Posted on 06/28/2009 2:17:49 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
LOS ANGELES – Gale Storm, whose wholesome appearance and perky personality made her one of early television's biggest stars on "My Little Margie" and "The Gale Storm Show," has died at age 87.
Storm, who had been in failing health in recent years, died Saturday at a convalescent hospital, said her son, Peter Bonnell.
Before landing the starring role in "My Little Margie" in 1952, Storm starred in numerous B movies opposite such stars as Roy Rogers, Eddie Albert and Jackie Cooper. After her last TV series, "The Gale Storm Show," ended in 1960 she went on to a successful singing career while continuing to make occasional TV appearances.
Storm was a Texas high schooler named Josephine Owaissa Cottle when she entered a talent contest for a radio show called "Gateway to Hollywood" in 1940. She was brought to Los Angeles for the finals, where her wholesome vivacity won over the radio audience and she was awarded a movie contract.
The contest's male winner was a lanky would-be actor named Lee Bonnell, who would later become her husband.
Given the quirky name Gale Storm, she went from contracts with RKO to Monogram to Universal, appearing in such low-budget films as "Where Are Your Children?" with Cooper and "Tom Brown's School Days" with Freddie Bartholomew.
She was often cast in westerns as the girl the cowboy left behind, and appeared in such B-movie oaters as "The Dude Goes West" with Albert, "The Kid from Texas" with Audie Murphy and "The Texas Rangers" with George Montgomery.
"I was really scared of horses," she admitted in 2000. "I only rode them because that's what you had to do."
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Well, she made it past 50 at least...
R.I.P. I’m old enough to remember those programs. It was another time and a vastly different culture.
OK, we our second triad of Billy Mays and Gale Storm. Who will be the third?
I always thought she was pretty and loved her TV shows. I had not heard or thought of her in many years.
Miss peomeroy was a good character and so was Margie.
They used to run old “My Little Margie” reruns and silent films after school here during my elementary school years. I loved that show. I hope she had a happy life.
I hear you knockin’, but you can’t come in.
Me too. My uncle dated her.
Yes indeed.
My sister and I loved watching her shows. She was great. Rest in Peace Gail Storm.
RIP, Gale.
My God, it just doesn’t stop, does it?
What an awful month.
Ditto to what you said.
Gale Storm?
Sounds like the leading lady in a pornographic weatherman flick!
Her last appearance on TV was in 2002 for a 20th Century Fox documentary.
Her last time in a role on TV was 1989 in Murder She Wrote.
Well, it can’t be Keith Richards; he’s been dead for years.
Wow, had no idea she was still alive. Loved her show as a kid. Dad one day jumped up and turned it off and wouldn’t let us watch it anymore because “shows like that are teaching you kids how to lie.”
Rest in Peace, Gale.
She was a lovely lady.
The third could be Jeff Goldblum, unless he has enough sense to stay away from cliffs in New Zealand.
parsy, who has fallen for that dumb story twice now!
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