Virginia Vestoff

Well-known Broadway actress Virginia Vestoff was born on December 9, 1939, in New York City, the daughter of vaudevillians. Her father was a Russian immigrant and mother a direct descent of composer/songwriter Stephen Foster (1826-1864). Both parents died young, leaving Virginia an orphan by age 9 and living with relatives. Her lonely, unhappy childhood led to an overactive imagination and a propensity toward the performing arts. At age 12 she won third prize on Ted Mack & the Original Amateur Hour (1948) and made her professional debut in the Children's Chorus of the New York City Opera Company. She later became a student at New York's High School of the Performing Arts. She dropped out of school at age 15 to pursue her acting dream and eventually found herself touring with a dance company. This led to her professional stage debut in "The Boyfriend" in 1957. Virginia's versatility would shine in both legit classical plays and musicals, keeping her constantly employed throughout the 1