If You Feel Like Singing, Sing")
1958
Victor Borge's Comedy in Music III (TV Movie) (performer: "I Feel Pretty")
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) (performer - 6 episodes) - Episode #11.19 (1958) - (performer: "Blue Skies", "'S Wonderful")
- Episode #10.23 (1957) - (performer: "And This is My Beloved", "Nobody's Sweetheart", "Blues in the Night")
- Change photo (1954) - (performer: "Shall We Dance?")
- Ice Capades of '54, Jose Greco, Richard Haydn, Robert Lamaret, Les Campagnons de la Chanson (1954) - (performer: "Baubles, Bangles and Beads")
- Presentation of the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for Best Broadway Plays (1951) - (performer: "I Have Dreamed")
- Jule Stein & Sammy Cahn, The Holloway Sisters, Byron Palmer & Doretta Morrow, Al Kelly (1949) - (performer: "My Darling, My Darling")
1957
General Motors 50th Anniversary Show (TV Special) (performer: "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo", "My Romance", "You're Driving Me Crazy", "She Didn't Say Yes", "I Cried for You")
1956
The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Tony Bennett, Doretta Morrow, Mel Torme, Frances Faye, Guy Madison, Kathryn & Arthur Murray (1956) - (performer: "Kismet Medley: Not Since Nineveh/Baubles, Bangles and Beads/Stranger in Paradise")
1956
Max Liebman Spectaculars (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Holiday (1956) - (performer: "I Want So Much", "It Mustn't Happen Now", "Chit Chat", "If I Could Love You", "A Quiet Place")
1956
The Adventures of Marco Polo (TV Movie) (performer: "You'll Be Seeing Me", "Xanadu", "Silver Bells", "The Garden of Imagining", "Is It You")
1953
This Is Show Business (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Episode dated 28 March 1953 (1953) - (performer: "Because You're Mine")
1952
The Jackie Gleason Show (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Nat King Cole, Doretta Morrow, Maria Neglia; The Honeymooners - Lost Baby (1952) - (performer: "I Have Dreamed", "Because You're Mine")
1952
Because You're Mine (performer: "You Do Something To Me", "Because You're Mine", "Be My Love", "Because You're Mine (End Title)", "Gummy for Your Tummy")
Self
1959
Music from Shubert Alley (TV Special) as
Self
1959
Today (TV Series) as
Self - Today's Girl of the Week
- Episode dated 27 February 1959 (1959) - Self - Today's Girl of the Week
- Episode dated 26 February 1959 (1959) - Self - Today's Girl of the Week
- Episode dated 25 February 1959 (1959) - Self - Today's Girl of the Week
- Episode dated 24 February 1959 (1959) - Self - Today's Girl of the Week
- Episode dated 23 February 1959 (1959) - Self - Today's Girl of the Week
1958
The Voice of Firestone (TV Series) as
Self / Self - Guest
- Episode #10.8 (1958) - Self
- Episode #10.1 (1958) - Self - Guest
1958
Saturday Spectacular (TV Series) as
Self
- The Guy Mitchell Show (1958) - Self
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) as
Self / Self - Singer
- Episode #11.36 (1958) - Self
- Episode #11.19 (1958) - Self
- Episode #10.23 (1957) - Self
- Change photo (1954) - Self
- Ice Capades of '54, Jose Greco, Richard Haydn, Robert Lamaret, Les Campagnons de la Chanson (1954) - Self
- Presentation of the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards for Best Broadway Plays (1951) - Self
- Jule Stein & Sammy Cahn, The Holloway Sisters, Byron Palmer & Doretta Morrow, Al Kelly (1949) - Self - Singer
1958
Victor Borge's Comedy in Music III (TV Movie) as
Self
1958
The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.140 (1958) - Self
1957
General Motors 50th Anniversary Show (TV Special) as
Self
1957
Arthur Godfrey and His Friends (TV Series) as
Self
- The Vic Damone Show (1957) - Self
1957
The George Gobel Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #3.14 (1957) - Self
1957
Good Morning! with Will Rogers, Jr. (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 31 January 1957 (1957) - Self
1956
The Steve Allen Plymouth Show (TV Series) as
Self - Singer
- Tony Bennett, Doretta Morrow, Mel Torme, Frances Faye, Guy Madison, Kathryn & Arthur Murray (1956) - Self - Singer
1956
Be A Famous Figure (TV Special) as
Self - singer
1954
The Tonight Show (TV Series) as
Self - Singer / Self - soprano / Self - Broadway cast of 'Kismet'
- Doretta Morrow, the Bil & Cora Baird puppets (1956) - Self - Singer
- Doretta Morrow (1956) - Self - soprano
- Eugene List, Elaine Stritch, Alfred Drake, Doretta Morrow, and the cast of "Kismet". (1954) - Self - Broadway cast of 'Kismet'
1956
More Contrary (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.6 (1956) - Self
1954
The New Revue (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 26 March 1954 (1954) - Self
- Rosalind Courtwright, Louis Prima, Trini & Manolo (1954) - Self
- Episode dated 15 January 1954 (1954) - Self
- The Jackson Sisters, Marshall Izen, Joan Holloway (1954) - Self
1954
The Paul Winchell Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Doretta Morrow (1954) - Self
1953
This Is Show Business (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 28 March 1953 (1953) - Self
1952
The Arthur Murray Party (TV Series) as
Self - Stage Actress
- Episode #3.38 (1952) - Self - Stage Actress
1952
The Jackie Gleason Show (TV Series) as
Self / Guest Vocalist
- Nat King Cole, Doretta Morrow, Maria Neglia; The Honeymooners - Lost Baby (1952) - Self / Guest Vocalist
1950
The Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue (TV Series) as
Self
- Doretta Morrow, Betty Ann Grove (1951) - Self
- Harold Lang, Doretta Morrow, Bibi Osterwald (1950) - Self
1951
The Steve Allen Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Doretta Morrow, Larry Douglas, Tommy Conine (1951) - Self
1951
The Eyes Have It (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #3.31 (1951) - Self
1949
The Earl Wrightson Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 12 February 1951 (1951) - Self
- Episode dated 22 January 1951 (1951) - Self
- Episode dated 30 October 1950 (1950) - Self
- Episode dated 7 October 1950 (1950) - Self
- Episode dated 7 June 1950 (1950) - Self
- Episode dated 12 April 1950 (1950) - Self
- Episode dated 5 October 1949 (1949) - Self
- Episode dated 14 September 1949 (1949) - Self
1949
The Robert Q. Lewis Christmas Show (TV Special) as
Self - Singer
1949
The Arrow Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 28 April 1949 (1949) - Self
Archive Footage
1954
The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) as
Bridget Batterson in 'Because You're Mine'
- MGM's 30th Anniversary Tribute (1954) - Bridget Batterson in 'Because You're Mine'