Eileen Rodgers

American singer and Broadway performer. Born July 10, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Died July 13, 2003 in Charlotte, North Carolina (73 years old) She began her career as a nightclub performer, later singing as lead vocalist with Charlie Spivak's orchestra. She later recorded more than 30 singles and two LPs for Columbia Records. She charted in 1956 with the song "Miracle of Love", which rose to #19 on the U.S. charts. Her Broadway debut was in 1959's Fiorello!, where she sang the show-stopping "Gentleman Jimmy". In 1960, she appeared in Tenderloin. Two years later, in 1962, she headed the off-Broadway revival cast of Cole Porter's Anything Goes in the role of Reno Sweeney. The show won the New York Outer Circle Critics' Award as Best Revival of 1962. In 1965, Rodgers appeared in the infamous musical flop Kelly which closed on Broadway after one performance. She served as a standby for Ethel Merman in the 1966 revival of Annie Get Your Gun. She was a frequent guest on television variety shows.