Matinee Classics - Sheree North Biography & Filmography

Sheree North ACTOR

SHEREE NORTH BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Sheree North was born on January 17th, 1932 in Los Angeles, California with the birth name Dawn Shirley Crang, born to June Shoard and Richard Crang.

Her career in entertainment began as dancer in USO shows during World War II when she was only ten years old. She continued working as a dancer in a number of clubs before she broke into he film industry with her debut in 1951 on, "Excuse My Dust".

This role followed with work as a chorus girl in the film, "Here Come the Girls" (1953) and "Living it Up" (1954). She also was cast in her first role on Broadway in a production of, "Hazel Flagg" a role for which she won a Theatre World Award.

North was then signed by 20th Century Fox and she began working on such films as, "How to Be Very, Very Popular" (1955). 20th Century had all intentions to make North be a competitor with Marilyn Monroe and died her hair bleach blonde and capitalized on North's physical appearance.

She was soon being offered guest television appearances on such shows as, "What's My line?", "Playhouse 90", "The Witness", "The Untouchables", "Gunsmoke", "Breaking Point", "The Great Adventure" and "Ben Casey".

In addition to her numerous television roles she continued to add such film credits to her resume as, "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (1956), "The Way to the Gold" and "No Down Payment" (both 1957).

As her career in the industry progressed and she left 20th Century Fox she remained adding such film roles as, "Destination Inner Space" (1966), "The Trouble with Girls" (1969) starring Elvis Presley, "Charley Varrick" (1973), "The Shootist" (1976) starring John Wayne in his last film, "Breakout" (1975) and roles on television series such as, "Hawaii Five-O", "Magnum P.I.", "The Golden Girls", "I'm a Big Girl Now", "Bay City Blues" and "Seinfeld", playing Kramer's mother.

Her last role was in 1998 in the film, "Susan's Plan" and a final stage appearance in, 'The Glass Menagerie" at the Laguna-Moulton Playhouse on January 3rd, 2000.

Sheree North married four times during her lifetime. First at the tender age of fifteen to Fred Bessire in 1948 and together they had one child when she was only sixteen years old before the marriage ended in 1952. She then married John M. Freeman in 1955 however this marriage ended shortly after. Her third husband was Dr. Gerhardt Sommer whom she married in 1958 and also had one child with before she was once again divorced by 1963. Her fourth and final husband was Phillip Alan Norman who she married in 2003 and they were together until she passed away on November 4th, 2005 in Los Angeles, California after suffering from complications due to cancer surgery.

Filmography

1998 Susan's Plan

1995-1998 Seinfeld

1991 Defenseless

1991 Dead on the Money

1990 Cold Dog Soup

1985-1989 The Golden Girls

1989 Hunter

1989 Freddy's Nightmares

1989 Jake Spanner, Private Eye

1988 Maniac Cop

1987 Murder, She Wrote