Actress. Born Jeanette Helen Morrison, she was discovered when retired film star Norma Shearer saw her picture at a ski resort. Norma recommended her to talent agent Lew Wasserman who got Janet a contract at MGM for $50 a week and who christened Jeanette with the stage name, Janet Leigh. She made her first movie, "The Romance of Rosy Bridge," at age 19 in 1947. By 1949, she was very busy, working in six movies that year alone. Some of her films included "Act of Violence," "Little Women," "Holiday Affair," "Strictly Dishonorable," "The Naked Spur," "Living It Up," "Jet Pilot," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Safari," "The Manchurian Candidate" and Orson Welles's 1958 film, "Touch of Evil." Janet's most famous role was as an office worker who was stabbed to death in a shower by Anthony Perkins's diabolical character in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film, "Psycho." Many people thought twice before taking a shower after watching the movie, and, in her book, "Psycho: Behind the Scenes in the Classic Thriller" published in 1995, Janet herself admitted to never being able to take a shower again after filming the movie. Janet married fellow actor Tony Curtis in 1951 (her third husband). The union produced actresses Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis (of "Halloween" fame).
Actress. Born Jeanette Helen Morrison, she was discovered when retired film star Norma Shearer saw her picture at a ski resort. Norma recommended her to talent agent Lew Wasserman who got Janet a contract at MGM for $50 a week and who christened Jeanette with the stage name, Janet Leigh. She made her first movie, "The Romance of Rosy Bridge," at age 19 in 1947. By 1949, she was very busy, working in six movies that year alone. Some of her films included "Act of Violence," "Little Women," "Holiday Affair," "Strictly Dishonorable," "The Naked Spur," "Living It Up," "Jet Pilot," "Bye Bye Birdie," "Safari," "The Manchurian Candidate" and Orson Welles's 1958 film, "Touch of Evil." Janet's most famous role was as an office worker who was stabbed to death in a shower by Anthony Perkins's diabolical character in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film, "Psycho." Many people thought twice before taking a shower after watching the movie, and, in her book, "Psycho: Behind the Scenes in the Classic Thriller" published in 1995, Janet herself admitted to never being able to take a shower again after filming the movie. Janet married fellow actor Tony Curtis in 1951 (her third husband). The union produced actresses Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis (of "Halloween" fame).
Bio by: Donna Di Giacomo
Gravesite Details
Niche is next to that of the actor Jack Klugman.
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