- Born
- Died
- Birth nameDawn Shirley Crang
- Height1.64 m
- Sheree North was born on January 17, 1932 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She was an actress, known for L'évadé (1975), L'homme de la loi (1971) and Le dernier des géants (1976). She was married to Phillip Alan Norman, Dr. Gerhardt Ralph Sommer, John M. "Bud" Freeman and Frederick Arnold Bessire Jr.. She died on November 4, 2005 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- SpousesPhillip Alan Norman(February 6, 2003 - November 4, 2005) (her death)Dr. Gerhardt Ralph Sommer(December 17, 1958 - May 27, 1963) (divorced, 1 child)John M. "Bud" Freeman(February 20, 1955 - July 1, 1957) (divorced)Frederick Arnold Bessire Jr.(October 9, 1948 - October 4, 1952) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenDawn Jeanette BessireErica Eve Sommer
- ParentsRichard Francis CrangJeannette Isabelle Shoard
- Best-known in later years for her prolific television work, she played Lou Grant's spunky girlfriend on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970) and was Kramer's mom on Seinfeld (1989), who was the first to announce his first name to fans: "Cosmo". She also earned Emmy nominations for appearances on Docteur Marcus Welby (1969) and Archie Bunker's Place (1979).
- Used as a bargaining chip by Fox against an unreliable Marilyn Monroe, she was found to have Monroe's exact weight and measurements at the time. When she was pictured on the cover of the March 21, 1955, issue of Life Magazine, the headline read, "Sheree North Takes Over From Marilyn Monroe". She later played Monroe's real-life unbalanced mother, Gladys, in Marilyn, une vie inachevée (1980).
- Married four times, she had two daughters: Dawn Jeanette Bessire (born 1949) and Erica Eve Sommer (born 1959), from different marriages, and four grandchildren, all of whom survived her.
- Born in Los Angeles, the daughter of seamstress June Bethel (née Shoard) and trained in dance, as a young woman she sanded floors and parked cars to pay for her ballet lessons. During World War II, after lying about her age, she danced in several USO shows. From her late teens, danced in nightclubs in Santa Monica. Eventually spotted by a talent scout, she ended up on Broadway doing a lively routine in the musical "Hazel Flagg" (1953), consequently winning a Theatre World Award. This directly led to her being cast for the film C'est pas une vie, Jerry! (1954).
- She took over for Shirley Knight in a Los Angeles production of "Dutchman," which coincided with the 1965 Watts riots. The production was controversial and was blamed by conservatives for inciting unrest. It was picketed, ads were blocked from the newspapers and North's car was set on fire. Despite that, the production ran for a year.
- [in a 1983 interview] There's still the same reaction when producers hear my name. They remember me as the blond who was to have taken over from Marilyn Monroe.
- Of all the actors I've worked with, the three most ego-less, most humane, real people were Robert Ryan, Karl Malden and Tom Selleck.
- [on what it was like working with John Wayne on Le dernier des géants (1976), after she had turned down a role in Wayne's Les bérets verts (1968)] What is this going to be like? Well, Wayne had been through a lot. I found him to be so open to my way of working. He was completely sweet and vulnerable--unlike every macho story you ever heard about him. When we were rehearsing, he'd hold both my hands in one of his. He would never lose contact. Whenever I wanted to find him on the set, I'd sniff for peanut butter. He was always eating peanut butter-and-jelly crackers. And every chance he got, he'd play chess with Ron Howard. He was so different than his image--and I was so pleased to have had that opportunity.
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