Singer, actress, and dancer Helen O’Connell Joined the Jimmy Dorsey 
band and in 1939 had her best selling records in the early 1940s with 
“Green Eyes”, “Amapola”, “Tangerine” and “Yours”. She retired from 
show business upon her first marriage in 1943. When the marriage  
ended in 1951, she resumed her career, making some successful 
records and regular appearances on television. Helen was one of the  
first "girls" on NBC’s The Today show, and at one point she had her 
own NBC program called Here’s Hollywood, conducting interviews with 
celebrities, often in their own homes. O’Connell co-hosted the Miss  
USA and Miss Universe pageants with Bob Barker (below) from 1972 
to 1980.

 

Bob Barker and Helen O’Connell

1943