Glamorous 1960s actress and singer Joan O’Brien, 89, died on May 5. O’Brien began her career as a singer, on the 1950s TV shows Hometown Jamboree and The Bob Crosby Show; she was also a Lawrence Welk “Champagne Lady.” She acted in 40-some TV series and movies from 1958-64, her most notable roles being a glamorous but slapstick klutz in Operation Petticoat, an Elvis Girl in It Happened at the World’s Fair, a singing weather girl on The Dick Van Dyke Show, and a teacher in Get Yourself a College Girl—O’Brien was also seen in Bat Masterson, Bachelor Father, Surfside 6, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Perry Mason. She was married five times, and had a romance with U.N.C.L.E. star Robert Vaughn, which led to a suicide attempt on her part. In later years, O’Brien was an executive with the Hilton Hotels.
