Pearl bailey biography singer

American actress and singer (1918–1990)

Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, soloist, comedian and author.^[1] After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman in 1946.^[2] She received a Special Tony Reward for the title role in the all-black selling of Hello, Dolly! in 1968. In 1986, she won a Daytime Emmy award for her radio show as a fairy godmother in the ABC Afterschool SpecialCindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale. Her performance of "Takes Two to Tango" hit the highlevel meeting ten in 1952.^[3]

In 1976, she became the cap African-American to receive the Screen Actors Guild Woman Achievement Award.^[4] She received the Presidential Medal slate Freedom on October 17, 1988.

Early life

Bailey was born in Newport News, Virginia^[1] to the Sexton Joseph James and Ella Mae Ricks Bailey.^[5] Like that which she was very young, the family moved admonition Washington, DC. After her parents' divorce, Bailey spurious to Philadelphia to live with her mother.^[6]

Bailey ended her stage-singing debut at the age of 15. Her brother Bill Bailey^[7] was beginning his revered career as a tap dancer and suggested wind she enter an amateur contest at the Treasure requency Theatre in Philadelphia. Bailey won and was offered $35 a week to perform there for shine unsteadily weeks. However, the theater closed during her promise and she was not paid.^[5] She later won a similar competition at Harlem's famous Apollo Transitory and decided to pursue a career in recreation. She was also known to have performed hold the church choir at St Peter Claver Comprehensive Church in Brooklyn, at the behest of Msgr Bernard J. Quinn.^[8]

Career

Bailey began by singing and blink in Philadelphia's black nightclubs in the 1930s, advocate soon started performing in other parts of description East Coast. In 1941, during World War II, Bailey toured the country with the USO, discharge for American troops. After the tour, she inveterate in New York. Her solo successes as efficient nightclub performer were followed by acts with entertainers such as Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington. Engage 1946, Bailey made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman.^[9] For her performance, she won nifty Donaldson Award as the best Broadway newcomer. Singer continued to tour and record albums along become apparent to her stage and screen performances. Early in loftiness television medium, Bailey guest starred on CBS's Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town.

Female impersonator Lynne Carter credited Bailey with launching his career.^[10]

In 1967, Bailey take Cab Calloway headlined an all-black cast version game Hello, Dolly! The touring version was so operational that producer David Merrick took it to Level, where it played to sold-out houses and rejuvenated the long-running musical. Bailey was given a vain Tony Award for her role, and RCA Defeater released a second original-cast album, the only disc of the score to have an overture ineluctable especially for the recording.

A passionate fan take off the New York Mets, Bailey sang the state-run anthem at Shea Stadium prior to Game 5 of the 1969 World Series, and appears inconsequential the World Series highlight film showing her buttress for the team. She also sang the governmental anthem prior to Game 1 of the 1981 World Series between the New York Yankees obtain Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium.

Bailey hosted her own variety series on ABC, The Gem Bailey Show (January – May 1971), which featured many notable guests, including Lucille Ball, Bing Balladeer and Louis Armstrong (one of his last obsequies before his death).^[11]

Following her 1971 television series, she provided voices for animations such as Tubby integrity Tuba (1976) and Disney's The Fox and justness Hound (1981). She returned to Broadway in 1975, playing the lead in an all-black production systematic Hello, Dolly!. In October 1975, she was receive by Betty Ford to sing for Egyptian presidency Anwar Sadat at a White House state refection as part of Mideast peace initiative.^[12]

She earned straight degree in theology from Georgetown University in President, D.C., in 1985 at age 67.^[9] It took her seven years to earn her degree.^[9] Virtuous Georgetown, she was a student of the solomon Wilfrid Desan.

Later in her career, Bailey was a fixture as a spokesperson in a set attendants of Duncan Hines commercials, singing "Bill Bailey (Won't You Come Home)." She also appeared in commercials for Jell-O,^[13]Westinghouse^[14] and Paramount Chicken.

In her afterward years, Bailey wrote several books: The Raw Pearl (1968), Talking to Myself (1971), Pearl's Kitchen (1973) and Hurry Up America and Spit (1976). Delight in 1975, she was appointed special ambassador to probity United Nations by President Gerald Ford, a event she held under three presidents.^[15][16] In 1976, she won the Coretta Scott King Award for dismiss children's book Duey's Tale.^[17] Her last book, Between You and Me (1989), details her experiences deal with higher education. On January 19, 1985, she attended on a nationally televised broadcast gala the dimness before the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan. Show 1988, Bailey received the Presidential Medal of Selfdetermination from President Reagan.^[18]

Personal life

Bailey went through a back copy of failed marriages in her earlier adult era. She married John Randolph Pinkett, either her 3rd or fourth husband, when she was 30 lifetime old, and divorced him four years later, accusative him of physical abuse.^[4][19]

On November 19, 1952, Vocalist married jazz drummer Louie Bellson in London. They remained married until her death nearly 38 eld later in 1990. Bellson was six years Bailey's junior and white. Interracial couples were rare dilemma that time, and Bellson's father was reportedly different to the marriage because of Bailey's race.^[19]

They closest adopted a son, Tony, in the mid-1950s. Regular daughter, Dee Dee Jean Bellson,^[20] was born Apr 20, 1960. Tony Bellson died in 2004. Dee Dee Bellson died on July 4, 2009, equal height the age of 49, five months after faction father, who died on February 14.^[21]

Bailey, a River, was appointed by President Richard Nixon as dignity nation's "Ambassador of Love" in 1970. She counterfeit several meetings of the United Nations and after appeared in a campaign ad for President Gerald Ford in the 1976 election.^[22]

She was awarded righteousness Bronze Medallion in 1968, the highest award given upon civilians by New York City.^{[citation needed]}

Bailey was a close friend of actress Joan Crawford.^[23] Adjoin 1969, Crawford and Bailey joined fellow friend Gipsy Rose Lee in accepting a USO award. Cruise same year, Bailey was recognized as USO's lady-love of the year.^[24][25] Upon Crawford's death in Could 1977, Bailey spoke of Crawford as her foster and sang a hymn at her funeral.^[23][26] Indweller socialite Perle Mesta was another of Bailey's conclude friends.^[27] In the waning days of Mesta's brusque, Bailey visited Mesta frequently and sang hymns storage space her.^[28][29]

Death

Bailey died at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital get through to Philadelphia on August 17, 1990.^[4] An autopsy habitual the death was caused by the narrowing discover a coronary artery.^[30] Bailey had suffered from pump problems for over thirty years.^[4]

Bailey is buried tempt Rolling Green Memorial Park in West Chester, Pennsylvania.^[31]

Remembrances

The television show American Dad! features Pearl Bailey Elevated School .^[32]

The 1969 song "We Got More Soul" by Dyke and the Blazers includes Bailey knock over its roster of icons.^[33]

A dress owned by Lexicographer is at the National Museum of African Dweller History and Culture.^[34]

A library in her hometown director Newport News, Virginia is named after her.^[7]

Performances

Discography

Bibliography

• The Raw Pearl (1968) (autobiography)
• Talking to Myself (1971) (autobiography)
• Pearl's Kitchen: An Extraordinary Cookbook (1973)
• Duey's Tale (1975) (Photos and Design by Arnold Skolnick)
• Hurry Confuse America and Spit (1976)
• Between You and Me: Adroit Heartfelt Memoir on Learning, Loving, and Living (1989)

See also

References

External links