Georgine Darcy

Georgine Darcy (January 14, 1933 – July 18, 2004) was an American dancer and actress best known for her role as "Miss Torso" in the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film Rear Window. She also had a regular role in the 1960-61 sitcom Harrigan and Son.

Early life

Born in Brooklyn, Darcy was reputedly urged by her mother to become a stripper to make a "fast buck". and modeled.

Career

Rear Window

In 1954, Darcy was cast in Rear Window. She did not even know Hitchcock and did not consider herself an actress. Hitchcock selected her based on a publicity photo of her wearing a black leotard and green feather boa. In Rear Window, she played one of the neighbors of protagonist L.B. Jefferies (James Stewart), a temporarily disabled photographer who passes the time spying on the other tenants of his neighborhood. Her nameless character, who was dubbed "Miss Torso", practiced her dance moves in a skimpy top and a pair of pink shorts with a 21-inch waistband, courtesy of costume designer Edith Head.

During filming, Hitchcock asked her what kinds of pie she liked and disliked. She told him she loathed pumpkin pie. When it came time to film her character's reaction to finding a strangled dog, he presented her with pumpkin pie served with "crude Cockney jokes" to prompt an adverse response. On the last day of filming, Hitchcock and some of the cast presented her with a cake in the shape of her voluptuous figure. "It had the breasts and everything!" she said. She also appeared in the movies Women and Bloody Terror (1970) and The Delta Factor (1970).

Personal life

Darcy was married to actor Byron Palmer for 30 years, until her death. In 2004, she died of natural causes at age 71. (At the time of her death, she was inaccurately reported to have been the last surviving credited cast member of Rear Window. However, that was untrue. Rand Harper, who played "Harry", the honeymooning groom, died in 2016, and Harry Landers, who played the uncredited role of Miss Lonelyheart's guest, died in 2017.)

Filmography Love Me Madly (1954) Rear Window (1954) as Miss Torso Don't Knock the Twist (1962) as Madge Albright Women and Bloody Terror (1970) as Lauren Worthington The Delta Factor (1970) as Party Girl