Peggy Ryan (born Margaret O'Rene Ryan on 28 August 1924 in Long Beach, California - 30 October 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada) was an American dancer who starred in a series of movie musicals at Universal Studios tapping with Donald O'Connor. Her parents were the Vaudeville team "The Merry Dancing Ryans," and Peggy joined them onstage before she was two years old. Her singing, acting, and dancing skills were noticed by George Murphy, who helped her get a role in 1937's Top of the Town. Her first pairing with O'Connor was 1942's What's Cookin'?, and they appeared in films together throughout World War II.
She married James Cross in 1945; they were divorced in 1952.
She left Universal and was paired up with dancer Ray McDonald for 1949's Shamrock Hill and 1953's All Ashore, and married him in 1953. They toured together in a nightclub act before being divorced in 1957.
Her third wedding, in 1958, was to Hawaiian columnist Eddie Sherman, following which she left movies for choreography and semi-retirement.
She was brought back to the small screen to play a minor role, as a secretary, in Hawaii Five-0.
She was continuing to teach tap-dance up to two days before her death from the effects of a stroke.
