Nancy Hadley

Nancy Jo Hadley was born at the Methodist Hospital in Los Angeles, California on August 1, 1930.{{cite news |title='My L.A.' Opens Nov 28th at Forum Theater |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/covina-argus/128061394/|work=Covina Argus |date=November 16, 1951 |location=Covina, California |page=3 |via = Newspapers.com}} Her parents were Paul Edward Hadley, a dried fruit distributor, and Jessie Morisee Cummings.Paul Edward Hadley in the Arizona, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1865-1972, retrieved from [https://www.ancestry.com/ Ancestry.com] Her parents divorced when Hadley was a toddler; her mother, with whom Hadley lived, remarried.{{cite news |title='Miss L.A.' Hates Contests But Wins |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-mirror/128062141/|work=The Mirror |date=June 4, 1952 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=16 |via = Newspapers.com}} Hadley had two younger half-siblings from her father's second marriage.{{cite news |title=Wife Sues Citrus Dealer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128062412/|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=February 1, 1946 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=20 |via = Newspapers.com}}

Hadley graduated from Huntington Park High School in 1948.{{cite news |title=New L.A. Musical Gets Official Representative |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128062721/|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=November 11, 1951 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=28 |via = Newspapers.com}} She then went to a modeling school, and later worked for modeling agencies.{{cite news |title=Nancy Hadley: Many "Misses" |work=TV Week |date=January 27, 1957 |location=Lancaster, Pennsylvania |page=3 }}

From April 1950 on Hadley appeared in newspaper photo spreads as a model for California-based retail events, trade conventions, and fashion merchandise.{{cite news |title=Celebrating Hoffman Week |work=The Southwest Wave |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-southwest-wave/128063094/|date=April 30, 1950 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=6 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=Her Mirror |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-mirror/128063280/|work=The Mirror |date=September 20, 1950 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=30 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=Exciting Hawaiian Fashion Show at El Mirador Hotel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-desert-sun/128063542/|work=The Desert Sun |date=February 26, 1953 |location=Palm Springs, California |page=15 |via = Newspapers.com}}

She also did television commercials from 1950 through 1956, being known as a "spare parts" girl.{{cite news |last=Lieber |first=Leslie |title=TV's Jigsaw Puzzle Girl |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 27, 1957 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=278 |via = Newspapers.com}} This meant that viewers saw only specific features of her, such as hands for a fountain pen ad, teeth for a toothpaste commercial, without seeing her whole face and body. The more traditional fashion modeling would continue even after she was an established actress.{{cite news |title=Late, Late Fashions for the Late, Late Movies |work=TV Guide |date=September 9, 1961 }}

Her modeling gigs would lead to a television appearance, on a local Los Angeles program called Hollywood Studio Party during April 1951.{{cite news |title=Three Beauties and Wheeler |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128063958/|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=April 20, 1951 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=22 |via = Newspapers.com}} Later that year, she was selected as the photo representative for a heavily promoted musical called My L.A., which opened in Los Angeles in early December 1951. Though not a member of the performing cast, Hadley promoted the musical through photo ops and two more television appearances.{{cite news |title=Television Programs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news/128064196/|work=Los Angeles Evening Citizen News |date=November 23, 1951 |location=Hollywood, California |page=20 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |last=Bird |first=Bill |title=Radio and Television on Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pasadena-independent/128064381/|work=Pasadena Independent |date=November 28, 1951 |location=Pasadena, California |page=19 |via = Newspapers.com}}

Her exposure for the "My L.A." campaign also led to a brief recurring role co-hosting a local KTTV show.{{cite news |title=Friday Television |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news/128064691/ |work=Daily News |date=April 25, 1952 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=52 |via = Newspapers.com}} She left this program abruptly however to enter a series of beauty contests.{{cite news |title=H-P Graduate Beats Out Hollydale Girls |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-gate-daily-press-tribune/128064947/|work=South Gate Daily Press Tribune |date=May 20, 1952 |location=South Gate, California |page=24 |via = Newspapers.com}}

The culmination of her modeling career came in Spring 1952, when she won the title of "Miss Los Angeles", and was one of five finalists for that year's "Miss California" contest.{{cite news |title=Huntington Park Girl Wins L.A. Beauty Title |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-mirror/128065113/|work=The Mirror |date=May 26, 1952 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=6 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=Miss Alhambra Is Popular Selection |work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-cruz-sentinel/7448805/|date=June 9, 1952 |location=Santa Cruz, California |page=1 |via = Newspapers.com}} This led to more live television appearances in the Los Angeles area.{{cite news |title=Radio and TV Tidbits |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=June 5, 1952 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=30 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=Paul Price |work=Daily News |date=July 9, 1952 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=40 |via = Newspapers.com}}

