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Nanette Fabray
ACTOR

Nanette Fabray

Known for Murder, She Wrote · The Love Boat · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Nanette Fabray (born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Theresa Fabares; October 27, 1920 – February 22, 2018) was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She began her career performing in vaudeville as a child and became a musical-theatre actress during the 1940s and 1950s, acclaimed for her role in High Button Shoes (1947) and winning a Tony Award in 1949 for her performance in Love Life.

Snapshot 2026-10-16

Born
Oct 27, 1920
Died
Feb 22, 2018
Birthplace
San Diego, California, USA
Known For
Acting

Biography

Nanette Fabray (born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Theresa Fabares; October 27, 1920 – February 22, 2018) was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She began her career performing in vaudeville as a child and became a musical-theatre actress during the 1940s and 1950s, acclaimed for her role in High Button Shoes (1947) and winning a Tony Award in 1949 for her performance in Love Life.

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Known For

TVMurder, She Wrote
Murder, She WroteEmmaline Bristow · 1984
★ 7.5
TVThe Love Boat
The Love BoatMitzy Monroe · 1977
★ 6.2
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1962
★ 7.6
TVThe Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore ShowDottie Richards · 1970
★ 7.7
TVThe Carol Burnett Show
The Carol Burnett ShowSelf · 1967
★ 7.7
TVCoach
CoachMildred Armstrong · 1989
★ 6.7
TVOne Day at a Time
One Day at a TimeKatherine Romano · 1975
★ 6.8
MOVIEThat's Entertainment, Part II
That's Entertainment, Part II(archive footage) · 1976
★ 7.0

Filmography

Movies

Animal CatchersGirl wearing overalls
1927
A Child is BornGladys Norton
1939
The Monroe DoctrineRosita De La Torre
1939
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and EssexMistress Margaret Radcliffe
1939
The Band WagonLily Marton
1953
The Family Nobody WantedHelen Doss
1956
The SubterraneansSociety Woman (uncredited)
1960
The New March of Dimes Presents: The Scene StealersSelf
1962
Alice Through the Looking GlassThe White Queen
1966
Fame Is the Name of the GamePat
1966
The Happy EndingAgnes
1969
But I Don't Want to Get Married!Mrs. Vale
1970
George M!Nellie Cohan
1970
The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico CountySadie
1970
Magic CarpetVirginia Wolfe
1972
The Couple Takes a WifeMarion Randolph
1972
The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente MinnelliSelf (archive footage)
1973
Happy Anniversary and GoodbyeFay
1974
That's Entertainment, Part II(archive footage)
1976
Harper Valley P.T.A.Alice Finely
1978
The Man in the Santa Claus SuitDora Dayton
1979
AmyMalvina
1981
Night of 100 Stars IISelf
1985
Personal Exemptions
1989
Teresa's TattooMartha Mae
1994
That's Entertainment! III(archive footage) (uncredited)
1994
TS
The Sid Caesar Collection: Creating the ComedyHerself
2000
TS
The Sid Caesar Collection: Inside the Writer's RoomHerself
2000
The Sid Caesar Collection: The Magic of Live TVSelf
2000
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were ThereSelf
2003
Elizabeth & Essex: Battle RoyaleSelf
2005
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'Self
2005
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great DepressionSelf
2009
In the Beginning: The Caesar YearsSelf
2012
Mary Tyler Moore: A CelebrationSelf / Dottie Richards (archive footage)
2015
Broadway: Beyond the Golden AgeSelf
2021

Television

Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Presenter · 1 eps
1944
The Ed Sullivan ShowSelf · 6 eps
1948
What's My Line?Self · 2 eps
1950
Your Show of Shows2 eps
1950
OmnibusRaina Petkoff · 1 eps
1952
The Dinah Shore Chevy ShowSelf · 6 eps
1956
The Steve Allen ShowSelf · 1 eps
1956
Tony AwardsSelf - Performer · 1 eps
1956
Tony AwardsSelf - Presenter · 1 eps
1956
Laramie1 eps
1959
StartimeSelf · 1 eps
1959
StartimeSally · 1 eps
1959
The Bell Telephone HourSelf · 1 eps
1959
The Bell Telephone HourSelf - Hostess · 1 eps
1959
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 2 eps
1961
Westinghouse PlayhouseNan McGovern · 26 eps
1961
The Merv Griffin ShowSelf · 2 eps
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 2 eps
1962
Burke's LawAmanda Tribble · 1 eps
1963
Burke's LawRowena Coolidge · 1 eps
1963
The Hollywood PalaceSelf - Singer · 1 eps
1964
The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.Desiree · 1 eps
1966
The Carol Burnett ShowSelf · 8 eps
1967
The Carol Burnett ShowSelf - Guest · 2 eps
1967
The Carol Burnett ShowSelf - Guest / Various Characters · 3 eps
1967
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf (uncredited) · 1 eps
1968
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf · 2 eps
1968
Love, American StyleCindy · 1 eps
1969
Love, American StylePhyllis · 1 eps
1969
Love, American StyleCasey · 1 eps
1969
The Mary Tyler Moore ShowDottie Richards · 2 eps
1970
Great PerformancesSelf · 1 eps
1971
Dinah!Self · 3 eps
1974
One Day at a TimeKatherine Romano · 51 eps
1975
The Love BoatMitzy Monroe · 1 eps
1977
The Love BoatMaggie O'Brien · 1 eps
1977
The Love BoatShirley Simpson · 1 eps
1977
All Star Secrets1 eps
1979
Aloha Paradise1 eps
1981
Hotel1 eps
1982
HotelHarriet Gold · 1 eps
1982
Murder, She WroteEmmaline Bristow · 1 eps
1984
CoachMildred Armstrong · 2 eps
1989
CoachChristine's Mom · 1 eps
1989
The Golden PalaceFern · 1 eps
1992

Photos

Nanette Fabray photo
Nanette Fabray photo
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