Sandra Church (born January 13, 1937) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her performance as the original Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (1959),Kantor, Michael, and Laurence Maslon, Broadway: The American Musical, Bulfinch Press, New York, p. 286. for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She also co-starred with Marlon Brando in The Ugly American (1963).

Early years Church was born in San Francisco. She was raised by her mother after her father's death before she was 2 years old. Outside of her work as a nurse, she focused on preparing Church for a career in entertainment, including dancing lessons beginning "almost as soon as I could walk". Church's childhood included abstaining from "anything sweet, heavy, or starchy" to eat, wearing high, laced shoes "to keep my ankles small", and wearing sunbonnets. Her hair was braided in long pigtails because her mother said they made a young girl more photogenic. Her physical activity was minimal to avoid the possibility of injury. She had to regularly practice tongue-twisters to improve her enunciation.

Church's education included classe at an acting school and at Immaculate Heart. She and her mother moved to Hollywood when Church was 5 because her mother "was certain that I was going to be a great big movie star." During her childhood her mother took her for screen tests, resulting in small parts in several films. With the help of Queenie Smith she replaced Janice Rule in Picnic, leaving Immaculate Heart during her junior year to take that role on Broadway.

Career Theatre From 1953 to 1959, Church played various ingénue roles in theatrical plays. In 1953, Church made her Broadway debut in the role of Madge Owens, replacing Janice Rule, in William Inge's Picnic with Ralph Meeker.Marill, Alvin H. More Theatre: Stage to Screen to Television, Vol II (M-Z), Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1993. p. 944Inge, William. Four Plays. New York: Grove Press, 1958. p. 73.Hawkins-Dady, Mark (Editor). International Dictionary of Theatre - 1: Plays, Chicago: St. James Press, 1992. pp. 613-14. Her next performance was playing Sonya in Uncle Vanya (1956), an off-broadway production with Franchot Tone and Signe Hasso, followed by roles as Betsy Dean in Holiday for Lovers (1957) and Helen White in Winesburg, Ohio.

Church's breakout performance came in 1959 as the original Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (1959),Barnes, Clive. "Gypsy Bounces Back With Zest and Lilt", New York Times, September 24, 1974Brantley, Ben. "New Momma Takes Charge" New York Times May 2, 2003.Rich, Frank. The Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980-1993, Random House, 1998, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In his autobiography, playwright Arthur Laurents states: "It came down to between Suzanne Pleshette and Sandra Church. Suzanne was the better actress, but Sandra was the better singer. We went with Sandra."Gates, Anita. NYTimes-21cnd-Pleshette "Suzanne Pleshette, 70, 'Newhart' Actress, Dies" (bio), The New York Times, January 21, 2008. In Gypsy, Church introduced the popular standard "Let Me Entertain You."Sondheim, Stephen, Finishing the Hat, New York: Alfred Knopf, 2010; , pp. 58–77. Church obtained that role after five auditions. During the times between auditions she observed a performance by Tempest Storm, had a stripper teach her "the stripper's walk" and had a choreographer develop a routine for her.

Following Gypsy, Church appeared in the 1960 Broadway play Under the Yum Yum Tree, directed by Joseph Anthony.

Films and television Church's first on-screen appearance was on the Producers' Showcase, followed by the role of Jeannie in The Mugger (1958). She subsequently guest starred on the television series Look Up And Live (1959), as well as The DuPont Show of the Month in 1960. Three years later, she played Marion MacWhite in the film adaptation of Eugene Burdick and William Lederer's novel, The Ugly American (1963). Also in 1963, she appeared on television in The Eleventh Hour and Kraft Suspense Theatre.

Personal life In October 1961 it was widely reported that Church and Gypsy composer Jule Styne would marry, although this was untrue.Toledo Blade, October 1961 In November 1964, she married Broadway play producer Norman Twain in Bridgetown, Barbados at the home of stage designer Oliver Messel.Profile of Sandra Church, Sarasota-Herald Tribune; accessed May 20, 2015. She was married to Albert H. 'Bill' Clayburgh from 1992 until his death in 1997.

Church's great-aunt was educator Mary Florence Denton, a long-time faculty member at Doshisha University in Kyoto.

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