Gale Storm, perky star of 1950s TV, dies at 87

Source: Mercury News

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 in Danville, 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. . . .

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/natbreakingnews/ci_12709123

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Another Boomer icon is gone. She was a HUGE star back in the day.

Stupid, sexist show -- but, hey, what did we know in the 1950s?

Then, I'd watch 'The Millionaire.' Well, that was back when a million dollars meant something.

It helped me in learning to speak English

Well, American English. :) My Little Margie, Leave it to Beaver, The Donna Reed Show, Dennis the Menace, they really helped in understanding the culture at large. Though I was a little outdated with the lingo in the late '60s. It's really a pleasure to remember Storm.

but I recall being smitten with the vivacious young girls-next-door she portrayed in both shows.

R.I.P., Ms. Storm.

And Ann Southern ... duh can't remember the name of her show. LOL

RIP Margie you helped a little lonely girl grow up.

Thanks :rofl: :hug:

THE ANN SOTHERN SHOW!:rofl: :hi:

:kick: It's a lot harder to access the older folders in mental hard drive. And shit I'm only 59. Thank ain't old, is it?

Don't feel bad. I thought Gale Storm was already dead!:crazy: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Me too.

and it's getting harder for me.

we're forgetting because our hard disks are full, and they don't make our model anymore!

The first, and best known, was Private Secretary. The second was The Ann Sothern Show. However, when the series were resurrected by Nick-at-Nite in the 1980s, they retitled the first one The Ann Sothern Show as well.

She was the voice of the car in "My Mother, the Car", IIRC.

I couldn't remember ;)

RIP
She was always a delight to watch. One of the true hometown girl makes it big stories.

Even so, I never once saw her in person.

:evilgrin:

RIP, Margie. I watched your show as a child with my parents. Thanks for the good memories.

After my parents moved to Palm Springs in '65, I would see him all the time around the village. (That's what they called Palm Springs back then, the Village of Palm Springs). There's a heavily traveled street in PS named after him.

that show made me want to live in a New York apartment with an elevator and a doorman.

Later I wanted to be "That Girl" but, without the dorky boyfriend.

I never realized she was in westerns and on stage....thanks for posting. May she rest in peace.

May she rest in peace. ;(

always thought her name was cute--Gale Storm. From her real name, I wonder if she was part Native American.

"Josephine Owaissa Cottle (April 5, 1922 - June 27, 2009), better known as Gale Storm, was an American actress...

Storm was born in Bloomington, Texas. Her father, William Walter Cottle, died after a year-long illness when she was just 13 months old, and her mother, Minnie Corina Cottle, struggled to raise her five children alone. Josephine was the youngest, with two brothers and two sisters. A sister gave Storm her middle name of Owaissa, an American Indian word meaning "bluebird." '

I've been spending the evening tracking down elusive ancestors in my genealogy quest--it was pleasant to come back here and find someone who has worked as hard as I have today! Thanks!

My Little Margie, Ann Sothern, Our Miss Brooks, December Bride.

Who starred in "Oh Susannah"?

on edit, after clicking on the link- I guess I'm thinking of the "Gale Storm Show".

Thanks.

Mr. Peepers, as well.

but I can't quite place him.

Tony Randall was his pal in the series.

But I DO remember the song, "Jeepers, creepers, where'd you get those peepers?"

God I am old.

PS- Well, not THAT old- I just saw that the song was written in 1938.

My spelling is probably off - but she played the side-kick (a la Vivian Vance) for Storm.

just barely old enough to remember her. my mom loved my little margie.

I even had a three foot doll dressed in an evening gown that I named Gale Storm.

"What a girl, what a whirl, what a life!"

And did you draw on your Winky Dink screen, or directly on the TV?

Then he became (or while) he played the voice of Mr.McGoo.

That's funny, I never realized that!

has continued 50 years. Such a delight....Rest in peace

No need to ask why.

angst teens. Peter Bonnell sounds familiar, around Bob Newhart time. Maybe as Raul Julia's brother character? I should probably google.

(Well, what passed for rock 'n roll in the early 50s, that is).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3uTTsjPFcc

Everybody is dropping dead. What the hell is going on? Even Billy Mays died today, he was 50 and his wife found him dead. Mays was the pitchman for many products, including OxiClean.

May Ms. Storm and Mays rest in peace.

:(

Anne Jeffreys.

At age 6 or 7, I thought she was the most glamorous thing on black and white tv -- as ghost Marion Kerby on "Topper" -- and her husband Robert Sterling was one of my first crushes.

Hollywood being the small town that it is, Sterling's first wife was Ann Sothern; their daughter, actress Tisha Sterling, guested on two episodes of Charlie's Angels.




TG

I'm glad to hear that she's still with us.

;-)

No one had any idea what I was talking about.

1. Carradine
2. McMahon
3. Farrah
4. Jackson
5. Mayes
6. Storm

Cronkite is reportedly gravely ill so he might be next

I'm such the grim reaper today

She was in my favorite lost-classic, "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" (), where she played
the young daughter/love-interest.

My late father had told of having met her back in the sixties.

and she was adorable

Rest in peace , little Margie

Watched hes show as a kid too.