Hadley's acting career seems to have started at age 21 in March 1952, as the female lead in an original stage production, which is known only from a single advertisement.{{cite news |title=(Ad) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/eagle-rock-sentinel/128073047/ |work=Eagle Rock Sentinel |date=March 27, 1952 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=2 |via = Newspapers.com}} It was more than two years before she would act again, this time with some summer stock at Tustin, California. The Tustin Playbox, then in its third season, had just been taken over by husband and wife producers Sherwood Price and Cathy Browne.{{cite news |title=Playbox Stars to Wed Nov. 22 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tustin-news/128073225/|work=The Tustin News |date=November 20, 1953 |location=Tustin, California |page=3 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=Stock Will Reopen in Tustin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128073473/|work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 30, 1954 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=88 |via = Newspapers.com}} They rejuvenated the community theatre with young Hollywood professionals of their acquaintance, including Hadley. She had featured roles in two productions that season, Blithe Spirit and Petticoat Fever, each of which ran for two weeks.{{cite news |title=Coward Opus Opens Tustin Play Season |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128073664/|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=June 24, 1954 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=43 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=Tustin Farce Gains Favor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128073788/|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=July 9, 1954 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=54 |via = Newspapers.com}} She then had a role in a professionally staged fashion trade show at the Pan-Pacific Auditorium, playing the first female US president.{{cite news |title=World's Fair of Fashion, Beauty Opens on Aug 31 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/valley-news/128073954/|work=The Van Nuys News |date=August 26, 1954 |location=Van Nuys, California |page=53 |via = Newspapers.com}}

Hadley passed over doing summer stock in 1955 in favor of doing television shows. According to columnist Terry Vernon, Hadley's popularity with producers was due to a new gamine style haircut.{{cite news |last=Vernon |first=Terry |title=TV Tele-Vues |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/independent/128087468/|work=The Independent |date=September 5, 1955 |location=Long Beach, California |page=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}

A trickle of shows in 1955 became a flood in 1956, including a recurring part on one series. Despite the work load she found time for three stage plays, including two dramas at the Tustin Playbox, Picnic and Come Back, Little Sheba.{{cite news|title=Inge Play Presented at Tustin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128087699/|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=June 22, 1956 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=23 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title='Sheba' Lead Wins Praise |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=July 26, 1956 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=15 |via=Newspapers.com}} Her recurring role was a featured one on The Brothers, in which she played the girl friend of the younger brother. The series lasted only twenty-four episodes; Hadley appeared in about a third of them.

Her final television appearance in 1956 was for the National Bowl Football Game, held December 15 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Hadley served as on-camera hostess for the charitable portions of the event, in which all proceeds went to the Kiwanis Crippled Children's Foundation.{{cite news|title=Now They'd Like to See Other Kids Walk |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news/128087929/|work=Los Angeles Evening Citizen News |date=November 17, 1956 |location=Hollywood, California |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Throughout 1957 she continued to average one television performance a month, while still doing stage work. She did a two-week run in Champagne Complex with co-star Joe Flynn under the direction of William Schallert at the Laguna Playhouse, followed by another two weeks doing the same play at the Tustin Playbox.{{cite news |title="Champagne Complex" Comes As Current Playbox Comedy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tustin-news/128089543/|work=The Tustin News |date=July 4, 1957 |location=Tustin, California |page=8 |via = Newspapers.com}}

During October 1957 she opened with the touring company for the then Broadway hit The Tunnel of Love, playing with Tommy Noonan, William Bishop, and Narda Onyx to excellent notices by reviewers.{{cite news |last=Cone |first=Theresa Loeb |title=Gags Flow Freely in 'Tunnel of Love' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/128089684/|work=The Oakland Tribune |date=October 8, 1957 |location=Oakland, California |page=27 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |last=Morton |first=Hortense |title=A Bonus Package in 'Tunnel of Love' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/128089805/|work=San Francisco Examiner |date=October 9, 1957 |location=San Francisco, California |page=33 |via = Newspapers.com}} So popular was the play that the tour was postponed for a six-month run at the Alcazar Theatre in San Francisco. Not until April 1958 could the tour resume with a six-week run at the Huntington Hartford Theatre in Los Angeles, where critics were almost as enthused.{{cite news |last=Scott |first=John L. |title='The Tunnel of Love' Spicy Stage Comedy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128090083/|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=April 8, 1958 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=36 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |last=Redelings |first=Lowell E. |title=Hartford Comedy Scores Hit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news/128089959/|work=Los Angeles Evening Citizen News |date=April 8, 1958 |location=Hollywood, California |page=16 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title='Tunnel of Love' In Final Week |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128090155/|work=The Los Angeles Times |date=May 12, 1958 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=80 |via = Newspapers.com}}

