Millie Perkins
Millie Perkins
Millie Perkins (May 12 1938) is an American film and television actress. Millie Perkins on a visit to Israel, in 1959. Born in Passaic, New Jersey, Millie grew up in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Her father was a merchant marine captain. Perkins was working as a receptionist at a New York City advertising agency when she caught the eye of a visiting photographer with a resultant career as a model; by 1958 Perkins was an international cover girl. However, in 1958, she was vigorously pursued, and then selected, to appear in her first film, in the title role of The Diary of Anne Frank. Perkins had never studied nor sought to be an actress, but George Stevens saw her on the cover of several magazines and tried to convince her to read for the part. Finally, she flew to Hollywood for a screen test and, with much fanfare, landed the role of Anne Frank in George Stevens' 1959 film "The Diary of Anne Frank." Perkins received almost universally excellent reviews for her portrayal of Anne although the film was a notorious commercial flop. After her work with George Stevens, Perkins was placed under contract to 20th Century Fox, She was one of the bright young stars of Hollywood but the studio contract system, which was coming to an end just as the young Millie Perkins was signed into it, was a poor fit for this young star, who had come of age with the Beat Generation in 1950s New York City. George Stevens would later state:"Millie did not fit in.
