Lisa Gaye was an actress and dancer who started her career at the age of seven. Before landing her first acting role, she had ambitions to become a professional ballerina. As a teenager, she signed a seven-year contract with Universal Studios and enrolled in the studio’s acting school.
Acting career
Gaye began her acting career in 1953–54 with two uncredited cameos. Drums Across the River was her first leading role (1954). Between 1954 and 1967, she acted in 13 films. Gaye first appeared on stage when she was 12 years old in a play by Merry Wives of Windsor. In 1957, she made her adult stage debut in San Francisco with ‘Darling, I’m Yours.’ She quickly gained fame among film magazines as a favorite and often made headlines for dates she had with leading Hollywood men, including Troy Donahue, Tab Hunter, and Carleton Carpenter.
Television career
Gaye made her first television appearance in the 1950s and performed in several TV shows, including ‘The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show,’ ‘The Bob Cummings Show,’ ‘Hawaiian Eye,’ and many more. She also appeared in 13 episodes of Perry Mason and supported Sally Field as ‘The Flying Nun.’
Personal life
Lisa Gaye married a Californian business executive, Bently Ware, in 1955, with whom she had a daughter, Janelle. She left acting in 1970 to raise their daughter, Janell, after their marriage. Following her husband’s death from a heart attack in 1977, Ware relocated to Houston, Texas, where she worked as a receptionist at KETH Channel 14, a local evangelical television station, for 19 years and sang in the choir Evangelistic Temple Church.
Lisa Gaye’s death
Lisa Gaye died on July 14, 2016, at 81 in Huston, Texas. She is survived by her daughter Janelle, sister Debra and brother Frank.
Below are some glamorous photos of Lisa Gaye from her life and career.
