 virginia "patsy" garrett (born may 4, 1921, atlantic city, new jersey) is an american actress and singer. beginning her career as a radio performer at the age of seven, garrett is best known for her seven years on fred waring's "pleasure time" radio show during the 1940s, as well as for her recurring television and film roles; as nosy neighbor mrs. florence fowler on nanny and the professor (1970â1971), school secretary miss hogarth on room 222 (1972â1973) and as mary gruber in the benji series of motion pictures beginning in 1974. ==career== active on stage, screen and television beginning with a dance recital at age four, garrett had her own children's radio show in richmond, virginia by age seven. at the age of seventeen, garrett was a regular on fred waring's national radio show "pleasure time" as a comic singer from 1938 to 1945. during this time, she was approached by cole porter to promote a ballad ("begin the beguine") which he had written for a new musical. in 1981, garrett was honored by the young artist foundation with its former child star "lifetime achievement" award recognizing her achievements within the entertainment industry as a child actress and singer. in the late 1960s, garrett provided cartoon voiceovers for a number of hanna-barbera projects, including the banana splits adventure hour. a small part as the mayor's wife in a 1969 elvis presley movie, the trouble with girls, reportedly led t
1921_births Actresses_from_New_Jersey American_female_singers American_film_actresses American_radio_actresses American_television_actresses Living_people Musicians_from_New_Jersey People_from_Atlantic_City,_New_Jersey