Barbara Benjamin (1936-2019) appeared regularly on The Jackie Gleason Show where she announced the guests followed by saying the phrase "and away we go." Before starring in Guys and Dolls (1955) alongside Marlon Brando, she was a model who went to Hollywood at the urging of her parents. She was born in New York City to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Benjamin. In addition to her looks and personality, she was an advocate for gay rights. After her marriage to actor Robert Duvall ended, she returned to New York City. In 2010, she authored the book Inside Out.
She appeared onscreen in Guys and Dolls (1955) and was also a fill- in interviewer on Tex and Jinx between numerous commercials. The pageants she competed in include Miss Surfmaid of 1953 and Miss Rheingold of 1955. She willingly left the entertainment industry after a high-profile interview with Newsday on October 28, 1955. She is survived by her husband Frederick Marcus and her daughters Nancy and Suzan.
“My mother dated Marlon Brando briefly in the 1950s. She ran into him again in the 1970s with her husband, and he didn’t recognize her.” - Nancy Horne
40s
