and
Rex Reason in
The Roaring Twenties (1962) Provine was born in
Deadwood in southwestern
South Dakota, to William and Irene Provine, but grew up in
Seattle, Washington, where her parents ran a nightclub. She attended the
University of Washington in Seattle, from which she graduated with a degree in Theater Arts in 1957. While there, she joined the women's fraternity
Alpha Gamma Delta. In Washington, she handed out prizes for a quiz program on a local television station until she was hired by
Warner Bros. at $500 per week. In
Hollywood, she starred in the titular role as the cigar-chomping, machine-gun firing heroine of the 1958 film
The Bonnie Parker Story directed by
William Witney. That same year, she performed in a credited walk-on part in the
NBC Western television series
Wagon Train, in the episode "
The Marie Dupree Story." In 1959, she was in the cast of
The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock, which was
Lou Costello's last screen appearance. In that same year she again appeared in
Wagon Train in the episode "
Matthew Lowry Story", this time having a part that ran the full episode. On January 3, 1959, Provine appeared as Laura Winfield in the episode "The Bitter Lesson" of the NBC Western series
Cimarron City. Laura Winfield is a newly arrived schoolteacher with false credentials who is plotting with a male companion to rob a stage shipment of gold, but not before Deputy Sheriff Lane Temple (series star
John Smith) falls in love with her.
Dan Blocker and
Gregg Palmer also appear in this episode as interested suitors of the new teacher. A few weeks thereafter, she was cast in a supporting role in the episode "The Giant Killer" of the
ABC/Warner Bros. Western series
Sugarfoot, with
Will Hutchins in the title role. In 1959, Provine appeared as Ann Donnelly in the episode "The Confession" of another ABC/WB Western series,
Colt .45, starring
Wayde Preston.
Charles Aidman was cast in this episode as Arthur Sibley;
Don C. Harvey as Sheriff Clinter. About this time she was also cast in an episode of the ABC
sitcom The Real McCoys starring
Walter Brennan. Another 1959 appearance was as "Chalmers" in the episode "Blood Money" of the
CBS televised Western
The Texan starring
Rory Calhoun as Bill Longley and
Ralph Meeker in the guest cast as Sam Kerrigan. She also guest starred in the
syndicated Western series
Man Without a Gun starring
Rex Reason. '' (1963) She guest-starred in the 25th episode of
The Gallant Men called "Tommy", which aired in March 1963. Her character name was Joyce Adams, a singer who entertained the troops., ''
Who's Minding the Mint? (1967) with Walter Brennan and Berle again, and Never a Dull Moment'' (1968) with
Dick Van Dyke. ==Personal life and death==