Jaye P. Morgan, 1931 – 2026

Singer, actress, and game show panelist Jaye P. Morgan, 94, died on Aug. 24. Born Margaret Morgan, she got the “Jaye P.” nickname while serving as high school class treasurer. She and her brothers Duke, Bob, Dick, and Charlie were singing professionally by the 1950s, and Morgan signed with RCA and MGM, making a number of successful records in the 1950s and becoming a regular on TV variety shows. She also acted (My Three Sons, the Jack Benny, Joey Bishop, and Danny Thomas shows, The Odd Couple, The Love Boat, Simon & Simon), and briefly had her own show. Morgan’s biggest platform was on game shows, though—she was a panelist on The Gong Show (till she was banned for flashing the audience live), Stop the Music, Pantomime Quiz, You Don’t Say, Hollywood Squares, The Match Game. She also appeared as herself in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. She told writer Alan Mercer, “I thought about being a singer.  I never thought about being a famous star.  By the time I got busy enough to be ‘somebody’ I never had time to think.  I moved to New York when I was 23 and started doing television shows.  I was always working.” Of The Gong Show, she added, “I had a ball because I could do anything I wanted to.  Of course I got fired for it. I opened my blouse and I don’t wear a bra so there I was.  Chuck asked me not to do that anymore because the standards and practice guy went crazy so I said I wouldn’t but I forgot!  In the heat of the battle I did it again!”