Zale Parry
Zale Parry | |
|---|---|
 Parry as a guest star on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, 1965 | |
| Born | March 19, 1933 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | July 20, 2026 (aged 93) Tillamook, Oregon, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse |
Parry Bivens
(m. 1955; died 1963)Robert Neuman
(m. 1963, divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
Rosalia "Zale" Parry (March 19, 1933 – July 20, 2026) was an American pioneer scuba diver, underwater photographer and actress. She has been described as "California's underwater queen without a rival in sight".[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Parry was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on March 19, 1933,[2][3][4] as one of seven children. She learned to swim at an early age to avoid "being perpetually dunked" by her siblings.[5] Growing up near Pewaukee Lake west of Milwaukee, she was skin diving there without mask or fins by the time she was eight years old.[4] When she was in the ninth grade she joined a Florida water show, and for three years she toured with the show through the Midwestern United States.[2] She was a swimming champion and studied dramatics at UCLA.[6]
Diving
[edit]As a young woman, while working in Santa Monica, California, for the Douglas Aircraft Company, after meeting co-worker (and future husband) Parry Bivens, Zale Parry became involved in pioneering diving and scientific work as reported in a 1955 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine.[7]
In 1954, Parry set a women's depth record to 209 feet,[5] exceeding the previous record of 80 feet.[6]
Acting
[edit]In 1954, Parry made her screen debut in the television series Kingdom of the Sea, a Jack Douglas production.[3][8] She appeared in 78 episodes of the series.[9] Because of her work in Kingdom of the Sea, Parry was tapped by the producers of the new show, Sea Hunt. Parry referred to Sea Hunt as an "underwater western".[citation needed] She often played a damsel in distress in the series's episodes.[3][4] Offscreen she gave the show's star, Lloyd Bridges, instruction in diving techniques.[4]
Parry's acting continued on other shows, including GE Theatre, Wagon Train, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Peter Gunn, and The Magic Circus. Parry continued as an actor for a number of years including many commercials and as a stunt woman on a wide variety of shows involving underwater scenes. By 1967, Parry's TV work was primarily in commercials.[1]
Parry doubled for Sophia Loren in the film Boy on a Dolphin (1957).[10] In 2006 she was in the film Tillamook Treasure, in which she played Sam, the owner of a hardware store.
Offices and recognition
[edit]Parry was a member of the board of directors of the Underwater Photographic Society.[6] She later became the society's president.[10] She was co-director of the International Underwater Film Festival.[10]
She was featured on the cover of the May 23, 1955 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine,[11] and she received the 1960 Water Sports Championship Award from Argosy magazine.[10]
Personal life and death
[edit]Parry married Parry Bivens, and she worked as a secretary while he was in medical school.[6] They had a daughter.[12] Parry and Bivens participated in an early research study on the effects of LSD by psychiatrist Oscar Janiger. According to an LA Weekly article, Parry "credit[ed] LSD with helping her to appreciate the intricacies and interconnectedness and beauty of life in the 'underwater world'".[13] After Bivens's 1963 death, Parry married air ambulance pilot Robert Neumann.[14] The marriage ended in divorce.[4]
Parry died at her home in Tillamook, Oregon, on July 20, 2026, at the age of 93.[15][16]
References
[edit]- 1 2 Witbeck, Charles (March 25, 1967). "She's the Underwater Queen of Television". The Times-Union. New York, Rochester. p. 35. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 "Blonde State Skin Diver Swims on Screen, TV". Wisconsin State Journal. Wisconsin, Madison. March 16, 1958. p. 35. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 Parry, Zale. "Zale Parry, First Lady of Diving". Diving Pioneers and Innovators (Interview). Interviewed by Gilliam, Bret. Scuba Diving International. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Rosenwald, Michael S. (August 16, 2026). "Zale Parry, Aquatic Hollywood Star and Early Acid Tripper, Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
- 1 2 Starr, Eve (January 1, 1958). "Zale Parry Holds Skin-Diving Record". The Houston Chronicle. p. 26. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 "She's Happiest on Ocean Floor". Jackson Citizen Patriot. December 25, 1958. p. 8. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Zale Parry: Under the Waves for Love". Sports Illustrated, May 23, 1955 Issue. Archived from the original on October 26, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
- ↑ Newton, Dwight (June 19, 1957). "Day and Night". San Francisco Examiner. p. 23. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Scott, Vernon (April 8, 1966). "Zale Parry: Underwater Cutie". Daily World. Louisiana, Opelousas. United Press International. p. 15. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 "Zale Parry Named 'Air Queen' at Borrego Springs". Anaheim Bulletin. April 8, 1961. p. 10. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Most Popular". CNN. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011.
- ↑ Thompson, Nelda (November 6, 1960). "Zale Parry feels at home in Davy Jones' locker". Lincoln Heights Bulletin-News. California, Los Angeles. p. 2. Retrieved March 1, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Whalen, John (July 1, 1998). "The Trip". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Deep Six". Los Angeles Times. June 23, 1968. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Diving Pioneer Zale Parry Dies Aged 93 | X-Ray Mag". xray-mag.com. July 21, 2026. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
- ↑ "Zale Parry, Pioneering Scuba Diver and 'Sea Hunt' Actress, Dies at 93". The Hollywood Reporter. July 23, 2026. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
External links
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