Cultural/Performing Arts
Peggy King Rudofker graduated from Ravenna High School in 1947 and went on to become part of the Golden Age of TV. Always interested in singing, she landed two big jobs in Cleveland – vocalist at WGAR and Cleveland’s top hotel band. She left Ohio and toured with Charlie Spivak’s big band. She moved on to Ray Anthony’s big band, then to Ralph Flanagan’s top band in the country, and finally to Mel Torme’s TV show for CBS. Ms. King then made a jingle for Hunt’s tomato sauce and become an instant sensation. Mitch Miller heard her and signed her to Columbia Records. From there she joined the George Gobel Show and became nationally known as “Pretty Perky Peggy King”. In 1955, she was nominated for an Emmy as Best Female Singer and later performed on the Academy Awards show. She was named Best New Singer of 1956 by Down Beat and Billboard Magazine and co-hosted the 1958 Emmy Awards. Ms. King has had a varied career, appearing on “The Today Show”, “The Tonight Show”, “American Bandstand”, “The Jack Benny Show” and “The Bob Hope Christmas Show”. She has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and has helped to write and perform the theme for the NFL’s TV series “The Men Who Played the Game”. She also has a star on Hollywood Boulevard. Terry Gross, host of the PBS show “Fresh Air” says, “Peggy King is one of the foremost interpreters of American music. She should be declared a national treasure.”