GALE STORM DIES – STARRED IN “OH SUSANNA” THE FIRST TV SERIES ON A CRUISE SHIP

GALE STORM DIES – STARRED IN “OH SUSANNA” THE FIRST TV SERIES ON A CRUISE SHIP (BEATING OUT LOVE BOAT) – ABOARD AMERICAN PRESIDENT LINE’S SS PRESIDENT WILSON

Gale Storm with ZaSu Pitts in the 1950s TV Series aboard a cruise ship.

Cruise History looks at Gale Storm who starred in a TV series that took place aboard a cruise ship before Love Boat.  She died at the age of 87 on June 27, 2009.

SS PRESIDENT CLEVELAND – Sister ship to the Wilson…

SS Ocean Queen (SS PRESIDENT WILSON) – Cruise ship on the maritime comedy THE GALE STORM SHOW (OH SUSANNA!)/CBS/ABC/1956-60.

The SS Ocean Queen crew included Gale Storm as social director Susanna Pomeroy; Roy Roberts as Captain Simon Huxley; Jimmy Fairfax as ship’s steward Cedric; Rolfe Sedan as ship’s physician Dr. Eugene Reynolds; and ZaSu Pitts as the ship’s hairdresser Elvira/Esmerelda “Nugey” Nugent and Susanna’s close friend (later souvenir shop salesgirl).

Adding to the captain’s frustrations was the ship’s steward, an impish little fellow named Cedric (who went overboard when the series moved to ABC).

In the opening theme, the ship blasts its horn once; the ships’ bell clangs four times; and the show’s title is spelled out by the ship’s nautical flags.

Portions of the series were filmed onboard the real-life trans-Pacific American President liner, the S.S. President Wilson.

The “LOVE BOAT” style show was set aboard a cruise ship which was based on American President Line’s SS President Cleveland and SS President Wilson.

In 1922, Gale Storm was born Josephine Owaisso Cottle, the youngest of 5 children, in the town of Bloomington, Texas in Victoria County. Her father died in 1923, and the family later moved to Houston.

At the age of 17, she entered a contest, Gateway to Hollywood and won first prize: a one-year movie contract with RKO Radio Pictures. She later worked for Monogram Pictures, making more than 35 films for the studio.

From 1952-1955, she starred in My Little Margie as Margie Albright which featured the silver-haired actor Charles Farrell as her father.

Gale Storm has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame recognizing her contributions to radio, music, and television. Her recording career lasted from 1956 through 1960, with several top 40 hits.

She guest starred occasionally in such popular television programs as The Love Boat and Murder She Wrote.

She tells her life story in her autobiography, I Ain’t Down Yet.

GALE STORM on What’s My Line in the 1950’s