Actress. Born Lelia Bernice Giles, she was the winner of multiple beauty contests in her native Texas, prior to moving to the Los Angeles-area to live with her mother. While working in a delicatessen, she was discovered which resulted in her being cast in a 1957 episode of the TV series "The People's Choice." She will perhaps be remembered for playing 'Jana Ryan' in the B-movie "Daddy-O" (1958). The film gained wider popularity when it aired on the series "Mystery Science Theater 3000" in 1991. After this, she established herself as a sexually-provocative, "blonde bombshell" of second-features, in the same manner as Mamie Van Doren. Further film appearances include "A Lust to Kill" (1958), "Lost, Lonely and Vicious" (1958) and the Elvis Presley picture "It Happened at the World's Fair" (1964). She had an extensive body of work in television on such programs as "Bachelor Father," "Burke's Law," "Rawhide" and "Land of the Giants," as well as many more. During the 1970s, she toured around the United States as a performer in the production "Beginner's Luck" which starred Bob Crane. She died of complications from an autoimmune disease.
Actress. Born Lelia Bernice Giles, she was the winner of multiple beauty contests in her native Texas, prior to moving to the Los Angeles-area to live with her mother. While working in a delicatessen, she was discovered which resulted in her being cast in a 1957 episode of the TV series "The People's Choice." She will perhaps be remembered for playing 'Jana Ryan' in the B-movie "Daddy-O" (1958). The film gained wider popularity when it aired on the series "Mystery Science Theater 3000" in 1991. After this, she established herself as a sexually-provocative, "blonde bombshell" of second-features, in the same manner as Mamie Van Doren. Further film appearances include "A Lust to Kill" (1958), "Lost, Lonely and Vicious" (1958) and the Elvis Presley picture "It Happened at the World's Fair" (1964). She had an extensive body of work in television on such programs as "Bachelor Father," "Burke's Law," "Rawhide" and "Land of the Giants," as well as many more. During the 1970s, she toured around the United States as a performer in the production "Beginner's Luck" which starred Bob Crane. She died of complications from an autoimmune disease.
Bio by: C.S.
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