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She began her career as a model, largely due to her height of 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) and a 38-26-38-and-a-half figure. She went on to be the first woman signed by showman Billy Rose for the swimming chorus in his aquacade at the World's Fair in San Francisco. She studied at the Actors' Laboratory Theatre. After seven months with the aquacade, she worked for Earl Carroll for a year and a half.

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