Jaye P. Morgan

Mary Margaret Morgan (December 3, 1931 – August 24, 2026), known professionally as Jaye P. Morgan, was an American singer, actress and game show panelist.

Early life Mary Margaret Morgan was born in Mancos, Montezuma County, in far southwestern Colorado on December 3, 1931. Her family moved to California by the time she was in high school. Morgan had six siblings; five brothers and one sister. which made it to #26 on the U.S. Billboard record chart. Soon after, she received an RCA Victor recording contract, and she had five hits in one year, including her biggest hit "That's All I Want from You", which reached #3 on the chart. Her other notable hits included "There's a Dream in My Heart" by Rolande Maxwell Young, "The Longest Walk", and "Pepper Hot Baby". After spending six years with RCA Victor, Morgan joined MGM Records in 1959.

From 1954 to 1955, Morgan was a vocalist on the ABC television series show Stop the Music. In November 1955, the British music magazine, NME, reported that Morgan was the top female vocalist in the U.S. Cash Box poll. Beginning January 11, 1954, she was a featured singer on the Robert Q. Lewis Show on CBS-TV.

In 1956, she had her own show, The Jaye P. Morgan Show, and made guest appearances on a number of other variety shows. She was a charter member of the Robert Q. Lewis "gang" on Lewis's weekday program on CBS, In 1958, Morgan appeared on ABC's Pat Boone Chevy Showroom. On October 6, 1960, she guest starred on NBC's The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford.

In 1961, Morgan was cast as Sally Dwight in the episode "Money and the Minister" of the CBS anthology series, General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan. In 1962, she played Patty Maxwell in "Patti's Tune" of the CBS military sitcom-drama Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper. That same year, she was cast as Kitty Flanders in "That's Showbiz" on NBC's The Joey Bishop Show. In 1964, she portrayed the character Ruth Evans in the episode "Sunday Father" of the NBC medical drama The Eleventh Hour.

Although Morgan continued to spend considerable time in the 1960s and 1970s performing in nightclubs, she also continued to make additional appearances on television as well as in films. In 1964, she guest-starred on CBS's My Three Sons as Susan Duvall in the episode "Second Chorus" and in 1966 "A Falling Star", playing the fading singer Claudia Farrell. Later, in 1973, Morgan played herself in the episode "The Songwriter" of the sitcom The Odd Couple.

In 1978, Morgan guest-starred on The Muppet Show and sang "That Old Black Magic" as a duet with Dr. Teeth. Morgan made numerous appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson during this period, and in the 1980s and into the early 1990s she performed again in movies, working in supportive roles in films such as Loose Shoes (1980), Night Patrol (1984), and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992).

From 1976 to 1978, Morgan was a regular panelist on The Gong Show, in which she achieved notoriety for flashing her breasts while on live camera during a Gene, Gene, the Dancing Machine performance. NBC banned her from the program for the flashing incident.

Morgan appeared as herself in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, a 2003 semi-biographical film about the life of Chuck Barris, creator of The Gong Show, The Dating Game, and The Newlywed Game.

Personal life and death Morgan was married three times.

Discography

Albums

Year Title Label and Number 1953 Jaye P. Morgan and Orchestra (10") Royale 18122 1954 Jaye P. Morgan and Orchestra (10") Royale 18147 1954 Jaye P. Morgan and Orchestra (10") Royale 18162 1955 Jaye P. Morgan Sings with Frank DeVol's Orchestra Allegro Royale 1604 1956 Jaye P. Morgan RCA Victor LPM-1155 1958 Just You, Just Me RCA Victor LSP-1682 1959 Slow & Easy MGM E3774 1960 Up North MGM E3830 1960 Down South MGM E3867 1961 That Country Sound MGM E3940 1962 Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries Tops Mayfair 9739 1970 What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life Beverly Hills BHS-24 1976 Jaye P. Morgan Candor C-1001 1983 Lately! Palace PLP-S6540 1995 Jaye P. Morgan & Kaye Ballard – Long Time Friends AVL-95320

Singles