NEW YORK — Jaye P. Morgan, one of the top female recording artists of the 1950s with five hits in 1955 alone who later became a frequent talk show guest and game show panelist, infamously taking off her shirt on “The Gong Show,” has died. She was 94.
Morgan died Monday of natural causes in Longview, Wash., said Mark Sendroff, longtime attorney and friend. She had been living with her nephew and niece, Duke Morgan Spencer and Peggy Sue Spencer.
Morgan’s Top 10 hits were “That’s All I Want From You” and “The Longest Walk.” Her Top 20 hits were “Danger! Heartbreak Ahead,” “If You Don’t Want My Love” and “Pepper-Hot Baby.” She also had two Top 20 hits with Perry Como, “Chee Chee-Oo Chee (Sang the Little Bird)” and “Two Lost Souls,” and a hit with Eddy Arnold called “Mutual Admiration Society” that reached No. 47 on the Billboard singles chart.
Later she became a regular guest on “The Tonight Show” and appeared with Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas, as well as spots on “Love Boat” and “Fantasy Island.” But it was her years starting in 1976 hamming it up as a celebrity judge — along with Jamie Farr and Rip Taylor — on the chaotic “Gong Show” that cemented her fame.
On the show, amateur performers tried out their acts, and when one of the judges couldn’t stand it anymore, they smashed a gong, ending the proceedings. The performer who won the day’s show received a check for the random amount of $516.32.
On one episode, Eugene Patton — the dancing stagehand performing as Gene Gene the Dancing Machine — started his thing when Morgan opened her shirt to expose her breasts, helping bring an end to the show’s run on NBC in 1978.
“It paid good money, and it was great exposure. I really enjoyed it,” she told the Los Angeles Times in 1992.
“Jaye P. Morgan’s devil-may-care ad libs on television game shows have probably made her more famous as a personality than as a singer,” the New York Times wrote in 1984. “But the same kooky recklessness that inspires Miss Morgan’s remarks is also a part of her musical sensibility.”
Her film credits include “The All-American Boy” with Jon Voight, “Loose Shoes,” “The Gong Show Movie,” “Night Patrol” and the 2002 Miramax release “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind,” directed by George Clooney.
Born Mary Margaret Morgan in a log cabin in Mancos, Colo., her show business career started early. At age 3, she was part of the Morgan Family, a traveling vaudeville act that included her mother, father, sister and five brothers. The group disbanded after their father’s death in 1945.
Morgan was class treasurer of her California high school, and her peers nicknamed her J.P. after the 19th century financier J.P. Morgan. She later feminized it by changing the initial J to Jaye.
By the time she was 17, she was singing professionally again. In 1950, she joined Frank De Vol’s orchestra, singing with it for three years.
Her recording career got underway via “Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries” and “Just a Gigolo” with De Vol on a small label, Derby Records, that reached No. 26 on the Billboard chart. That led RCA Records to come calling with a recording contract.
She was a regular on Robert Q. Lewis’ national daytime variety TV show and the nighttime game show “Stop the Music” hosted by Bert Parks. In 1954, DownBeat magazine’s annual DJ poll crowned her as the best new female singer of the year. She took her nightclub act on the road and made her Las Vegas debut at the New Frontier Hotel & Casino.
Morgan even got her own TV show in 1956 — “The Jaye P. Morgan Show,” which featured four of her brothers. Her solo albums include “Jaye P. Morgan” — produced by David Foster — “Jaye P. Morgan Lately!” and a joint album with Kaye Ballard called “Long Time Friends.”
An appearance on “The Tonight Show” opened a career for her on television talk shows, and she kept returning to Johnny Carson for five years. “I take my body everyplace I go,” she joked to the host in a 1972 episode.
She also was a guest on “The Odd Couple,” playing herself and singing their goofy song “Happy, Peppy and Bursting with Love.”
During one memorable episode of “The Muppet Show,” Morgan appeared in a bird costume and seemed unhappy she was there at all. When Kermit tells her it’s a thrill to have her on, she replies: “I’m really indifferent about being here.” Kermit is aghast, calling the opening number cute. “I hate cute,” replies Morgan.
Other Morgan credits include a role in “Home Alone 2” with Macaulay Culkin, and appearances on “Love Boat” and “Fantasy Island.” She also co-starred with Eddie Bracken in the national tour of “Sugar Babies.”
Married and divorced three times, Morgan is survived by a son, Paul Kane.
Kennedy writes for the Associated Press.
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