Nancy Walters

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Walters on Strike It Rich in 1957

Nancy Walters (born Nancy Driver[1] on June 26, 1933 – September 29, 2009) was an American model, actress and minister.

Early years[edit]

Walters was born in Mount Plymouth, Florida, and brought up near Mount Plymouth and Zellwood, Florida.[2] A bone infection that was incurred when she was four years old prevented her from standing until her teenage years.[3] When she was seven years old, she spent eight months in a hospital for treatment of the infection.[4] After she finished high school, she went to secretarial school and took a business law class, both of which were in line with her plans to be a lawyer's secretary.[5]

Career[edit]

Her career in modeling included appearances in magazines, including Glamour, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar,[5] and Mademoiselle.[6]

In 1955, Walters left modeling and began working on the NBC game show The Big Payoff.[7] In 1958 she was also on the CBS show Strike It Rich.[8]

Walters polished her acting skills in productions at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.[9] On Broadway, she performed as a singer in Ankles Aweigh (1955).[10] A 1957 newspaper article described her as a protege of Bernie Wayne.[11]

In 1960, Walters signed a film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with her first film for that studio being Bells Are Ringing (1960).[12] She was in several movies including Blue Hawaii, The Singing Nun and Monster on the Campus. Over the years she was a guest star on several television shows, including 77 Sunset Strip, Gunsmoke, The Monkees, and Get Smart.[13] Her film and television career ended after 1967.

After her husband was killed in Vietnam, Walters joined an evangelical group.[14] She became an ordained minister and was living in Las Vegas, Nevada when she died at the age of 76.[15]

Personal life[edit]

On March 10, 1962, Walters married Lt. Paul Warren Payne, a jet pilot in the U.S. Navy, in Las Vegas, Nevada.[16]

Recognition[edit]

Walters was one of 13 actresses selected as Deb Stars of 1958.[17]

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1967 The Monkees Assistant #1 S1:E24, "Monkees a la Mode"

References[edit]

  1. ^ Wadsworth, Charlie (June 13, 1961). "Hush Puppies". The Orlando Sentinel. Florida, Orlando. p. 18. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ "In Movies". The Orlando Sentinel. Florida, Orlando. January 31, 1958. p. 3. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Nancy Walters". Williamsport Sun-Gazette. Pennsylvania, Williamsport. September 22, 1959. p. 9. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Rand, Sumner (June 5, 1960). "Nancy Walters Gets Her Big Chance". The Orlando Sentinel. Florida, Orlando. p. 46. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ a b "Star Once A Cripple". Quad-City Times. Iowa, Davenport. October 30, 1960. p. 64. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Elvis' Women;Nancy Walters". Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  7. ^ Wilson, Earl (November 12, 1955). "It Happened Last Night". Courier-Post. New Jersey, Camden. p. 5. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ "Nancy Walters: The Private Life". Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  9. ^ "Nancy Walters Gets Contract at MGM". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. June 3, 1959. p. 41. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ^ "Nancy Walters". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Career Looms". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. March 9, 1957. p. 23. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  12. ^ "Contract for Model". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. May 11, 1960. p. 13. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ^ "Internet Movie Database". IMDb. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  14. ^ Campbell, Ramsey (February 16, 2003). "Acting Bug Bites Again". The Orlando Sentinel. Florida, Orlando. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  15. ^ "Elvis' Women:Nancy Walters". Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  16. ^ "Nancy Walters Weds Jet Pilot In Las Vegas". Orlando Evening Star. Florida, Orlando. April 2, 1962. p. 3. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  17. ^ "Future Stars". Idaho State Journal. Idaho, Pocatello. September 28, 1958. p. 32. Retrieved July 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon