Here is the biography of Janet Blair:
Janet Blair was a talented singer and actress born Martha Janet Lafferty in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 1921. Of Irish descent, she was raised in the public school system and sang in the church choir during her youth and adolescence. After graduating, she became a lead vocalist with Hal Kemp's band at the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, where she met and married the band's pianist, Lou Busch.
After Kemp's death in 1940, Blair signed with Columbia Pictures and made her film debut in "Three Girls About Town" (1941). She went on to appear in several films, including "My Sister Eileen" (1942),"Broadway" (1942),"Something to Shout About" (1943),and "Once Upon a Time" (1944).
Blair's career took a new direction in the 1950s when she began performing in nightclubs and was spotted by composer Richard Rodgers. She took on the lead role of "Ensign Nellie Forbush" in the touring production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "South Pacific" and later made her Broadway debut in the musical "A Girl Can Tell" (1953).
Blair continued to perform on Broadway and in nightclubs throughout her career, appearing in such shows as "Anything Goes," "Bells Are Ringing," "Annie Get Your Gun," "Mame," and "Follies." She also appeared in several films, including "Public Pigeon No. 1" (1957),"Boys' Night Out" (1962),and "Night of the Eagle" (1962).
In the 1970s, Blair turned to television, appearing in shows such as "Caesar's Hour" (1954),"The Smith Family" (1971),"Marcus Welby, M.D." (1969),"Switch" (1975),"Fantasy Island" (1977),and "The Love Boat" (1977). Her last guest appearance was on the episode "Who Killed J.B. Fletcher?" (1991) of "Murder, She Wrote."
Blair died at the age of 85 in Santa Monica, California, after developing pneumonia.
