Peggy Lee

Peggy Lee

Personal information

Known for
Acting
Known credits
57
Gender
Female
Born
May 26, 1920
Died
January 21, 2002
Place of birth
Jamestown, New York, USA
Also known as
Norma Deloris Egstrom

Biography

Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer and actress, in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and performer. She wrote music for films, acted, and created conceptual record albums—encompassing poetry, jazz, chamber pop, and art songs.

In 1952 Lee starred in The Jazz Singer, a Technicolor remake of the early Al Jolson part-talkie 1927 film of the same name. In 1955, she played an alcoholic blues singer in Pete Kelly's Blues, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. In 1955 she did the speaking and singing voices for several characters in Disney's Lady and the Tramp: she played the human "Darling", the dog "Peg", and the two Siamese cats "Si and Am". In 1957, Lee guest starred on the short-lived ABC variety program, The Guy Mitchell Show.

Lee continued to perform into the 1990s, sometimes using a wheelchair. After years of poor health, she died of complications from diabetes and a heart attack at the age of 81.

Popular

Lady and the Tramp
Movie
1955

Lady and the Tramp

Movie · 1955

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Show
1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Show · 1962

The Oscars
Show
1953

The Oscars

Show · 1953

Tom Thumb
Movie
1958

Tom Thumb

Movie · 1958

The Carol Burnett Show
Show
1967

The Carol Burnett Show

Show · 1967

Pete Kelly's Blues
Movie
1955

Pete Kelly's Blues

Movie · 1955