An American actress and singer, who grew up in Indianapolis and Claremont, Florida, USA. She studied singing and dancing and received a scholarship to study theater at Syracuse University. She began working as a stage actress in 1954, appearing on television in programs such as The Perry Como Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. She also won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical three times. Her artistic credits include the TV series The Perry Como Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, and the play Hello, Dolly! (1964).