Hosting paid for by Montgomery lenders
.
Pretty Perky Peggy King
 
Life and Career, Year by Year - 1956
.Click any image to enlarge..
On January 21st and 22nd, Peggy visited Fort Sill, Oklahoma to entertain the servicemen stationed there.  Here she is shown with Major General Edward J. Williams in charge of the installation and Peggy's official host. 
Major General Williams welcomes Peggy, comedian Johnny Grant, Peggy's accompanist Eddy Samuels and Dave Melnick. 
Peggy and her accompanist Eddy Samuels entertain the boys at Fort Sill.
Peggy King, the pert, red-haired singing star of the George Gobel Show, entertained the enlisted men of the Artillery and Guided Missile Center, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where she appeared for two shows Saturday night at Theater 3.  Her visit to Fort Sill was sponsored by the Music and Entertainment Section of Special Services. 
(Official U.S. Army photo by Bill M. Blunck with its original caption)
Peggy King, singing star of the George Gobel Show, and comedian Johnny Grant from Hollywood station KMPC are shown on stage at Theater 3, where they presented a show for the enlisted men of the Artillery and Guided Missile Center, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.   
(Official U.S. Army photo by Bill M. Blunck with its original caption from January 22, 1956)
Sp2 Clinton H. Gilmore, A Btry, 553d FA Bn, post Soldier of the Month for January, receives warm congratulations from Peggy King.  Peggy King was on a two-day visit to the Artillery and Guided Missile Center, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.   
(Official U.S. Army photo by Bill M. Blunck with its original caption from January 23, 1956) 
Peggy King visited a unit of Army Aviation Unit Training Command during her tour of Fort Sill, Oklahoma.  Here she is admiring the Bell H-13 helicopter which is used in the "Cecil the Clown" act during demonstrations of precision flying.   
(Official U.S. Army photo by Bill M. Blunck with its original caption from January 23, 1956)
Pfc Weldon Garrett, 617th Field Cadre, along with other members of the 617th, were pleasantly surprised by the new look added to their noon mess line.  Serving chow were Peggy King, Eddy Samuels, her accompanist, and Johnny Grant, West Coast comedian and disc jockey.   
(Official U.S. Army photo by Bill M. Blunck with its original caption from January 23, 1956.)
Peggy King, TV singing star on the George Gobel Show, serves coffee to members of the 617th FA Obsr Bn at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, following lunch in the battalion mess hall.  At right is Pfc Jim Paxton and at left, Pvt. George Yankura, Flash Ranging Instructors in the battalion.   
(Original U.S. Army photo by Bill M. Blunck with its original caption from January 23, 1956)
Peggy visits the infirmary at Fort Sill to chat with patients and staff.
Peggy King visits with Pfc Joseph Gerber, a patient in the U.S. Army Hospital, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.  Here she is admiring the belt which Pfc Gerber is weaving.  
(Official U.S. Army photo by Bill M. Blunck with its original caption from January 23, 1956)
The February issue of Compact, the Young People's Digest, carried a short article about Peggy and just how she became part of the George Gobel Show.
The February issue of TV World magazine featured a three-page article about Peggy in New York entitled Little Girl In A Whirl  
Peggy captured in a pensive, meditative pose as she pauses for a moment backstage at the George Gobel Show.
Peggy emerges from the dressing room of Leslie Caron backstage at the George Gobel Show.
Peggy strikes a pose after, as she says, she was carried away by the costume.   
This time the birthday party is for the boss man, George Gobel himself.  Among members of the cast and crew surrounding George and Peggy is the familiar face of the always dapper actor Adolph Monjou.  Also in the picture are "Crazy" Jack Douglas, Hal Kantor, John Scott Trotter and Bud Yorkin.
Peggy with famed character actor Ernest Borgnine in this sketch from the George Gobel Show   
Peggy says that she felt ill at ease holding the gun on Gerogre during this skit on the George Gobel Show.   
Peggy as her beloved alter ego Puppet Margaret that she often played on the George Gobel Show.  Peggy would later incorporate the character into her nightclub act.
Peggy as Puppet Margaret along with a friend on an episode of the George Gobel Show.
Peggy the Puppet gets ready to kick her rival for George's affections on the George Gobel Show.
Peggy and George clown for the camera behind the scenes at the George Gobel Show   
Peggy studies her new fancy hat.   
The May 1956 issue of the popular compact magazine of the era called Coronet carried a nine-page illustrated article on Peggy's return visit to her hometown of Ravenna, Ohio.  Click on Peggy's picture at left to read the entire article.
During her visit to Ravenna for the Coronet magazine shoot, Peggy pauses to have breakfast at home with her parents.  
On June 21st Peggy traveled to San Francisco's Presidio to entertain the servicemen then stationed there.  Looking on is actress Ruta Lee, whom Peggy would meet for the first time during Peggy's appearance at the Fairmont Hotel.  Peggy and Ruta would become lifelong friends.
Peggy sings to patients at the Presidio's infirmary to the accompaniment of Eddy Samuels, while Ruta Lee looks on approvingly.
The July issue of TV Radio Mirror magazine featured a lengthy illustrated article about Peggy. 
Peggy appearing at New York's La Vie Supper Club 
Peggy is joined here by fellow Columbia Records recording artists Mitch Miller, Guy Mitchell, Percy Faith, Lu Ann Sims and Tony Bennett in a cross-country tour designated the Flying Crusade on behalf of the American Cancer Society.  
Peggy joins friend Leo Durocher at a television station in Omaha on a local homemakers' program featuring Durocher's own "chicken chip salad."
Peggy and Leo chat with the host of the program about Leo's "chicken chip salad."
The September 1956 issue of TV Headliner magazine carried an article entitled The Other Man in Peggy's Life.  The subject of the article with this provocative title was neither George Gobel nor Peggy's real husband Knobby Lee but Eddy Samuels, Peggy's piano accompanist throughout most of her professional career.  Click on Peggy's image at left to read the entire story. 
Peggy sings You Came a Long Way from St. Louis on the set of the movie Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy.
The marquee of West Hollywood's famous nightclub often displayed the name of one of the club's favorites.
Peggy is captured in the spotlight singing at the Mocambo on one of her many appearances there.
The exact origin of this picture, one of the few of Peggy in full color from the era, is unknown.
 
 
Gallery   Home