Looking back at Peggy Turnley's "Turns"

Looking back at (and to the future of)

Peggy Turnley's "Turns"

Margaret "Peggy" Turnley Thomas was a long-time EAG member and community champion. For years she had a column in The Eaglet detailing the goings-on and performance work of EAG members. Her column, "Turnley's Turns," continues to this day under her name. We've even taken it digital, posting in our Facebook Group: Guilders and on EAG's Facebook page. As we prepare our Winter 2024 edition of The Eaglet, we invite members to submit their Turns and we look back to Peggy's legacy, as remembered in the Summer 2006 Eaglet.

SUBMIT A TURNLEY'S TURN

From the Summer 2006 Eaglet:

"Margaret Turnley Thomas, known affectionately to us all as Peggy, died in New York on May 17th. Anyone wanting to know her age would have to do some fancy detective work, as Peggy had included in her will a proviso that this was never to be mentioned.

"Peggy was a singer. Born in a small town in Washington, her soprano voice was heard first in high school in San Francisco. As a young woman she was soloist with the San Francisco Symphony, the Los Angeles Oratorio Society and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also sang in films for MGM and 20th Century-Fox. After moving to New York she appeared in Broadway musicals including Love Life, Under Milk Wood, Street Scene by Kurt Weill, and Regina by Marc Blitzstein. In these last two she had the pleasure of singing with her husband, David Thomas, who did 26 Broadway shows and was known as 'always working.' He had fallen in love with her, he said, when he heard her sing. They were married from 1955 until his death in 1980.

"Peggy’s other triumphs included singing with Sir Thomas Beecham and the Philharmonic in London, and doing a concert at Carnegie Hall with Paul Whiteman, who nicknamed her 'Sunshine.'

"Peggy was an active member of the Guild since 1993, and later served on Council. She was an editor of The Eaglet and by-lined our Turns column for six years. Her association with The Twelfth Night Club lasted even longer. She was listed on its letterhead as Official Bartender, and was reputed to mix a wicked martini.

"Peggy was known as a gay spirit with an impish smile. She is survived by her sister and by a niece who lives in California. She was buried in Factoryville, Pennsylvania next to her husband. All of us at The Guild have fond memories of Peggy Turnley."--Arthur Anderson

And an editor's note from that edition's Turnley's Turns column: "The late, dear Peggy Turnley will continue to lend her byline to this column. We hope you will remember her fondly, as we do."

SUBMIT A TURNLEY TURN

The Little Church is having a Talent Show!

The Little Church's annual talent show returns this year, on Monday, February 12 along with our annual pizza party. The pizza reception will begin at 6:30 pm with the talent show to follow at 7:15pm. The pizza will represent the possible “fat and excesses” that we will give up for the 40 day season of Lent starting on Ash Wednesday. Afterwards, we will enjoy a performance from many parishioners, choristers and friends. For more information, please contact cdumschat@littlechurch.org.

If you're a performer in need of assistance at this time, or if you're in a position to help, please visit www.actorsguild.org.

EAG's programs and services are made possible by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and by the support of the following AND donors like you!

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