Mitzi Gaynor, iconic entertainer and “South Pacific” star, dead at 93

The lively actress, singer, and dancer Mitzi Gaynor, who featured in South Pacific and other golden age musicals, died at the age of 93, making her one of the last remaining stars of classic Hollywood.

According to Rene Reyes and Shane Rosamonda, Gaynor’s managers, the actress passed away in Los Angeles from natural causes.

“We express our gratitude to her friends, admirers, and the innumerable crowds she delighted during her lengthy life as we commemorate her legacy,” they said in a statement.

“Your love, support, and gratitude were a sustaining gift in her life and meant a great deal to her.”

Mitzi Gaynor publicity portrait for 1958 film ‘South Pacific’. (Photo by Screen Archives/Getty Images).

Gaynor, who was born in Chicago on September 4, 1931, started singing and dancing at a young age. At the age of 17, she secured a deal with Twentieth Century Fox. She made her screen debut in My Blue Heaven in the 1950s and soon became a household name.

One of the biggest “triple threats” in classic Hollywood, Gaynor costarred with some of the biggest cinema stars and was a major attraction in many of the era’s hit musicals thanks to her energy and charm as well as her singing, dancing, and acting skills. Bloodhounds of Broadway, Anything Goes, There’s No Business Like Show Business, and Les Girls are some of her well-known movies.

However, Gaynor’s most well-known role was in the 1958 motion picture adaptation of the popular Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific.

Gaynor sang well-known songs including “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “A Cockeyed Optimist,” and “A Wonderful Guy” while playing the lead role of Nellie Forbush. For her performance, she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Mitzi Gaynor in a still from the South Pacific movie’s promotional campaign. (Image via Getty Images by Herbert Dorfman/Corbis)
After making her final movie appearance in 1963, Gaynor successfully rebranded herself as a live performer. Her act was a big hit in Las Vegas during the 1960s and 1970s, and she had a number of extravagantly made TV specials. She performed well into her latter years.

One of Hollywood’s last remaining legends, Mitzi Gaynor, will always be remembered for her iconic roles in musicals like South Pacific. May she rest in peace.