Larri Thomas obit

Larri Thomas, Dancer and Actress, Dies at 81

She was not on the list.

She helped open Dean Martin’s “The Silencers” with a sexy striptease and appeared in “Guys and Dolls,” “South Pacific” and “The Pajama Game.”

Larri Thomas, an actress and dancer who did a striptease during the steamy opening title sequence of The Silencers, the first movie to star Dean Martin as counter-agent Matt Helm, has died. She was 81.

Thomas, who also adorned the big screen as a featured Goldwyn Girls dancer in the classic musical Guys and Dolls (1955), died Sunday at her home in Van Nuys shortly after suffering a fall, a family friend said.

A leggy blonde, Thomas also appeared in such films as Road to Bali (1952), Million Dollar Mermaid (1952), House of Wax (1953), Artists and Models (1955), Love Me or Leave Me (1955), The Best Things in Life Are Free (1956), The Pajama Game (1957), South Pacific (1958), Ask Any Girl (1959), The Music Man (1962), Papa’s Delicate Condition (1963), Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), Frankie and Johnny (1966) and Earth Girls Are Easy (1988).

She also served as a stand-in for Julie Andrews for physical scenes on Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965) and had bit parts in those films as well.

In the erotic start to The Silencers (1966), Thomas follows a striptease by Mary Jane Mangler with one of her own, using a white feather boa rather effectively. Up next is Cyd Charisse, who preens as she lip-synchs the title song performed by Vikki Carr.

In addition to The Silencers, Artists and Models and Robin and the 7 Hoods, Thomas worked alongside Martin on his popular NBC variety show in the 1960s.

She danced on three Fred Astaire live TV specials beginning in the late 1940s and had roles on such series as Bachelor Father, Peter Gunn, Route 66, The Lucy Show and Coach and as Henrietta the Hippo on New Zoo Revue.

Born Lida Thomas in Wayne, Pa., Thomas got her start doing TV commercials. She was married to actor John Bromfield, whom she met on the set of Curucu, Beast of the Amazon (1956), and dancer Bruce Hoy.

In addition to Hoy, survivors include daughters Amy and Elizabeth.

Filmography

    Coach .... Woman #1 (1 episode, 1993)

        "Christmas of the Van Damned" (1993) TV Episode .... Woman #1

    Earth Girls Are Easy (1988) .... Curl Up and Dye Dancer

    In God We Tru$t (1980)

    New Zoo Revue (1972) TV Series .... Henrietta Hippo (unknown episodes)

    Frankie and Johnny (1966) (uncredited) .... Earl Barton dancer

    The Silencers (1966) (uncredited) .... Specialty Dancer

    The Dean Martin Show .... Regular (3 episodes, 1965)

        Episode dated October 28, 1965 TV Episode (uncredited) .... Regular

        Episode dated September 23, 1965 TV Episode (uncredited) .... Regular

        Episode dated September 16, 1965 TV Episode (uncredited) .... Regular

    The Sound of Music (1965) .... Stand-in for Julie Andrews

    The Doctors and The Nurses The Prisoner: Part 1 (1964) TV Episode (as Lorie Thomas) .... Helen Walsh

    Mary Poppins (1964) (uncredited) .... Woman in Carriage & Stand-in for Julie Andrews

    Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964) (uncredited) .... Dancer

    Island of Love (1963) (uncredited)

    His Model Wife (1962) (TV) (as Lorrie Thomas)

    The Music Man (1962) (uncredited) .... High School Girl

    The Beat Generation (1959) (uncredited)

    Ask Any Girl (1959) (uncredited)

    Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse .... Miss Hairdo (1 episode, 1959)

        "Lucy Wants a Career" (1959) TV Episode .... Miss Hairdo

    Peter Gunn .... Sharon Moore (1 episode, 1958)

    Rough Buck (1958) TV Episode .... Sharon Moore

    South Pacific (1958) (uncredited) .... Nurse in Thanksgiving show

    Curucu, Beast of the Amazon (1956) .... Vivian, the dancer

    Guys and Dolls (1955), Goldwyn Girl, as one of the Hot Box Girls (uncredited)[7]

    Love Me or Leave Me (1955) (uncredited) .... Chorus girl

    Ring of Fear (1954) as a Strong Woman - talking part

    House of Wax (1953) (uncredited) as a can-can girl