Georgine Darcy
Encyclopedia
Georgine Darcy was an American dancer and actress best known for her role as "Miss Torso" in the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock
film Rear Window
. She also had a regular role in the 1960-1961 ABC
sitcom Harrigan and Son
.
Born in Brooklyn
, Darcy's mother urged her to become a stripper
to make a "fast buck
". Instead, she became a dancer, dancing with the New York City Ballet
, and a model. At age 16, she left home and traveled by bus to California
.
She was only 17 when she was cast in Rear Window. She did not even know who Hitchcock was and did not consider herself an actress. Hitchcock had selected her based on a publicity photo of her wearing a black leotard and green feather boa. In Rear Window, she played one of the neighbors of protagonist L. B. Jeffries (Jimmy Stewart), a wheelchair-using photographer who passes the time spying on the other tenants of his apartment building. Her nameless character, who was dubbed "Miss Torso", practiced her dance moves in a skimpy top and a pair of pink shorts with a 21-inch waistband, courtesy of famed costume designer
Edith Head
. She had no lines in the film.
During filming, Hitchcock asked her what kinds of pie
she liked and disliked. She told him she loathed pumpkin pie
. When it came time to film her character's reaction to finding a strangled dog, he presented her with pumpkin pie served with "crude Cockney
jokes" to prompt an adverse response. On the last day of filming, which was also her 18th birthday, Hitchcock and some of the cast presented her with a cake in the shape of her voluptuous figure. "It had the breasts and everything!" she said.
Hitchcock told Darcy that she should get an agent and that if she studied Anton Chekov in Europe, he could make her a movie star when she returned. She ignored both pieces of advice and thought he was joking about the latter. She was only paid $350 for her work in Rear Window and had a sporadic acting career. Her most substantive role was in the Chubby Checker
film Don't Knock the Twist
(1962). She played Madge Albright, a "dancing firestorm" who is part of a brother-sister dance team. She also appeared in the films Women and Bloody Terror (1969) and The Delta Factor
(1970).
On television, she played Gypsy, an irreverent secretary for the title father-son team of laywers in Harrigan and Son, played by Pat O'Brien
and Roger Perry
. She also had guest appearances on Lee Marvin
's M Squad
, the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
and Mike Connors
's Mannix
.
Darcy was the subject of the 2004 documentary short film Remembering Miss Torso by director Malcolm Venville
.
She died of natural causes and was survived by her husband of thirty years, actor Byron Palmer
. She was the last surviving credited cast member of Rear Window.
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
film Rear Window
Rear Window
Rear Window is a 1954 American suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, written by John Michael Hayes and based on Cornell Woolrich's 1942 short story "It Had to Be Murder"...
. She also had a regular role in the 1960-1961 ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
sitcom Harrigan and Son
Harrigan and Son
Harrigan and Son is an ABC sitcom about a father-and-son team of lawyers, played by Pat O'Brien and Roger Perry as Jim Harrigan, Sr., and Jim, Jr. In supporting roles, as secretaries, are Georgine Darcy as Gypsy and Helen Kleeb as Miss Claridge. The series aired 34 episodes at 8 p.m. Eastern Time...
.
Born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, Darcy's mother urged her to become a stripper
Stripper
A stripper is a professional erotic dancer who performs a contemporary form of striptease at strip club establishments, public exhibitions, and private engagements. Unlike in burlesque, the performer in the modern Americanized form of stripping minimizes the interaction of customer and dancer,...
to make a "fast buck
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
". Instead, she became a dancer, dancing with the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
, and a model. At age 16, she left home and traveled by bus to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
She was only 17 when she was cast in Rear Window. She did not even know who Hitchcock was and did not consider herself an actress. Hitchcock had selected her based on a publicity photo of her wearing a black leotard and green feather boa. In Rear Window, she played one of the neighbors of protagonist L. B. Jeffries (Jimmy Stewart), a wheelchair-using photographer who passes the time spying on the other tenants of his apartment building. Her nameless character, who was dubbed "Miss Torso", practiced her dance moves in a skimpy top and a pair of pink shorts with a 21-inch waistband, courtesy of famed costume designer
Costume Designer
A costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
Edith Head
Edith Head
Edith Head was an American costume designer who won eight Academy Awards, more than any other woman.-Early life and career:...
