Judy Holliday | |
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Judy Holliday in 1950.
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Born |
Judith Tuvim June 21, 1921 New York City, New York, U.S. |
Died | June 7, 1965 New York City, New York, U.S. |
(aged 43)
Cause of death | Breast cancer |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1938–63 |
Spouse(s) | David Oppenheim (m. 1948; div. 1958) |
Children | Jonathan Oppenheim |
Judy Holliday (June 21, 1921 – June 7, 1965) was an American actress, comedian, and singer.
She began her career as part of a nightclub act before working in Broadway plays and musicals. Her success in the 1946 stage production of Born Yesterday as "Billie Dawn" led to her being cast in the 1950 film version for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. She appeared regularly in films during the 1950s. She was noted for her performance on Broadway in the musical Bells Are Ringing, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and reprising her role in the 1960 film.
In 1952, Holliday was called to testify before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee to answer claims she was associated with communism.
Holliday was born Judith Tuvim (Hebrew: tovim means good, Yiddish: yomtoyvim means holidays, lit. "good days") in New York City, she was the only child of Abe Tuvim and Helen (née Gollomb) Tuvim, who were both of Russian Jewish descent. Her father was the Executive Director of the Foundation for the Jewish National Fund of America (1951-1958, his death from cancer).
She grew up in Sunnyside, Queens, New York, and graduated from Julia Richman High School. Her mother was previously divorced.