Margaret O'Rene "Peggy" Ryan (August 28, 1924 – October 30, 2004) was an American dancer, best known for starring in a series of movie musicals at Universal Pictures with Donald O'Connor and Gloria Jean.She joined her parents' vaudeville act, "The Merry Dancing Ryans," before she was two years old. Her singing, acting, and dancing skills were noticed by song-and-dance actor George Murphy, who helped her get a role in 1937's Top of the Town. She continued working in small roles until 1942, when she had a solo number in the feature film What's Cookin'?. The Gloria Jean-Donald O'Connor-Peggy Ryan team were a great hit with audiences and exhibitors, and the three teens made five features together. Ryan's screen character in these films was usually brash, wisecracking, and boy-crazy. In 1944 Peggy Ryan advanced to more elaborate productions, in support of Jack Oakie and Abbott and Costello.She left Universal in 1945 and married James Cross that same year; they were divorced in 1952. She returned to the screen with dancer Ray McDonald for 1949's There's a Girl in My Heart and Shamrock Hill, and 1953's All Ashore. They wed in 1953 and toured together in a nightclub act before being divorced in 1957. Her third marriage, in 1958, was to Hawaii columnist Eddie Sherman, following which she left movies for choreography and semi-retirement. Sherman adopted her two children from her previous marriages. On television, she played a recurring role as secretary Jenny Sherman in Hawaii Five-O from 1969 to 1976.In later years she trained Las Vegas showgirls in tap dancing. Her last public performance, at her 80th birthday party, was a hilarious song-and-dance routine for her former Universal studio colleagues. She continued to teach tap until two days before her death at the age of 80 from the effects of two strokes.She was survived by two children and five grandchildren.
[about the many movie musicals she made with Donald O'Connor in the 1940s] I was 19 forever. In the meantime, I had married, had a baby and divorced.
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Fact
1
Organized and was leader of a group of older women dancers called "Peg's Leg's" that entertained around Las Vegas. Was the daughter of vaudevillian parents, The Dancing Ryans. Made movie debut at age five.
2
She was still teaching and entertaining until just a few days prior to her admission to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas on September 24,2004 where she passed away on October 30, 2004. Peggy Ryan was 80 years old.
3
Longest recurring role was that of "Jenny Sherman", Steve McGarrett's (Jack Lord) secretary on the longest running police show Hawaii Five-O (1968). She was on the show from 1969 until 1976. The series ended in 1980.
4
Her son James "Spike" Cross from her marriage to actor James Cross died in an automobile accident in 1987.
5
In the movie All the President's Men (1976), both 'Donald O'Connor' and Peggy's daughters play secretaries who work side by side in the scene.
6
Has three children, one from each husband. Her son by third husband Eddie Sherman, Shawn Edward Arthur (later Sean Serman), is adopted and part Hawaiian, Chinese and Caucasian. Her other two children are son James Cross, a songwriter, and daughter Kerry Sherman.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
Simon & Simon
1983
TV Series
Gina - Telephone Operator
Pleasure Palace
1980
TV Movie
Elderly Woman
Hawaii Five-O
1968-1976
TV Series
Jenny / Millie / Mildred
The Spike Jones Show
1954
TV Series
All Ashore
1953
Gay Night
All Star Revue
1951
TV Series
Guest Dancer
There's a Girl in My Heart
1949
Sally Mullin
Shamrock Hill
1949
Eileen Rogan
Men in Her Diary
1945
Doris Mann
On Stage Everybody
1945
Molly Sullivan
That's the Spirit
1945
Sheila Gogarty
Patrick the Great
1945
Judy Watkin
Here Come the Co-eds
1945
Patty Gayle
Bowery to Broadway
1944
Specialty Number
Babes on Swing Street
1944
Trudy Costello
The Merry Monahans
1944
Patsy Monahan
This Is the Life
1944
Sally McGuire
Follow the Boys
1944
Peggy Ryan
Chip Off the Old Block
1944
Peggy Flaherty
Top Man
1943
Jane Warren
Mister Big
1943
Peggy
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
1942
Dusty
Get Hep to Love
1942
Betty Blake
Give Out, Sisters
1942
Peggy
Miss Annie Rooney
1942
Myrtle
Private Buckaroo
1942
Peggy
Girls' Town
1942
Penny
What's Cookin'?
1942
Peggy
Varsity Vanities
1940
Short
Sailor's Lady
1940
Ellen
The Grapes of Wrath
1940
Hungry Girl (uncredited)
She Married a Cop
1939
Trudy
The Flying Irishman
1939
Miss Edith Corrigan - Doug's Sister (uncredited)
A Night at the Troc
1939
Short
Billy Rose's Casa Mañana Revue
1938
Short
Peggy Dixon
The Women Men Marry
1937
Mary Jane
Top of the Town
1937
Peggy
The Wedding of Jack and Jill
1930
Short
Jill
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
All Ashore
1953
performer: "I Love No One But You", "Boy Meets Girl / Catalina"
That's the Spirit
1945
performer: "How Come You Do Me Like You Do?", "No Matter Where You Are", "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?", "Evenin' Star"
Here Come the Co-eds
1945
performer: "Jumping On A Saturday Night", "Let's Play House"
Bowery to Broadway
1944
performer: "He Took Her for a Sleigh Ride" - uncredited
The Merry Monahans
1944
performer: "We're Having a Wonderful Time", "Stop Foolin'", "I Hate to Lose You", "Impersonations", "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows", "In My Merry Oldsmobile", "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?", "The Old Folks at Home", "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny", "I Love You, California", "Some of These Days", "Rose Room" - uncredited
This Is the Life
1944
performer: "Yippee-I-Voot", "Gremlin Walk", "You're a Lollapalooza" - uncredited
Follow the Boys
1944
performer: "Kittens With Their Mittens Laced" - uncredited
Top Man
1943
performer: "Samba Sue From Paducah"
Mister Big
1943
performer: "All the Things I Want To Say", "Rude, Crude and Unattractive", "Thee and Me", "Come Along My Mandy", "Hi, Character", "The Spirit Is In Me", "Kitten With My Mittens Laced"
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
1942
performer: "The Yanks Are Coming"
Get Hep to Love
1942
performer: "Let's Hitch a Horsie To The Automobile"
Private Buckaroo
1942
performer: "James Session" - uncredited
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
ShirleyMania
2002
TV Movie documentary
Herself
Here's Hollywood
1961
TV Series
Herself
The Mickey Mouse Club
1956
TV Series
Herself
Val Parnell's Startime
1956
TV Series
Herself
Tonight!
1955
TV Series
Herself
Stage Show
1954
TV Series
Herself
The Saturday Night Revue
1954
TV Series
Herself
The George Jessel Show
1954
TV Series
Herself
All Star Revue
1952
TV Series
Herself - Dancer
Songs for Sale
1952
TV Series
Herself
Texaco Star Theatre
1949-1952
TV Series
Herself - Dancer / Herself - Actress
The Saturday Night Revue with Jack Carter
1950
TV Series
Herself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Universal Musical Short 3655: Singin' and Swingin'