Gigi Perreau

A major little talent, this French-American moppet star of the late '40s and early '50s was able to parlay her precocious popularity into a modest young adult career, but then left it for family. She has nevertheless maintained on its fringe for decades.'Gigi Perreau' (qv) was born on February 6, 1941, in Los Angeles to a French father, who fled his native country at the onset of WWII, and an American mother. Her beginnings in acting started way back to the tender age of 2-1/2 when her mother was approached by a talent agent who represented child actors and who took an initial interest in her 5-year-old brother Gerald. But Gigi grabbed a little attention of her own. When producer/director 'Mervyn LeRoy' (qv) discovered little Gigi could speak French as well as English at such a precious age, he cast her as 'Greer Garson' (qv)'s daughter in _Madame Curie (1943)_ (qv). Gigi went on to play 'Gloria DeHaven' (qv) as a toddler in _Two Girls and a Sailor (1944)_ (qv) and a child to 'Bette Davis' (qv) in the classic soaper _Mr. Skeffington (1944)_ (qv).MGM signed her up and Gigi spent several years there where, among other roles, she played the daughter of 'Katharine Hepburn' (qv) in the composer Schumann biopic _Song of Love (1947)_ (qv) and a child to 'Lana Turner' (qv) in _Green Dolphin Street (1947)_ (qv). Gigi earned her best reviews when Universal-International picked up her option. She positively bloomed as a top juvenile player and received an award from the Screen Children's Guild while appeared in top quality films, both light-hearted and tear-stained.At Universal, Gigi was quite endearing as 'Claudette Colbert' (qv)'s lively daughter in the domestic comedy _Family Honeymoon (1948)_ (qv); quite touching in the melodrama _My Foolish Heart (1949)_ (qv) starring 'Susan Hayward' (qv); and quite earnest in the lead role of a child who witnesses a murder in the film noir _Shadow on the Wall (1950)_ (qv) starring 'Ann Sothern' (qv). She had a standout role as 'Piper Laurie' (qv)'s kid sister and a Charleston partner to 'Charles Coburn' (qv) in the Roaring 20's comedy _Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952)_ (qv) and got to monkey around with a monkey in the comedy _Bonzo Goes to College (1952)_ (qv).In the mid '50s, things started tapering off for the former pig-tailed child star as she tried to adjust through the awkward teen age years. Appearances in such lowbudget exploitation as _The Cool and the Crazy (1958)_ (qv), _Girls Town (1959)_ (qv) and _Hell on Wheels (1967)_ (qv) pretty much tells the story.Developing into a lovely-looking young adult, she also graced the small screen. She co-starred in two short-lived series: the sitcom _The Betty Hutton Show (1959)_ (qv) and the detective drama _Follow the Sun (1961)_ (qv). She also guested on such shows as "Whirlybirds," "The 'Donna Reed' (qv) Show," The Detective," "Hawaiian Eye," "Surfside 6," "Laramie," "Rawhide," "The Rebel," "The Roaring 20s," "The Rifleman," "Perry Mason," "Gunsmoke," "Gomer Pyle," "My Three Sons," "Ironside," "The Brady Bunch" and "Adam-12."At the age of 20, Gigi married and had two children, a son and daughter. A second marriage produced another boy and girl. Rarely seen on film or TV since the late '60s, Gigi has continued on as a stage director and college prep drama teacher. Brother Gerald (aka 'Peter Miles' (qv)) equipped himself quite well as a child actor performing in _The Red Pony (1949)_ (qv), _The Good Humor Man (1950)_ (qv) and _Quo Vadis (1951)_ (qv). Gigi appeared with him in the movies _Enchantment (1948)_ (qv) and _Roseanna McCoy (1949)_ (qv), and played his sister on _The Betty Hutton Show (1959)_ (qv). Gigi's two younger sisters, 'Janine Perreau' (qv) and 'Lauren Perreau' (qv), also dabbled in film and TV as youngsters, but to a much lesser degree.::Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net