Janet Blair

Janet Blair Headshot

Singer • Actress

Birth Date: April 23, 1921

Death Date: February 19, 2007

Birth Place: Altoona, Pennsylvania

Vivacious, honey-haired former band singer who turned to films after band leader Hal Kemp's death. Blair signed with Columbia and made her debut in "Three Girls on the Town" (1941). She gave one of her best performances as the title character, a slightly vacuous, man-attracting beauty, opposite plain-jane sister Rosalind Russell in the lively "My Sister Eileen" (1942), a romantic comedy of two sisters who move from Ohio to New York City's Greenwich Village.

After a number of disappointing films and roles, Blair left film in 1948 and later had great success on stage in the touring production of "South Pacific" (1950-52). She also briefly replaced Nanette Fabray as Sid Caesar's "wife" on "Caesar's Hour" (1956-57). Blair made a handful of films in the 1950s and 60s, the best of which was the moody horror drama, "Burn, Witch, Burn/Night of the Eagle" (1962), in which she played a wife who resorts to witchcraft. She also co-starred with Henry Fonda on the short-lived TV series, "The Smith Family" (1971-72).

Credits

The Best of The Ed Sullivan Show

Self
Show
2023

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Bertie
Series
1984

Fantasy Island

Guest Star
Series
1978

The Smith Family

Actor
Betty Smith
Series
1971

Marcus Welby, M.D.Stream

Guest Star
Mrs. Carter
Series
1969

The Family Band

Actor
Katie Bower
Movie
1968

The Outer LimitsStream

Actor
Series
1963
92%

Boys' Night OutStream

Actor
Marge Drayton
Movie
1962

Burn, Witch, Burn!Stream

Actor
Tansy Taylor
Movie
1962

Ben Casey

Guest Star
Series
1961

The Strawberry Blonde

Actor
Amy Lind
Show
1959

Texaco Command Performance

Self
Show
1957

Public Pigeon No. One

Actor
Edith Enders
Movie
1957

Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl

Actor
Show
1956

Screen Directors Playhouse

Actor
Show
1955

A Connecticut Yankee

Actor
Sandy
Show
1955

One Touch of Venus

Actor
Venus
Movie
1955

Climax!

Actor
Series
1954

The Elgin Hour

Actor
Show
1954

The United States Steel Hour

Actor
Peg St. Claire
Show
1953

The Larry Storch Show

Self
Show
1953

What's My Line?Stream

Guest
Game Show
1950

The Fuller Brush Man

Actor
Ann Elliot
Movie
1948

The Black Arrow

Actor
Joanna Sedley
Movie
1948

The Fabulous Dorseys

Actor
Jane Howard
Movie
1947

I Love TroubleStream

Actor
Norma Shannon
Movie
1947

Gallant Journey

Actor
Regina 'Ginny' Cleary
Movie
1946

Tars and Spars

Actor
Christine Bradley
Movie
1946

Tonight and Every Night

Actor
Judy Kane
Movie
1945

Once Upon a TimeStream

Actor
Jeannie Thompson
Movie
1944

Something to Shout About

Actor
Jeanie Maxwell
Movie
1943

My Sister Eileen

Actor
Eileen Sherwood
Movie
1942

Blondie Goes to CollegeStream

Actor
Laura Wadsworth
Movie
1942

Two Yanks in Trinidad

Actor
Patricia Dare
Movie
1942

Three Girls About Town

Actor
Charity Banner
Movie
1941