The Sweetheart Of Lucky Strike

Dorothy Collins was born

Marjorie Chandler in Windsor, Ontario, in 1926.

She began singing on radio shows in Windsor and Detroit,

and by age 15 was singing with the Raymond Scott Quintet.

When Raymond made the move to NBC's Your Hit Parade,

Dorothy became a Hit Parade vocalist.

Below with fellow "Parade" star,

Snooky Lanson (Roy Landon).

Hit Parade began as a CBS radio show where it was called 

Lucky Strike's Your Hit Parade...

and Collins became their go-to spokesperson and jingle singer.

"The Sweetheart of Lucky Strike"

Your Hit Parade focused on the most popular and bestselling songs of the week. Dorothy, Snooky, Gisele MacKenzie and Russell Arms

(the cast would change with the tides,

along with plenty of guest stars like
Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore, and Johnny Mercer)

 would present the top 15 songs, with the number one song as the finale.

A typical example of Hit Parade spots,

with guest artists Hank Williams, Jr., Jimmy Dean, and Boots Randolph

singing "If You've Got The Money (I've Got The Time)"

with Dorothy.

Counting its years as both a radio AND a TV show,

Hit Parade ran for 24 years,

had 19 different orchestra leaders 

(Raymond Scott was one)

and 52 performers/groups. 

Above, an appearance with John Gary on the 

Arthur Godfrey Show.

During the 1960s, Dorothy appeared on 

The Steve Allen Show, The Jonathon Winters Show,

Candid Camera, and The Bell Telephone Hour.

She also had a couple of pop hits:

"My Boy - Flat Top", "Baciare, Baciare", and "Seven Days."

 

Come 1971,

Dorothy would make her Broadway debut in 

Stephen Sondheim's Follies,

above with Alexis Smith.

The show enlivened the careers of several older actors,

like (below) Yvonne DeCarlo, Gene Nelson,

Dorothy, Alexis, and John McMartin.

Dorothy (on the right above) played Sally Durant Plummer,

and got the chance to sing

"Losing My Mind", "In Buddy's Eyes", and
"Too Many Mornings" with John McMartin.

Her reviews were good:
"Dorothy Collins, 'Hit Parade' jokes notwithstanding,

has a voice of impressive versatility and range."

She was nominated for a Tony,

but lost to cast-mate, Alexis Smith. 

Below, with John.

 

Dorothy had asthma for several years,

and retired from show business in 1980 because of it.

She passed away in 1994, at the age of 67.