Peggie Castle was a 50's B-movie queen who appeared in such cult classics as Beginning of the End, Invasion USA, and Kiss Me Deadly. She also found time to make a few television appearances as well. Fans of Perry Mason might remember Peggie from TCOT Negligent Nymph. She played the attractive blonde swimmer fished out of the water by Perry Mason and Paul Drake. Perry would, naturally, clear Peggie's character of a murder charge later in the episode.
Her most famous television role was that of saloon owner Lilly Merrill in Lawman where she co-starred with John Russell and Peter Brown. Peggie played the role from 1959-62 and though the role was a carbon copy of Amanda Blake's on Gunsmoke she was fondly remembered by fans of Lawman and got good reviews from the critics for her performance.
Sadly, Peggie's career and personal life took a downward spiral after Lawman went off the air. She announced she was quitting acting in order to pursue "other projects" and she kept her word except for one guest appearance on The Virginian in 1966. Unfortunately for Peggie, one of these "other projects" happened to be consuming large quantities of alcohol. She died alone and broke on August 11, 1973 in a shabby Hollywood apartment. Cause of death was given as cirrhosis of the liver. Peggie had recently undergone alcohol rehab in Camarillo State Hospital so there were signs that she was attempting to get her personal life in order at the time of her death but she never got the opportunity to attempt any type of Hollywood comeback.
RIP Peggie Castle.
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