Actress. Born Leslie Gaye Griffin, her father was a painter, her mother Margaret was a Vaudeville and burlesque performer. Margaret strongly desired for her children to follow her path into show business, which led to the family moving to California. Along with her sisters Debralee (later known as Debra Paget, who went on to enjoy a lengthy, successful career in films and TV) and Teala (later known as Teala Loring, who went on to appear in films), Leslie studied ballet and tap dancing. During her high school years, she began acting in several school plays. She experienced performing at the Los Angeles Biltmore Theatre, prior to making her motion picture debut with a minor role in "The Glenn Miller Story" (1954). Her first part of substance was in the Audie Murphy picture "Drums Across the River" (1954), which was followed with "Rock Around the Clock" (1956), "Shake, Rattle & Rock!" (1956) and "The Thousand Bedrooms" (1957). She had a starring role as 'Dixie Ann Dikes', a cheerleader-turned-stripper in the B film "Night of Evil" (1962). Among her extensive TV works includes "77 Sunset Strip," "Hawaiian Eye," "Perry Mason" and "The Wild, Wild West." She retired from the industry during the early 1970s.
Actress. Born Leslie Gaye Griffin, her father was a painter, her mother Margaret was a Vaudeville and burlesque performer. Margaret strongly desired for her children to follow her path into show business, which led to the family moving to California. Along with her sisters Debralee (later known as Debra Paget, who went on to enjoy a lengthy, successful career in films and TV) and Teala (later known as Teala Loring, who went on to appear in films), Leslie studied ballet and tap dancing. During her high school years, she began acting in several school plays. She experienced performing at the Los Angeles Biltmore Theatre, prior to making her motion picture debut with a minor role in "The Glenn Miller Story" (1954). Her first part of substance was in the Audie Murphy picture "Drums Across the River" (1954), which was followed with "Rock Around the Clock" (1956), "Shake, Rattle & Rock!" (1956) and "The Thousand Bedrooms" (1957). She had a starring role as 'Dixie Ann Dikes', a cheerleader-turned-stripper in the B film "Night of Evil" (1962). Among her extensive TV works includes "77 Sunset Strip," "Hawaiian Eye," "Perry Mason" and "The Wild, Wild West." She retired from the industry during the early 1970s.
Bio by: C.S.
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