Gretchen Wyler
GRETCHEN WYLER Born February 16, 1931, died May 30, 2007. On Broadway, Ms. Wyler was best known for the role of Janice Dayton in the original cast of Cole Porter's Silk Stockings (1955). Ms. Wyler also danced in the original production of Guys and Dolls, replaced Gwen Verdon in Damn Yankees and Chita Rivera as Rose the secretary in Bye Bye Birdie. Her other Broadway credits include the comedy Sly Fox in the mid-1970s, starring George C. Scott. Gretchen Wyler began her career in 1950 in the corps de ballet of the St. Louis Municipal Opera. A frequent guest star on television programs, Ms. Wyler was a regular cast member of On Our Own (CBS, 1977-1978). She also spent a season as Dr. Dagmara Conrad on Dallas. In the movies, she played one of Goldie Hawn's aunts in Private Benjamin (1980). Ms. Wyler began her work with animals in the 1960s, and in the 1970s became the first woman to serve on the board of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In 1991, she founded the Ark Trust, an animal-rights organization, which merged with the Humane Society in 2002. Ms. Wyler was vice president of the Humane Society of the United States's Hollywood office until her retirement in 2006. She also established the Genesis Awards, which since 1986 have honored members of the news and entertainment media for work on animal-rights issues. Bio as of April, 2010. American Theatre Wing programs, interviews and/or credits include: TBL - This Is Broadway (audio) Gretchen Wyler - Listen Now. Internet Broadway Database Listing (IBDB.com)