Toon Talk Legacy: Peggy Lee
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After Lady, Lee then turned to film acting, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress playing a boozy blues singer in Pete Kelly's Blues in 1956. But in addition to her role opposite Danny Thomas in 1952's The Jazz Singer, her film career was short-lived, mostly appearing as herself in musical compilations.
No, she was meant for the stage and the recording studio: Lee recorded more then 600 songs, writing a good number of them herself. She was finally honored by the Grammys in 1969, winning the award for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance for "Is That All There Is?".
Lee starred in her own autobiographical solo show on Broadway in 1983, titled simply Peg. The show played at the Lunt-Fontaine Theatre for 18 performances.
In 1991 she returned to Disney, but in a different role: as litigator. She successfully sued the company for royalties from the profits of the sale of Lady and the Tramp on videocassette. It was a landmark case that earned the singer $2.3 million. As recently as this past month Lee was also named in a case against the Decca Records label for back royalties due.
Lee suffered from ill-health throughout her career, including diabetes and heart trouble. She survived four angioplasties, a double-bypass surgery and a 1998 stroke that left her speech impaired.
She is survived by her daughter, three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
• • •
"Spirit of Love and Child of Peace
Love unending that shall not cease
Peace, my children of good will
Peace, my children, peace, be still."
-- "Peace on Earth"
Words and Music by Sonny Burke and Peggy Lee
From Walt Disney's Lady and the Tramp.
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-- Kirby C. Holt
Kirby is a lifelong Disney fan and film buff. A frequent contributer to the LaughingPlace.com Discussion Boards, he currently resides near one of the Happiest Places on Earth: Orlando, Florida.
Took Talk: Disney Film & Video Reviews by Kirby C. Holt is posted whenever there's something new to review.
The opinions expressed by our Kirby C. Holt, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted January 25, 2002