Beloved actress and singer, Polly Bergen, died Saturday at her home in Connecticut. She was 84 years old. Bergen won an Emmy in 1957 for her portrayal of singer Helen Morgan – an alcoholic. Fifty years later she was nominated again for a role on “Desperate Housewives.”

In 1962, she starred with Gregory Peck and Roberts Mitchum in “Cape Fear.” She was nominated for a Tony Award when she played a former showgirl in Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies.”

Polly Bergen created and sold her own product lines: cosmetics, shoes and jewelry. She advocated for women and their rights, especially reproductive rights.

Polly Bergen lived with determination and the ability to recover from setbacks – like some of the roles she starred in. She was a Hollywood starlet from the classic era,  leaving a lovely legacy.

(S-R archive photo: The Hollywood sign is seen above palm trees on Sunset Boulevard.)

---

---