Hadley told columnist Gene Sherman that after eight months of continuously wearing a wedding ring for the play, she got used to it and kept it on even after she got engaged for real.{{cite news |last=Sherman |first=Gene |title=Cityside |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/128090312/|work=Los Angeles Times |date=December 4, 1958 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=2 |via = Newspapers.com}}

Following her extended stage run, Hadley returned to a busy television schedule from 1958 thru 1961. Westerns predominated among the many series she acted in, and about which she had some strong opinions, as expressed to interviewer Vernon Scott.{{cite news |last=Scott |first=Vernon |title=Western Training |work=The Press-Tribune |date=December 14, 1958 |location=Roseville, California |page=14 |via = Newspapers.com}}

If I didn't work in westerns, I wouldn't be working very often... Except for screaming, and running from heavies into the arms of the hero, there's no opportunity for acting. Once in awhile I get a chance to beat out a fire or fall off a horse. And I've been shot a couple of times, too. I've only been killed twice though. Romance is out of the question. The hero usually gives you a slight kiss at the end of the show, but nothing very passionate because he has to have another girl in the next episode.

Her second film, Frontier Uprising in early 1961, would become a mainstay of television in later decades. She had the female lead opposite Jim Davis, and not for the first time, was cast in a Hispanic role.

Hadley was hired as a regular for The Joey Bishop Show in Summer 1961, and appeared prominently as Joey's girlfriend for the first seven episodes starting in October of that year.{{cite news |title=Bishop Will Play 'Flack' in Series |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-fresno-bee/128109263/|work=The Fresno Bee |date=August 13, 1961 |location=Fresno, California |page=146 |via = Newspapers.com}} However, despite good ratings, she and four other regulars were fired by November 1961, prompting a suggestion that the show be renamed to "Exodus".{{cite news |last=Humphrey |first=Hal |title=They're Thinking of Retitling Joey Bishop's Show to 'Exodus' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-mirror/128109387/|work=Los Angeles Mirror |date=November 1, 1961 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=22 |via = Newspapers.com}}

From then on television roles were few and far between. She was now thirty-one, an age at which leading women in television who hadn't yet reached full star status either turned to character acting or faded away. From 1962 thru 1966 she had only one or two television roles per year, followed by four years without any screen acting jobs. She did her third film role in 1970, in which she had a small part as Alvy Moore's wife for The Late Liz, followed by two last television appearances.

Publicity surrounding her choice as Miss Los Angeles revealed she was 5' 5" tall and weighed 117 pounds at age 21, with brown hair and dark blue eyes. She was a health and exercise enthusiast, which enabled her to continue modeling clothes into her thirties.

Hadley married John G. Falvo a writer and producer, in January 1959. Newspaper Enterprise Association (January 16, 1959). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/79109985/?clipping_id=128103098 "Hollywood Today!"]. Pittston Gazette. p. 4. Retrieved July 12, 2023.{{cite news |title=Newlyweds |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/126828029/ |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 7, 1959 |location=Los Angeles, California |page=21 |via = Newspapers.com}} Columnists announced the couple had sunk their savings into their new production company, Alger Films, which was to make a movie Falvo had written and in which they both would perform.{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Erskine |title=In Hollywood |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/redlands-daily-facts/128198550/|work=Redlands Daily Facts |date=January 20, 1959 |location=Redlands, California |page=10 |via = Newspapers.com}} They also bought a home in Sherman Oaks, the address and price of which an indiscreet realtor provided to the newspapers.{{cite news |title=Real Estate News Briefs |work=Los Angeles Evening Citizen News |date=August 14, 1969 |location=Hollywood, California |page=12 |via = Newspapers.com}}

The couple had three sons together, but were divorced on December 1, 1971.{{Citation needed |date=June 2023}} Hadley appears to have resided in Pasadena, California since retiring from show business.{{cite news |title=Paul E. Hadley, founder of roadside business, dies |work=The San Bernardino County |date=January 1, 1985 |location=San Bernardino, California |page=13 |via = Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |last=Mahr |first=Christine |title=Peggy Hadley Dies at 96 |work=The Desert Sun |date=March 11, 1998 |location=Palm Springs, California |page=11 |via = Newspapers.com}}

Hadley died in Santa Clarita, California on December 28, 2024, at the age of 94.{{Cite web |last=Winget |first=Giso |title=Nancy Jo Hadley, (1930 – 2024) |url=https://www.forevermissed.com/nancy-jo-hadley/about |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=Forever Missed |language=en}}

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Category:1930 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:20th-century American actresses

Category:American television actresses

Category:American stage actresses

Category:Actresses from Los Angeles

Category:Female models from Los Angeles