Marilyn Patricia Burtis (1927-2005) was a secretary at a law firm before becoming a model. She started as a sever at The Brown Derby where she would frequently be approached and offered jobs. In addition to being a recurring co-host alongside Jack Bailey, Groucho Marx, and Peter Potter, she was crowned Miss Bar-B-Cutie of 1954 at the National Patio and Barbecue Show. After years of bit parts, she finally landed the role of Patsy Ruth in The Last Time I saw Archie (1961). When at the height of her career, she reportedly answered roughly 1,500 fan letters weekly.
She was married to Richard Ellwood, and later James Crooker.
She left the industry, but remained in Los Angeles, California until her death. Of her various gigs, she once said that the strangest was leaping out of a coffin in a bathing suit at someone's birthday celebration.
"It [modeling] is better than working in an office from 9 to 5." -
Marilyn Burtis
50s
