Broadway Star & Animal Rights Activist Gretchen Wyler Dies

Gretchen Wyler, the Broadway and TV actress who became a leading animal rights activist, has died at the age of 75, The New York Times reports.  Wyler, who brassily celebrated "Stereophonic Sound" in Silk Stockings, died from complications of breast cancer in her home in Camarillo, CA on Sunday, May 27th.

Born in Bartlesville, OK on February 16th, 1932, Wyler made her Broadway debut in the original production of Guys and Dolls, in which she appeared as a replacement in the role of Miss Adelaide.  She also created the role of Janice Dayton in Cole Porter's Silk Stockings, appeared as a replacement Lola during the original run as Damn Yankees and as a replacement Rose Grant during the original run of Bye, Bye Birdie.  Other Broadway credits included Rumple and Sly Fox.

Wyler also had an enduring career as a television actress.  She was notably a regular on the short-lived series "On Our Own" and also spent a season appearing on "Dallas."  Other TV credits included "Providence," "Judging Amy," "Friends," "Falcon Crest," "Charlie's Angel" and "The Phil Silvers Show."

Wyler became committed to animal rights in 1966, after seeing the poor conditions of a New York animal shelter.  After managing the shelter for a decade, she became the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' first female board of directors member.  She formed Ark Trust in 1991 and ran the organization until it joined with the Humane Society in 2002, after which she became the Humane Society's vice president through 2002.  She also founded the Genesis Awards in 1986.  The awards "honor the media and entertainment industry for shining a spotlight on animal cruelty."  This year, The Beatles legend and animal rights activist Paul McCartney was the first recipient of the Gretchen Wyler Award.

Humane Society President and CEP Wayne Pacelle said of Wyler, "The humane movement has lost one of its brightest stars.  Gretchen Wyler devoted 40 intense years to protecting animals, and the cause gained so much ground during that time because of her extraordinary achievements and advocacy -- in the media, in law-making, and in raising public consciousness."

Photo by Shira Greenberg - Gretchen Wyler sings "On the Other Side of the Tracks" at the Actors' Fund's 2004 Cy Coleman benefit