Jaye P. Morgan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jaye P. Morgan
Morgan in 1968
Born	Mary Margaret Morgan (1931-12-03) December 3, 1931 (age 93) Mancos, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation	Singer, actress
Years active	1951–1984

Jaye P. Morgan (born Mary Margaret Morgan on December 3, 1931) is a famous American singer, actress, and a familiar face on TV game shows. She became well-known for her singing in the 1950s and later for her fun appearances on television.

Early Life and Nickname

Jaye P. Morgan was born in a town called Mancos in Colorado. When she was in high school, her family moved to California. She had six brothers and sisters.

While attending Verdugo Hills High School in Los Angeles, she was the class treasurer. She also loved to sing at school events, often with her brother playing the guitar. It was during this time that she got her unique nickname, "Jaye P." It came from the name of a very famous banker, J. P. Morgan.

Music Career

Jaye P. Morgan started her music career in 1953. Her first song, "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries", became popular and reached number 26 on the U.S. Billboard music chart.

Soon after, she signed a contract with RCA Victor, a big record company. She had five hit songs in just one year! Her biggest hit was "That's All I Want from You", which climbed all the way to number 3 on the charts. Other popular songs included "The Longest Walk" and "Pepper Hot Baby". In 1959, she moved to another record company, MGM Records.

Morgan was not the only vocalist in her family. Three of her brothers were also singers. From top: Duke, Dick, and Charlie with Jaye P., for a 1959 appearance on The Jimmy Dean Show.

Television Appearances

Jaye P. Morgan was also very busy on television. From 1954 to 1955, she was a singer on the ABC show Stop the Music. In 1955, a British music magazine called NME even said she was the top female singer in the U.S. Cash Box poll. She was also a regular singer on The Robert Q. Lewis Show on CBS-TV starting in 1954.

In 1956, Jaye P. Morgan had her very own show, The Jaye P. Morgan Show. She also appeared as a guest on many other variety shows. She was part of the "gang" on Robert Q. Lewis's daily show and even filled in for Jackie Gleason on his show once. She also appeared on Pat Boone Chevy Showroom in 1958 and The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1960.

Acting Roles

Jaye P. Morgan also showed off her acting skills. In 1961, she acted in an episode of General Electric Theater, a TV series hosted by Ronald Reagan. She also appeared in episodes of Hennesey and The Joey Bishop Show in 1962. In 1964, she was in the medical drama The Eleventh Hour.

Even though she spent a lot of time performing in nightclubs, she continued to appear on TV and in movies in the 1960s and 1970s. She guest-starred on My Three Sons in 1966 and played herself in an episode of The Odd Couple in 1973. That same year, she was in the film The All-American Boy. She also sang the theme song for the TV show Fay in 1975.

In 1978, Jaye P. Morgan was a guest on The Muppet Show, where she sang a song with Dr. Teeth. She also made many appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Later, in the 1980s and early 1990s, she acted in movies like Loose Shoes (1980), Night Patrol (1984), and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992).

Game Show Panelist

Jaye P. Morgan became very well-known for her appearances on game shows. One of her first times as a game show panelist was in 1970 on a pilot show called "The Honeymoon Game."

From 1976 to 1978, she was a regular panelist on The Gong Show. This show was famous for its unusual acts and judges. Jaye P. Morgan was known for her lively personality on the show. She also appeared on the game show Everything Goes and later on Hollywood Squares in 2004 with her former Gong Show co-star Jamie Farr.

In 2003, Jaye P. Morgan appeared as herself in the movie Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. This movie was about Chuck Barris, who created The Gong Show and other popular game shows like The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game.

She also appeared on other game shows such as Rhyme and Reason, Match Game, and Make Me Laugh.

Discography

Jaye P. Morgan released many albums during her singing career.

Albums