Mary Printz, the Inspiration for Bells Are Ringing, Dead at 85

Mary Printz, who served as the inspiration for the hit 1950s musical Bells Are Ringing, died on February 21 at her home in Tappan, New York, according to The New York Times. According to her family, the cause of death was congestive heart failure resulting from post-polio syndrome. She was 85.

Printz worked at an answering service, where she took messages for many big names in show business, including famed Broadway scribe Adolph Green. Green was inspired by her to create the character of spunky Ella Peterson, the busybody switchboard operator at the heart of the musical Bells Are Ringing. Ella tries to improve the lives of her clients by passing along bits of information she hears from others. She falls for one of her flock, Jeffrey Moss, a playwright in search of a muse.

Green wrote the book and lyrics for the show with longtime collaborator Betty Comden. Jule Styne composed the music. Directed by Jerome Robbins and choreographed by Robbins and Bob Fosse, Bells Are Ringing opened on November 29, 1956, at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for more than two years before transferring to the Alvin Theatre, where it ran until March 7, 1959. The show starred Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin, both of whom won Tony Awards for their performances. The film version, directed by Vincente Minnelli, starred Holliday and Dean Martin. Three of the show's songs "Long Before I Knew You," "Just in Time" and "The Party's Over" became popular standards. The only Broadway revival of the show was produced in 2002. Directed by Tina Landau, it starred Faith Prince and Marc Kudisch.

When the musical opened in 1956, Printz had an opening of her own; she founded the Belles Celebrity Answering Service, which she ran until her death. The business once had over 600 clients, but today has only 90. Yet even in this era of texting, voicemail and iPhones, Printz’s husband, Bob, said the service still boasts celebrity clients such as Stephen Sondheim, Steven Spielberg and Woody Allen.

In addition to her husband, Printz is survived by two sons, William Horn Printz and Joe Printz, and a granddaughter.