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| Birth Name(s) : Pamela Blair |
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Full Pamela Blair Biography
Pamela Blair (born December 5, 1949) known as Pam, is an American actress, singer, and dancer best known for originating the role of "Val" in the musical A Chorus Line and several appearances on American Soap Operas.
Born in Bennington, Vermont, to Edgar Joseph and Geraldine Marie (Cummings) Blair; she was raised on a horse farm. She studied dance and gymnastics, played sports, and dreamed of becoming a Radio City Rockette. At age 16, she moved to New York City to audition for dance companies, but was roundly rejected for lack of experience. While she auditioned, she worked as a go-go dancer, waitress, barmaid, and a boyfriend tried to force her into becoming a hooker. Blair comments, "Whenever I don't seem to be getting anywhere in this business, I try to remember that I was almost a hooker and that I've come a long way." Finally her dance lessons paid off and she made her debut as a replacement in the musical Promises, Promises, directed by Michael Bennett.
She continued to build credits with Wild and Wonderful, Seesaw, the revival Of Mice and Men and Sugar, in which she played "Sugar Kane", a role made famous by Marilyn Monroe in the film Some Like It Hot.
In 1974, Blair was invited by Michael Bennett to participate in the workshops from which A Chorus Line was developed. The character of "Valerie Clark" was in large part, based on her own life, although the surgical enhancement came from another dancer. "Val was based on Mitzi Hamilton, who actually underwent surgery to enhance her figure, and Pam Blair, whose mixture of angelic appearance and ribald tongue entertained Bennett enormously" . The innocent yet sexy Val has a foul mouth, and introduces the popular Broadway song "Dance: 10; Looks: 3" which tells the story of an unattractive yet talented girl who uses plastic surgery to help her get cast in roles. The song is also known by its chorus, "Tits and Ass." Val is one of the larger roles, and Blair received much attention. Along with the cast, Blair won the 1976 Theatre World Award for Ensemble Performance for the show.
She next originated the role of "Amber" (later "Angel") in 1978's The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Her turn as an eager to work prostitute earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination. She can be heard on the cast recording as the lead in Hard Candy Christmas, although apparently another song was taken from her before the show opened. Further roles on Broadway include King of Hearts (in the Genevieve Bujold role), Clelia in The Nerd, and Joanne in A Few Good Men, directed by her husband, Don Scardino.
Blair has made several appearances on American Soap operas such as Loving, Another World, Ryan's Hope, and All My Children, for which she received a Daytime Emmy nomination. She has guest starred on such shows as Law & Order, The Cosby Show, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. She appeared opposite Peter O'Toole in the TV film Svengali, and also in Mighty Aphrodite and Annie as the maid Annette ("Silk, no satin, I think!").
Blair lived in California for a time, but her acclaim in portraying the comic and sexy Val did not bring her the work she desired. However, she has continued to amass many regional and national credits, and still appears in sexually appealing roles such as "Hedda" in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. She married actor and director, Don Scardino in 1984, and they divorced in 1991. She lives in Northern New Jersey.
1978 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (nominee) |
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