Original A CHORUS LINE Star Pamela Blair Dies at 73
Drama Desk and Daytime Emmy Nominee; Theatre World Award Winner
She was not on the list.
BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that original "Val" in A CHORUS LINE, Pamela Blair has died at 73. in Phoenix. According to a friend of the star, Scott Withers, "This is posted with a heavy heart. Pamela Blair has passed away. Pam was at home, surrounded by loved ones. Thank you for all of your prayers and support over the years. We will post information on when and where she will be buried tomorrow."
Born in Bennington, Vermont she studied dance, played sports, and dreamed of becoming a Radio City Rockette in order to meet her idols, The Beatles. At age 16, she moved to New York City to attend a private school, The National Academy of Ballet. She later met a friend at a dance class who told her Michael Bennett was looking for dancers for Promises, Promises. Pam auditioned and was hired. Blair comments, "Whenever I don't seem to be getting anywhere in this business, I try to remember that I was once a chambermaid in a small motel in Vermont." She continued to build credits with Seesaw, another Michael Bennett production, and then landed the coveted role of "Curly's Wife", the only female role in the James Earl Jones Broadway revival of Of Mice and Men which later opened at the Kennedy Center to critical acclaim. She also appeared in Sugar, the stage musical version of the film Some Like It Hot, in which she played "Sugar Kane", a role made famous by Marilyn Monroe.
In 1974, Blair was invited by Michael Bennett to participate in the workshops from which A Chorus Line was developed. The character of "Valerie Clark" was in large part, based on her own life, although the surgical enhancement came from another dancer. Along with the cast, Blair won the 1976 Theatre World Award for Ensemble Performance for the show.
She next originated the role of "Amber" (later "Angel") in 1978's The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Her turn as an eager to work prostitute earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination. She can be heard on the cast recording as the lead in Hard Candy Christmas, although the song "Bus from Amarillo" was taken from her before the show opened. Further roles on Broadway include King of Hearts (in the Geneviève Bujold role), "Clelia" in The Nerd, and "Joanne" in A Few Good Men, directed by her then estranged husband, Don Scardino.
Blair has made several appearances on American soap operas such as Loving, Another World, Ryan's Hope, and All My Children, for which she received a Daytime Emmy nomination. She has guest starred on such shows as Law & Order, The Cosby Show, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Blair guest starred in a Movie of The Week titled MANEATER for Lifetime. She appeared opposite Jodie Foster in the TV film Svengali and in feature films Mighty Aphrodite directed by Woody Allen, 21 Grams with Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, Before and After with Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson and Annie as the maid Annette.
Blair lived in Hollywood, California for a time, where she landed the role of Sabrina's mother on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. In 2006, she appeared in the lead role of Miss Mona with the Phoenix Theater's production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, directed by Michael Barnard.
She married actor and director, Don Scardino in 1984, and they divorced in 1991. Most recently, she resided in Arizona where she owns her own Therapeutic and Myofascial Massage Studio for athletes.
Blair made several appearances on American soap operas such as Loving, Another World, Ryan's Hope, and All My Children, for which she received a Daytime Emmy nomination. She guest starred on such shows as Law & Order, The Cosby Show, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Blair guest-starred in a movie-of-the-week titled Maneater for Lifetime. She appeared opposite Jodie Foster in the TV film Svengali and in feature films Mighty Aphrodite directed by Woody Allen, 21 Grams with Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro, Before and After with Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson and Annie as the maid Annette.
Blair lived in Hollywood, California, for a time, where she landed the role of Sabrina's mother on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, although high-profile on-camera success eluded her. However, she continued to amass many regional and national credits, and still appeared in sexually appealing roles such as "Heddi La Rue" in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In 2006, she appeared in the lead role of Miss Mona with the Phoenix Theater's production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, directed by Michael Barnard. As noted above, Blair was in the original cast of the musical.
Credits
Theater (Broadway)
Year Title Role Notes
1989 A Few Good Men Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway
1987 The Nerd Clelia Waldgrave
1978 King of Hearts Jeunefille
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Amber/Angel
1975 A Chorus Line Val
1974 Of Mice and Men Curley's Wife
1973 Seesaw Ensemble
1972 Sugar later Sugar Kane
1971 Wild and
Wonderful
1968 Promises,
Promises
Film and television
Year Title Role Notes
2003 21 Grams Doctor
2000 The Last Dance Dance Teacher TV
1998 Sabrina the
Teenage Witch Sabrina's Mom
1996 Beavis and
Butt-Head Do America Flight
Attendant, White House Tour Guide Voice
only
Before and After Dr.
Ryan's Assistant
1995 Mighty
Aphrodite Greek Chorus
1994 Another
World Bonnie Broderick TV
The Cosby Mysteries Julianne
Law & Order Aileen
Wojak
1992 Me and Veronica Dawn TV
1989 The Cosby Show Karen TV
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd Alison
1985 All My Children Maida Andrews
1983–1985 Loving Rita Mae Bristow
1983 Svengali Trish
1982 Annie Annette
1980 Ryan's Hope Elizabeth Shrank Ryan TV
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