May Wynn

Donna Lee Custer (née Hickey, January 8, 1928 – March 22, 2021), better known by the stage name May Wynn, was an American dancer, singer, actress turned realtor and teacher's aide after her performance career.

Early life Wynn was born January 8, 1928, in New York City. She grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, and was descended from a line of performers: Her grandfather, Bertie Black, worked as a musician in vaudeville, and her father, Ray Hickey, was a song-and-dance performer in vaudeville. She was of Irish descent. Her early jobs included modeling, working in a department store, and being a page at La Guardia Field. Outside of work, she won a variety of talent contests.

Career In 1945, the 17-year-old Wynn began performing as a dancer, under her birth name, at New York's Copacabana nightclub. She was tested for a key supporting role in From Here to Eternity (1953), but Donna Reed played the part.

Personal life Wynn married actor Jack Kelly in October 1956. She was married to Jack W. Custer from 1968 to 1979, when they were divorced.

Wynn died in Newport Beach, California in March 2021 at the age of 93.

Selected filmography The Caine Mutiny (1954) They Rode West (1954) The Violent Men (1955) The White Squaw (1956) Hong Kong Affair (1958)