Dee Arlen

American actress, singer and songwriter. Born August 20, 1930 in Miles City, Montana, USA. She was married to songwriter Bill Norvas (1949, divorcing in January 1960). She then married actor Gil Stratton (1961 - 2008, his death). Both of Dee's parents were musicians. At the age of ten, she and her family moved to Los Angeles, California. During her college years, Dee sang with a group called the "Moonmists" (four boys and a girl group that later became "The Whippoorwills"). In 1950, after leaving college, she started her professional career with Bill Norvas and the Upstarts. For 28 weeks, the group was on the Kate Smith Show. During this period, they did many guest shots with Perry Como, Milton Berle, and others. For three months, they toured with Dennis Day. Dee did the Broadway Revue Tickets Please at the Coronet Theatre in New York. She also appeared at the Copa with comedian/singer Joe E. Lewis. In 1955, Dee and Bill Norvas went out on their own and did a comedy act, singing and dancing. Later came engagements in Las Vegas with Ken Murray's Blackouts. In 1958, Dee did a show at the Cabaret Concert called In League With Ivy for Billy Barnes and from this came the lead in the Billy Barnes Revue when she replaced Joyce Jameson who went to New York with the original cast. Ray Conniff saw Dee in the Billy Barnes Revue and liked her so much, he decided to record her. He backed her on the 45 "Stay / Why Should We Wait Any Longer?".