Elaine Joyce a call-girl service on the side. Joyce also hosted the first season (1986–87) of "The All New Dating Game." Throughout the 1980s and 1990s she was featured in many series, including "Mr. Merlin", (in which she portrayed the character Alexandra, a sorceress); "Beverly Hills, 90210"; "Melrose Place"; "Magnum, P.I."; "Simon & Simon"; "Too Close For Comfort"; and "Murder, She Wrote". In 1972, she made her Broadway debut in the title role in "Sugar", the musical adaptation of the film "Some Like It Hot", in which she portrayed band singer Sugar Kane, the role originated by Marilyn Monroe in the movie.
Marilyn Monroe remember her lines or act as directed – Curtis famously stated that kissing her was "like kissing Hitler" due to the number of re-takes. Monroe herself privately likened the production to a sinking ship and commented on her co-stars and director saying "[but] why should I worry, I have no phallic symbol to lose." Many of the problems stemmed from a conflict between her and Wilder, who also had a reputation for being difficult, on how she should play the character. Monroe made Wilder angry by asking him to alter many of her scenes, which in turn made her stage