Conny Van Dyke(1945-2023)

Conny Van Dyke was born to Benjamin and Charlotte Elizabeth Van Dyke. Her only sibling, Benjamin Van Dyke III, was killed in an auto accident near Salinas, California, in 1969. Conny began as a songwriter and recording artist for Wheelsville Records in Detroit, Michigan, and was soon signed to Motown, making her the first white recording artist for the label. She was named Miss Teen USA in 1963. In 1967 Hollywood "discovered" her at an auto show in Detroit, and she was soon cast in Hell's Angels (1969) with Tom Stern, Jeremy Slate, and the several members of the real Hell's Angels. Shortly after the film, she married Robert Page and had a son, Bronson Page. She continued to pursue recording, and released a self-titled album in 1972. She then co-starred in W.W. Dixie (1975) with Burt Reynolds. Another album, "Conny Van Dyke Sings For You", followed the film. In 1974 she co-starred in La trahison se paie cash (1975), with Joe Don Baker. After this film she turned her sights to television, and became a recurring face on Adam-12 (1968) and Sergent Anderson (1974), as well as appearing on over 1000 game shows in the 1970s, including Match Game PM (1975), You Don't Say (1978), Crosswits (1987), The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1965) and The Gong Show (1976). Her career is marked by thousands of public appearances from Caesar's Palace to Radio City Music Hall. She also was a featured talent in 25 years of telethons for her favorite charity, United Cerebral Palsy.

Conny is now a beloved employee at an interactive design and programming agency in Culver City, California.