Sandra Dee was an American actress who won a Golden Globe Award. Sandra began her career in commercials and print modeling as a child before moving into the film industry as a teenager. Sandra had all she needed to make her mother’s goal of a great career in the entertainment industry a reality. She quickly rose to become one of the top models of her era, but in order to stay in the industry, she had to drastically reduce her weight, almost starving herself to death, and eventually succumbed to life-long Anorexia Nervosa. Her cinematic career, on the other hand, continued to develop, and she became well-known for her roles in the films ‘Gidget’ and ‘Imitation of Life.’ She married the famous singer Bobby Darin when she was young, and the couple enjoyed a lot of fame until they divorced after six years. Sandra continued her acting career following her divorce, but she began to suffer from a variety of ailments, eventually succumbing to a kidney disease in 2005.
Early life and childhood
Sandra was born Alexandra Zuck to Mary and John Zuck in Bayonne, New Jersey, in 1942. Her parents split when she was a youngster, and she was raised in the Russian Orthodox faith by her mother.
She began modeling at the age of four and has since starred in advertisements for major brands such as Coca-Cola. While she was still a child, her mother remarried. Sandra was sexually molested by her stepfather when she was a child.
While managing her work, she attended Hollywood Professional School and eventually graduated from ‘University High School’ in Los Angeles.
Getting Started with Modeling
She was a well-known model by the age of twelve. An actor and producer named Ross Hunter spotted her and her mother on Park Avenue. Soon after, she was inundated with offers, and she rose to become one of America’s top young models.
With time, she got more sensitive of her appearance, and she began slimming down in order to conform to the stereotyped methods of models. She would virtually starve herself, which resulted in a variety of skin, hair, and nail issues.
Her body couldn’t digest the meals she ate because she had lost weight. As a result, she was prescribed medication. Anorexia Nervosa, a permanent eating disorder, was born as a result of this experience.
Despite her deteriorating condition, she was able to make roughly $75,000 per year as a model and continue to assist her mother.
Career as an actor
In 1957, she relocated from New York to Hollywood in order to seek a career in the film industry. In the English version of the animated film ‘The Snow Queen,’ she had her first role as a voice actor, speaking the character ‘Gerda.’
She also acted opposite Jean Simmons, Joan Fontaine, and Paul Newman in her debut film picture, ‘Until they Sail,’ in 1957. She starred as Jane Broadbent, a 17-year-old in the comedy film ‘The Reluctant Debutante’ in 1958.
In a few years, Sandra rose to the top of the Hollywood brotherhood of performers. She portrayed the starring part of Melinda Grant opposite John Saxon in the film ‘The Restless Years.’
She starred alongside June Allyson and Jeff Chandler in the drama film ‘A Stranger in My Arms’ in 1959. She had breakout roles as little Susie in ‘Imitation of Life,’ Frances Lawrence in ‘Gidget,’ and Rosalie Stocker in ‘The Wild and the Innocent’ in the same year.
She also appeared in ‘A Summer Place,’ ‘Portrait in Black,’ and ‘Romanoff and Juliet.’ In 1961, she was cast opposite John Gavin in Harry Keller’s ‘Tammy Tell Me True,’ and in Robert Mulligan’s romantic comedy ‘Come September.’
A Prominent Actress
In Henry Levin’s comedy picture ‘If a Man Answers,’ she played Chantal Stacy opposite Bobby Darin in 1962. The following year, she was cast as ‘Tammy’ in the romantic comedy ‘Tammy and the Doctor.’
Sandra starred alongside iconic actor James Stewart in the 1963 picture ‘Take her, She’s Mine,’ which became a box office hit. Following that, she gave an exceptional performance in the musical comedy ‘I’d Rather Be Rich’ as Cynthia Dulaine.
She reached the pinnacle of her career over the next few years, starring in films such as ‘That Funny Feeling,’ ‘A Man Could Get Killed,’ ‘Doctor, You’ve Got to Be Kidding!,’ and David Lowell Rich’s ‘Rosie.’
The Career Depletion
Her career began to deteriorate once she divorced her husband. She disappeared from the industry from 1967 until 1970, only to reap reappearance in the horror picture ‘The Dunwich Horror’ by ‘American International Pictures.’
However, the opportunities that followed were limited to guest appearances on television series and a few roles in television films. She appeared in two episodes of the TV show ‘Night Gallery’ in 1971.
She appeared in the TV programs ‘The Sixth Sense’ and ‘Houston, We’ve Got a Problem’ in 1972, as well as two television films called ‘The Manhunter’ and ‘The Daughters of Joshua Cabe.’
In 1983, she had her final leading role in the low-budget Al Adamson film ‘Lost,’ and in the episode ‘The Botched Language of Cranes,’ she appeared as a voice artist on the TV program ‘Frasier.’
She suffered from throat cancer in her latter years as a result of years of drinking and smoking, as well as depression, anorexia nervosa, and renal failure.
Major Projects of Sandra Dee
Her role in the film “Imitation of Life” received critical acclaim. It was named fourth among the finest films of 1959 by critics. It was Universal Studio’s most successful film until the debut of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ in 1967, with a stunning 6.4 million dollars.
Her strongest performance as a teenager is remembered for the film ‘Gidget.’ Sandra Dee performed the part of a 16-year-old girl dealing with adolescent issues beautifully, according to critics. In fact, the film inspired a “Miss Gidget” beauty pageant.
Achievements & Awards
Sandra Dee was nominated for various prizes in her early career, and she won the coveted ‘Golden Globe Awards’ in 1958 for ‘Most promising Newcomer – Female.’
She received the ‘Golden Laurel Awards’ for ‘Top Female New Personality’ in 1959 and was nominated for ‘Top Female Star’ and ‘Top Female Comedy Performance’ from 1960 to 1967.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1960, Dee married Bobby Darin, her ‘Come September’ co-star. On the 16th of December the following year, she gave birth to their son, Dodd Mitchell Darin. Trouble began six years after their marriage, however.
Bobby remarried the following year after the couple split in 1967. Sandra was depressed after their divorce, and she struggled to focus on her job after Bobby Darin died in 1973.
She died on February 20, 2005, at the age of 62, after suffering serious complications from an existing kidney illness. She was laid to rest in the Hollywood Hills’ Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Estimated Net worth
Sandra is one of the wealthiest celebrities and one of the most well-known. Sandra Dee’s net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
Her modeling career began with the magazine ‘Girl Scouts.’