Known to classic film fans by various nicknamesincluding Miss Deadpan Frozen Face and Miss Ice Glacierthis statuesque darkhaired singeractress carved a unique niche for herself on stage and screen by the hilarious Sphinxlike way she delivered a song The daughter of the captain of detectives of the Los Angeles Police Department Virginia Lee OBrien became interested in music and dance at an early age it didnt hurt her career chances that her uncle was noted film director Lloyd Bacon Her big showbusiness break came in 1939 after she secured a singing role in the LA production of the musicalcomedy Meet the People On opening night when time came for her solo number Virginia became so paralyzed with fright that she sang her song with a wideeyed motionless stare that sent the audience which thought her performance a gag into convulsions Demoralized Virginia left the stage only to soon find out that she was a sensation Signed by MGM in 1940 she deadpanned her way to acclaim and immense popularity with appearances in some of the studios most memorable musicals including Thousands Cheer 1943 The Harvey Girls 1946 Till the Clouds Roll By 1946 Ziegfeld Follies 1945 Panama Hattie 1942 Ship Ahoy 1942 Meet the People 1944 and Du Barry Was a Lady 1943 performing inimitable renditions of such classic songs as The Wild Wild West from The Harvey Girls A Fine Romance from Till the Clouds Roll By 1946 Its a Great Big World from The Harvey Girls 1946 Poor You from Ship Ahoy 1942 and Say Were Sweethearts Again from Meet the People 1944 Although too often relegated to featured songs and small supporting roles she still managed to become an audience favorite by the sheer force of her personality polished vocals and way with a comic quip The latter ability is especially apparent in one of her last MGM films Merton of the Movies 1947 in which she costarred with Red Skelton In 1948 after 17 memorable screen appearances for MGM the studio unceremoniously dropped her from its roster She returned to films only twice more after her termination from MGM in Universals Francis in the Navy 1955 and Disneys Gus 1976 preferring to focus her energies on television and the stage where she delighted audiences for three more decades In the 1980s the still youthful beauty toured the country in a onewoman show and recorded a live album at the famed Masquers Club entitled A Salute to the Great MGM Musicals One of her last significant stage appearances came in 1984 as Parthy Ann in the Long Beach Civic Light Operas production of Showboat with Alan Young She remained in semiretirement in a large home in Wrightwood California for most of her later years until her death at the Motion Picture Country Hospital in Woodland Hills 16 January 2001 from a heart attack
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