Julie London

Julie London (September 26, 1926 - October 18, 2000) was an American singer and actress who was known for her smoky, sensual voice and role as Nurse Dixie McCall on the television show Emergency! (1972 - 1977).

Born in Santa Rosa, California as Julie Peck, she was the daughter of parents who had a vaudeville song-and-dance team. When she was 14, they moved to Los Angeles. Shortly after that, she began appearing in movies. She graduated from Hollywood Professional High School in 1944. She was married to Jack Webb of Dragnet fame. Her obvious beauty and self-poise (she was a pinup girl prized by GIs during World War II) contrasted with his pedestrian appearance and stiff-as-a-board acting technique (much parodied by impersonators). This unlikely pairing arose from his love for jazz music; their marriage lasted from 1947 to 1953. They had two children, including a daughter who survived her. In 1954, having become somewhat reclusive after her divorce from Webb, she met jazz composer and musician Bobby Troup. They married on December 31, 1959; only his death in 1999 ended their marriage. Together, they had three children. She suffered a stroke in 1995 and was in poor health until her death in Encino, California at the age of 74.

Career as a Singer

Julie London began singing in public in her teens, prior to her first movie appearance. She was discovered by Sue Carol (wife of Alan Ladd) while London was working as an elevator operator. Her early film career did not include any singing parts.

Her professional singing career began in 1955 with a live performance at the 881 Club in Los Angeles and she recorded 32 albums. She was named one of Billboard's most popular female vocalists for 1955, 1956, and 1957. In 1957, she was the subject of a Life magazine cover article in which she was quoted as saying, "It's only a thimbleful of a voice, and I have to use it close to the microphone. But it is a kind of oversmoked voice, and it automatically sounds intimate."

Among her most famous singles are "Cry Me a River" (penned by her high school classmate neurosurgeon Dr. Joe Early.

External Links