Juliet Prowse Biography 

South African dancer and actress Juliet Prowse started her career with two major film hits, Can-Can and G.I. Blues. While she remained involved in film and television for many years after, Prowse will always be remembered for her dancing, her unusually long legs, and her temptress smile.

Juliet Anne Prowse was born September 25, 1936 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. Her parents both hailed from South Africa.

By the time she was four years old, Prowse was already interested in dance and had begun studying it formally. After years of training in that arena, Prowse found herself in her twenties and dancing in a Parisian nightclub. It was here that Prowse was first discovered by a talent scout.

Informing Prowse that there was money to be made in Hollywood, she was enlisted in Can-Can, the 1960 Walter Lang film. She appeared beside Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, and Maurice Chevalier.

Playing the role of Claudine, Prowse received criticism from Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev when she performed her patented can-can for the politician. A particularly racy version, Khrushchev labeled the dance immoral. While some projected that the comments would be a hindrance to her career, Prowse instead received a great deal of exposure in the United States.

With the aid of the “scandal,” Prowse quickly became a star.

Her next role came in G.I. Blues. Released in 1960, Prowse shared the screen with Elvis Presley.

For the next ten years, Prowse was a staple among television programs and films. In particular, she is known for her 1965 television comedy Mona McCluskey. Running until 1966, Prowse appeared beside Denny Miller.

On the film front, Prowse is remembered for her work as Norah Dain in Who Killed Teddy Bear. Released in 1965, she shared the screen with Sal Mineo, Elaine Stritch, and Tom Aldredge.

Outside of the big screen, Prowse had a lucrative and long-running stint in Las Vegas with shows such as Sweet Charity.

She also received exposure by appearing in L’eggs commercials, which of course featured her trademark legs.

In her personal life, Prowse was romantically linked to some of the most famous figures in American popular culture.

In 1960, she briefly dated G.I. Blues costar Presley before starting up a relationship with Sinatra. The couple even became engaged in 1962 but eventually called it off.

She was then said to date Eddie Fisher before marrying Eddie Frazier in 1969. They were together until 1970 when they divorced.

Her second marriage was to John McCook from 1972 to 1979. They had one child before divorcing.

Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1994, Prowse battled the illness. By 1995, she was in remission and even briefly toured with Mickey Rooney. During this time, Prowse and McCook were said to reconcile their relationship.

The illness eventually returned, however, and Prowse passed away on September 14, 1996.