http://nanceelafayette.com/
My career in acting and singing started as a young girl in Rhode Island. Education in making movies and television shows began at Apache Land Movie Ranch, Arizona. I was dragged up the street and shot five times a day in live street shows; I also worked as an extra and stunt woman for productions that used the Ranch’s town as a location. In this environment, I worked with many Hollywood Legends including Director Sam Peckinpah, who did “ The Wild Bunch”, Elvis Presley and Audie Murphy.
Universal Studios was my film school and greatest teacher. This is where I studied the many different aspects of the motion picture industry for thirteen years. All the studio departments (titles, film editing, special effects, etc.) opened their doors and invited me into their domains. It was a great experience to be allowed on sets to watch and learn from many of the great actors, actresses, directors and fine crafts people.
I started as a tour guide and worked my way up to middle management. As a tour guide I gave VIP Tours and worked on special events for Mr. and Mrs. Lew Wasserman and other studio executives. At the same time, I was working on my acting and got my first role at Paramount Pictures in “The Day of the Locust” as Ginger Rogers. My studio told me that “…Doris Day’s look was out and so was I.” It was difficult to lose the tour guide image and, being young, I didn’t accept offers from many departments to join them. (Edith Head wanted me to have my head examined.)
I kept up with the Industry by continuing my education. I have studied Independent Producing at UC Berkeley, screen-writing seminars and have been perfecting my directing skills.