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Polly Bergen

Actor

Polly Bergen

Born July 14, 1930 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USADied September 20, 201445 films

Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin; July 14, 1930 – September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer and entrepreneur. She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan in The Helen Morgan Story. For her stage work, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Carlotta Campion in Follies in 2001. Her film work included Cape Fear (1962) and The Caretakers (1963), for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. She hosted her own weekly variety show for one season (The Polly Bergen Show), was a regular panelist on the TV game show To Tell The Truth and later in life had recurring roles in The Sopranos and Desperate Housewives. She wrote three books on beauty, fashion and charm. She is also the inspiration behind Mother Goose in The Land of Stories.

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Cape Fear posterFirst watchCape Fear19627.5as Peggy BowdenSam Bowden witnesses a rape committed by Max Cady and testifies against him. When released after 8 years in prison, Cady begins stalking Bowden and his family but is always clever enough…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Cry-Baby poster6.5Cry-Baby1990Struck by Lightning poster6.2Struck by Lightning2013The Men poster7.0The Men1950Champion poster6.7Champion1949Move Over, Darling poster6.7Move Over, Darling1963Escape from Fort Bravo poster6.3Escape from Fort Bravo1953At War with the Army poster5.3At War with the Army1950Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde poster4.7Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde1995

Filmography

45 films as actor
  1. 2013Struck by LightningGrandma
  2. 2006Candles on Bay StreetRosemary
  3. 2006A Very Serious PersonMrs. A
  4. 1996For HopeMolly Altman
  5. 1996In the Blink of an EyeMurial
  6. 1996Once Upon a Time... When We Were ColoredMiss Maybry
  7. 1995The SurrogateSandy Gilman
  8. 1995Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde
  9. 1994Leave of AbsenceJanet
  10. 1993Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep ScandalBarbara Fox
  11. 1991The Lightning IncidentCarol
  12. 1990Cry-BabyMrs. Vernon-Williams
  13. 1989My Brother's WifeMyra Gilbert
  14. 1989The Haunting of Sarah HardyEmily Thetford
  15. 1989Mother, MotherBarbara Cutler
  16. 1988She Was Marked for MurderLaura Lee Webster
  17. 1988Addicted to His LoveVivien Langford
  18. 1987Making Mr. RightEstelle Stone
  19. 1984VelvetMrs. Vance
  20. 1982Born BeautifulMarion Carmody
  21. 1981The Million Dollar FaceJo Burns
  22. 1978Li'l Abner in the Dogpatch TodayPhyllis Shoefly
  23. 1978How to Pick Up Girls!Dana Greenberg
  24. 1977TelethonDorothy Goodwin
  25. 1975Murder on Flight 502Mona Briarly
  26. 1974Death CruiseSylvia Carter
  27. 1973An Echo of TheresaSuzy Hunter
  28. 1967A Guide for the Married ManTechnical Adviser
  29. 1964Kisses for My PresidentLeslie McCloud
  30. 1963Move Over, DarlingBianca Steele
  31. 1963The CaretakersLorna Melford
  32. 1962Belle SommersBelle Sommers
  33. 1962Cape FearPeggy Bowden
  34. 1957The Helen Morgan StoryHelen Morgan
  35. 1953Escape from Fort BravoAlice Owens
  36. 1953ArenaRuth Danvers
  37. 1953Fast CompanyCarol Maldon
  38. 1953Cry of the HuntedJanet Tunner
  39. 1951WarpathMolly Quade
  40. 1951The StoogeMary Turner
  41. 1951That's My BoyBetty 'Babs' Hunter
  42. 1950At War with the ArmyHelen
  43. 1950The MenNightclub Singer (Uncredited)
  44. 1949Across The Rio GrandePolly Burgin
  45. 1949ChampionRadio and Jukebox Singer (voice) (uncredited)