The Biography

Acrobat and stuntwoman Paula Dell was born Paula Adele Unger on November 15, 1926 in Longmont, Colorado. Her sister Rosalie was an expert tumbler. Dell moved with her family to California in 1935. Following graduation from Santa Monica High School, Paula went on to attend both Stephens College and the University of Southern California, where she studied physical education. Dell established herself as the Queen of Venice's Muscle Beach as well as was an acrobatic performer with the Dewayne Bros. Circus and an international acrobatic judge. In addition, Paula also performed stunts in a handful of films and TV shows; she's best known for doubling Carol Channing for the scene in which Channing gets shot out of a cannon onto a stage in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). Dell also worked as a teacher in Los Angeles when she wasn't doing stunts. Paula was inducted into the U.S. Sports Acrobatics Hall of Fame in 2003.