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Sandra Church

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sandra Church
Church in Eleventh Hour (1963)
Born (1937-01-13) January 13, 1937 (age 89)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
OccupationsActress, singer, artist
Years active1944–1964
Known forGypsy
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1964; div. 1975)​
Albert H. Clayburgh
​
​
(m. 1992; died 1997)​
RelativesMary Florence Denton (great-aunt)

Sandra Church (born January 13, 1937) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her performance as the original Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (1959),[1] for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She also co-starred with Marlon Brando in The Ugly American (1963).

Early years

[edit]

Church was born in San Francisco.[2] She was raised by her mother after her father's death before she was 2 years old. Outside of her work as a nurse, she focused on preparing Church for a career in entertainment, including dancing lessons beginning "almost as soon as I could walk".[3] Church's childhood included abstaining from "anything sweet, heavy, or starchy" to eat, wearing high, laced shoes "to keep my ankles small", and wearing sunbonnets.[3] Her hair was braided in long pigtails because her mother said they made a young girl more photogenic. Her physical activity was minimal to avoid the possibility of injury. She had to regularly practice tongue-twisters to improve her enunciation.[3]

Church's education included classe at an acting school and at Immaculate Heart.[3] She and her mother moved to Hollywood when Church was 5 because her mother "was certain that I was going to be a great big movie star."[2] During her childhood her mother took her for screen tests, resulting in small parts in several films. With the help of Queenie Smith she replaced Janice Rule in Picnic, leaving Immaculate Heart during her junior year to take that role on Broadway.[3]

Career

[edit]

Theatre

[edit]

From 1953 to 1959, Church played various ingénue roles in theatrical plays. In 1953, Church made her Broadway debut in the role of Madge Owens, replacing Janice Rule, in William Inge's Picnic with Ralph Meeker.[4][5][6] Her next performance was playing Sonya in Uncle Vanya (1956), an off-broadway production with Franchot Tone and Signe Hasso,[citation needed] followed by roles as Betsy Dean in Holiday for Lovers (1957) and Helen White in Winesburg, Ohio.[7]

Church's breakout performance came in 1959 as the original Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (1959),[1][8][9][10][11] for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In his autobiography, playwright Arthur Laurents states: "It came down to between Suzanne Pleshette and Sandra Church. Suzanne was the better actress, but Sandra was the better singer. We went with Sandra."[12] In Gypsy, Church introduced the popular standard "Let Me Entertain You."[13] Church obtained that role after five auditions. During the times between auditions she observed a performance by Tempest Storm, had a stripper teach her "the stripper's walk" and had a choreographer develop a routine for her.[14]

Following Gypsy, Church appeared in the 1960 Broadway play Under the Yum Yum Tree, directed by Joseph Anthony.[15]

Films and television

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Church's first on-screen appearance was on the Producers' Showcase, followed by the role of Jeannie in The Mugger (1958). She subsequently guest starred on the television series Look Up And Live (1959), as well as The DuPont Show of the Month in 1960. Three years later, she played Marion MacWhite in the film adaptation of Eugene Burdick and William Lederer's novel, The Ugly American (1963). Also in 1963, she appeared on television in The Eleventh Hour and Kraft Suspense Theatre.

Personal life

[edit]

In October 1961 it was widely reported that Church and Gypsy composer Jule Styne would marry, although this was untrue.[16] In November 1964, she married Broadway play producer Norman Twain in Bridgetown, Barbados at the home of stage designer Oliver Messel.[17] She was married to Albert H. 'Bill' Clayburgh from 1992 until his death in 1997.[7]

Church's great-aunt was educator Mary Florence Denton, a long-time faculty member at Doshisha University in Kyoto.[18]

Discography

[edit]
Year Title Label
1959
Gypsy: A Musical Fable
(Original Broadway Cast Recording)
1959
Let Me Entertain You
2011
Gypsy Meets Gypsy

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Kantor, Michael, and Laurence Maslon, Broadway: The American Musical, Bulfinch Press, New York, p. 286.
  2. 1 2 Thomas, Bob (December 11, 1961). "Sandra Church In Her First Film As Adult". Meriden Journal. Associated Press. p. 15. Retrieved August 9, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Early, Eleanor (September 13, 1959). "'Gypsy' Star Sandra Church: Her Theatrical Childhood Was Bitter". Sunday Standard-Times. Massachusetts, New Bedford. p. 22. Retrieved August 9, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Marill, Alvin H. More Theatre: Stage to Screen to Television, Vol II (M-Z), Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1993. p. 944
  5. ↑ Inge, William. Four Plays. New York: Grove Press, 1958. p. 73.
  6. ↑ Hawkins-Dady, Mark (Editor). International Dictionary of Theatre - 1: Plays, Chicago: St. James Press, 1992. pp. 613-14.
  7. 1 2 "Sandra Church". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on April 15, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  8. ↑ Barnes, Clive. "Gypsy Bounces Back With Zest and Lilt", New York Times, September 24, 1974
  9. ↑ Brantley, Ben. "New Momma Takes Charge" New York Times May 2, 2003.
  10. ↑ Rich, Frank. The Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980-1993, Random House, 1998, ISBN 0-679-45300-8
  11. ↑ "Sandra Church captures role of a stripper". Sarasota Journal. March 4, 1960. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
  12. ↑ Gates, Anita. NYTimes-21cnd-Pleshette "Suzanne Pleshette, 70, 'Newhart' Actress, Dies" (bio), The New York Times, January 21, 2008.
  13. ↑ Sondheim, Stephen, Finishing the Hat, New York: Alfred Knopf, 2010; ISBN 978-0-679-43907-3, pp. 58–77.
  14. ↑ Kleiner, Dick (March 2, 1960). "Five Auditions And Expert Coaching Won Sandra Church Role As Stripper In 'Gypsy'". Messenger & Inquirer. Kentucky, Owensboro. NEA. p. 3 B. Retrieved August 9, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Roman, Lawrence (1961). "Cast (in order of appearance)". Under the yum-yum tree: a new comedy. Dramatists Play Service, Inc. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  16. ↑ Toledo Blade, October 1961
  17. ↑ Profile of Sandra Church, Sarasota-Herald Tribune; accessed May 20, 2015.
  18. ↑ Stoneberg, David (January 24, 2008). "Japanese college honors a beloved missionary". Napa Valley Register. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
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