Polly Bergen

Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin July 14, 1930-September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer and entrepreneur. She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan in The Helen Morgan Story. For her stage work, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Carlotta Campion in Follies in 2001. Her film work included 1962's Cape Fear and 1963's The Caretakers, for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama. She hosted her own variety show for one season The Polly Bergen Show and as an author wrote three books on beauty, fashion and charm.

Early Life
Bergen was born in Knoxville, Tennesse to Lucy (nee Lawhorn) and William Hugh Burgin, a construction engineer. "Bill Burgin", (as he was later known) had singing talent and appeared with his daughter in several episodes of her 18-episode NBC comedy/variety show The Polly Bergen Show, which aired during the 1957-1958 television season.

Career
Bergen appeared in many film roles, most notably in the original Cape Fear (1962) opposite Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. She had roles in three Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis comedy films in the early 1950s. At War with the Army, That's My Boy and The Stooge. Bergen's later roles included Mrs. Vernon-Williams in Cry-Baby a John Waters film.

Bergen received an Emmy Award for her portrayal of singer Helen Morgan in the episode The Helen Morgan Story of the 1950s television series Playhouse 90. Signed to Columbia Records, she enjoyed a successful recording career during this era as well. In the 1950s, she was also known as "The Pepsi Cola Girl" having done a series of commercials for that product.

She was a regular panelist on the CBS game show To Tell the Truth during its original run. She also appeared on the NBC interview program Here's Hollywood. In 1963, Bergen co-starred with Doris Day and James Garner in the film comedy, Move Over, Darling. She earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Rhoda Henry, wife of Capt. "Pug" Henry (played by Mitchum) in two ABC miniseries, The Winds of War and its sequel, War and Remembrance.

She starred in a 2001 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Follies at the Belasco Theater and received a Tony Award nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Bergen played Fran Felstein on HBO's The Sopranos the former mistress of Tony Soprano's father and former mistress of John F. Kennedy. From 2007 until 2011, Bergen had a guest role in Desperate Housewives as Lynette Scavo's mother, Stella Wingfield, which earned her an Emmy Award nomination.

She was a semi-regular cast member of Commander-in-Chief (2006) as the mother of Mackenzie Allen, the President of the United States (played by Geena Davis). Bergen herself had once played the first female President of the United States as President Lesile McCloud in the 1964 film, Kisses for My President. Another late appearance came in the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation, Candles of Street Bay (2006), in which she played the assistant to a husband-and-wife team of veternarians.

Personal Life
In 1965, Bergen created the Polly Bergen cosmetics line. She also created lines of jewelry and shoe brands and authored three books of beauty.

Bergen converted to Judaism. after marrying Hollywood agent Freddie Fields, with whom she had two adopted children Pamela Kerry Fields and Peter William Fields. She had previously been a Southern Baptist.

Bergen's niece is television producer Wendy Riche.

Bergen was a liberal-minded, politically active Democrat and feminist.

Death
Bergen died of natural causes on September 20, 2014 at her home in Southbury, Connecticut. Surrounded by her family and close friends. She had been diagnosed with emphysema and other aliments in the late 1990s.

Shows appeared
To Tell the Truth

Password All-Stars

What's My Line?

The Game Game

Hollywood Squares

Celebrity Sweepstakes

Link
Polly Bergen - Madame President