. She had no lines in the film.
During filming, Hitchcock asked her what kinds of pie
Pie
A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients....
she liked and disliked. She told him she loathed pumpkin pie
Pumpkin pie
Pumpkin pie is a traditional sweet dessert, often eaten during the fall and early winter, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas in the United States and Canada. The pumpkin is a symbol of harvest time and featured also at Halloween....
. When it came time to film her character's reaction to finding a strangled dog, he presented her with pumpkin pie served with "crude Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
jokes" to prompt an adverse response. On the last day of filming, which was also her 18th birthday, Hitchcock and some of the cast presented her with a cake in the shape of her voluptuous figure. "It had the breasts and everything!" she said.
Hitchcock told Darcy that she should get an agent and that if she studied Anton Chekov in Europe, he could make her a movie star when she returned. She ignored both pieces of advice and thought he was joking about the latter. She was only paid $350 for her work in Rear Window and had a sporadic acting career. Her most substantive role was in the Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"...
film Don't Knock the Twist
Don't Knock the Twist
Don't Knock the Twist is a 1962 film starring Lang Jeffries. It is the sequel to the 1961 film Twist Around the Clock-Plot summary:Many twist dancers' meet in preparation for the TV variety show called "The Twist." While the special is still in the production stages, jealousies lead to problems -...
(1962). She played Madge Albright, a "dancing firestorm" who is part of a brother-sister dance team. She also appeared in the films Women and Bloody Terror (1969) and The Delta Factor
The Delta Factor (film)
The Delta Factor is a 1970 film directed by Tay Garnett. It stars Christopher George and Yvette Mimieux. The film is based on a novel by Mickey Spillane with the same name.-Plot:...
(1970).
On television, she played Gypsy, an irreverent secretary for the title father-son team of laywers in Harrigan and Son, played by Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (actor)
Pat O’Brien was an American film actor with more than one hundred screen credits.-Early life:O’Brien was born William Joseph Patrick O’Brien to an Irish-American Catholic family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as an altar boy at Gesu Church while growing up near 13th and Clybourn streets...
and Roger Perry
Roger Perry
Roger Perry is an American film and television actor whose career began in the late 1950s.In the 1960-1961 television season, Perry portrayed a handsome young attorney, Jim Harrigan, Jr., in the ABC and Desilu Studios sitcom Harrigan and Son, with co-stars Pat O'Brien, Helen Kleeb, and Georgine...
. She also had guest appearances on Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin was an American film actor. Known for his gravelly voice, white hair and 6' 2" stature, Marvin at first did supporting roles, mostly villains, soldiers and other hardboiled characters, but after winning an Academy Award for Best Actor for his dual roles in Cat Ballou , he landed more...
's M Squad
M Squad
M Squad is an American police drama television series that ran from 1957 to 1960 on NBC. Its format would later inspire the creation of spoof TV show Police Squad! Its sponsor was the Pall Mall cigarette brand; Lee Marvin, the program's star, appeared in its commercials during the...
, the Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on CBS television between 1958 and 1960...
and Mike Connors
Mike Connors
Mike Connors is an American actor best known for playing detective Joe Mannix in the CBS television series, Mannix. Before that, he had played a crime-fighting investigator, wielding a .38 handgun hidden in his back, in another CBS series, Tightrope.-Early life:Connors was born Krekor Ohanian in...
's Mannix
Mannix
Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, the title character, Joe Mannix, is a private investigator. He is played by Mike Connors...
.
Darcy was the subject of the 2004 documentary short film Remembering Miss Torso by director Malcolm Venville
Malcolm Venville
Malcolm Frank Venville is a British photographer and film director.Venville was the child of deaf parents. He was, in the words of his uncle, "caught in some no-man's land between the deaf world and the hearing world." Venville atteneded Solihull College and Polytechnic of Central London ,...
.
She died of natural causes and was survived by her husband of thirty years, actor Byron Palmer
Byron Palmer
Byron Palmer was an American stage and screen actor and singer. His film credits include Man in the Attic and The Best Things in Life Are Free, while he appeared in Where's Charley? on Broadway. Until her 2004 death, he was married for thirty years to actress and dancer Georgine Darcy.-External...
. She was the last surviving credited cast member of Rear Window.