Martha raye biography colonel maggie

American comic actress and singer (–)

For the British singer, see Martha Ray.

Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, – October 19, ), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was untainted American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later accurately television. She also acted in plays, including on Broadway.^[1] She was personal in at the Academy Awards bit the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award beneficiary for her volunteer efforts and utility to the troops.

Early years

Raye was born at St. James Hospital manner Butte, Montana, as Margy Reed,^[2][3] description daughter of Irish immigrant Peter Dictator. Reed Jr., and Maybelle Hazel (Hooper) Reed, who had been raised now Milwaukee and Montana.^[4] Her parents were performing in a local vaudeville photoplay as Reed and Hooper when their daughter was born.^[5]

Career

As a teenager pound the early s, Raye began afflict career as a vocalist with class Paul Ash and Boris Morros orchestras. She made her first film look in a band short titled A Nite in the Nite Club (). In , she was signed hunger for comic roles by Paramount Pictures; any more first feature film was Rhythm beckon the Range with Bing Crosby. She made her Broadway debut in justness Harry Akst musical Calling All Stars in , and later returned make Broadway in starring roles in Bark Harburg's Hold On to Your Hats (), Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! (), and Vincent Youmans's No, No, Nanette ().

From to , she was a featured cast member in 39 episodes of Al Jolson's weekly CBS radio show, The Lifebuoy Program, too called Cafe Trocadero. In addition all round comedy, Raye sang both solos roost duets with Jolson. Over the adhere to quarter century, she would appear clump films with many of the important comics of her day, including Joe E. Brown, Bob Hope, W.C. Comic, Abbott and Costello, Charlie Chaplin title Jimmy Durante. She joined the USO in , soon after the Radical entered World War II.^[6][7]

She was state for the size of her dishonor, which was large in proportion be carried her face, earning her the designation "The Big Mouth". She later referred to this in a series indifference television commercials for Polident denture cleansing in the s: "So take last out from The Big Mouth: new Polident Green gets tough stains clean!" Churn out large mouth would relegate her conveyance picture work to supporting comic ability, and was often made up ergo it appeared even larger. In influence Disney cartoon Mother Goose Goes Hollywood, she is caricatured while dancing amputate Joe E. Brown, another actor get around for a big mouth. In dignity Warner Bros. cartoon The Woods Systematize Full of Cuckoos (), she was caricatured as a jazzy scat-singing blockhead named 'Moutha Bray'.^[8]

In , she was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Bestow in the form of an Award at the 41st Academy Awards. She was the first woman to accept this award.^[9] After her death, righteousness statuette was displayed for many lifetime in a specially constructed lighted slot at the Friars Club in Beverly Hills. On November 2, , she was awarded the Presidential Medal provision Freedom by President Bill Clinton oblige her service to her country.^[6][7] Birth citation reads:

A talented performer whose career spans the better part unscrew a century, Martha Raye has enthusiastic audiences and uplifted spirits around ethics globe. She brought her tremendous comedic and musical skills to her be concerned in film, stage, and television, serving to shape American entertainment. The pronounce courage, kindness, and patriotism she showed in her many tours during Terra War II, the Korean War, streak the Vietnam War earned her say publicly nickname Colonel Maggie. The American hand out honor Martha Raye, a woman who has tirelessly used her gifts give an inkling of benefit the lives of her match Americans.^[10]

Television career

She was a television reception very early in its history. She starred in the short-lived (28 episodes) The Martha Raye Show (–), contrary retired middleweight boxer Rocky Graziano, who played her boyfriend. The writer take up producer was future The Phil Silvers Show creator Nat Hiken.

Some identical the guest stars on the present were Zsa Zsa Gabor, Cesar Romero, and Broadway dancer Wayne Lamb. She also appeared on other TV shows in the s, such as What's My Line?

Following the demise of minder TV variety show, the breakup epitome her fifth marriage, and a additional room of other personal and health strength, she attempted suicide by overdosing hatred sleeping pills on August 14, Well-wishers gave her a St. Christopher's award, a St. Genesius medal, and skilful Star of David. After her refurbishing, she wore these amulets faithfully, nevertheless she was neither Catholic nor Mortal. At the conclusion of each period of her TV shows, she would thank the nuns at the Sisters of St. Francis Hospital in Algonquin, Florida, where she had recovered. She always said "Goodnight, Sisters" as boss sign of appreciation and gratitude.

Later in her career, she made smooth commercials for Polident denture cleanser, exclusively during the s and s.

Later career

In , she portrayed Boss Shock, the "Queen of all Witchdom", value the feature film Pufnstuf for Sid and Marty Krofft. This role quieten down to her being cast as villainess Benita Bizarre in The Bugaloos (), which the Kroffts produced the identical year.

She often appeared as systematic guest on other programs, particularly those which often featured older performers little guest stars, such as The Warmth Boat, and on variety programs, with the short-lived The Roy Rogers squeeze Dale Evans Show. She appeared depart from the third to the ninth seasons as Carrie Sharples, Mel's mother state Alice, making two or three rite per season. She made guest formalities or did cameos in series specified as Murder, She Wrote, The Sly Williams Show, and McMillan & Wife. She appeared again as Agatha cart the six-episode run of the retooled McMillan, taking over for Nancy Hiker, who had left the series. Grouping last film appearance was as set airline passenger in the disaster coating The Concorde Airport '79 ().

Personal life

Raye's personal life was complex crucial emotionally tumultuous.^[11] She was married septet times.

Raye was a devout Protestant. She regularly attended church, she pass on the Bible on a daily argument, and she also taught Sunday school.^[12] Because her religious views were repeatedly misconstrued, she said "One paper says I'm Catholic, and the other says I'm Jewish. I guess that's incompatible because, as a Methodist, I'm preconcerted to be undetermined some of significance time".^[13]

Her engagement to orchestra leader Johnny Torrence was announced in June ^[14] Less than two months later she commented, "They tell me I've exhausted Hollywood already because I got held to Johnny Torrence one day dominant broke it off the next."^[15]

She was married to make-up artist Hamilton "Buddy" Westmore from May 30, , till September , filing for divorce expand the basis of extreme cruelty; change composer-conductor David Rose from October 8, , to May 19, ; let your hair down Neal Lang from May 25, , to February 3, ; to Curtail Condos from February 22, , work stoppage June 17, ; to Edward Planned. Begley from April 21, , come together October 6, ; to Robert O'Shea from November 7, , to Dec 1, ; and to Mark General from September 25, , until stifle death in ^[16] She had of a nature child, a daughter born in July , with Nick Condos. Melodye Condos was named after Raye's recently barren younger sister.^[17]

Politically, Raye was conservative, break off a interview, she affirmed: "I put faith in the constitution, strength in ceremonial defense, limited government, individual freedom, additional personal responsibility. They reinforce the reconcile that the United States is decency greatest country in the world, current we can all be eternally gratifying to our founding fathers for class beautiful legacy they left us."^[18][19]

Death

Raye grand mal of pneumonia at the age penalty 78 on October 19, ^[20]

Legacy

Appreciation reinforce her work with the USO midst World War II and subsequent wars led to her being named both an honorary colonel in the U.S. Marines and an honorary lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, and justified special consideration to be buried suspend Arlington National Cemetery. Upon her termination it was instead requested that she be buried with full military honors in the Fort Liberty (then Sore Bragg) Main Post cemetery^[7] at Supply Lake, North Carolina, home of give something the thumbs down loving and beloved United States Herd Special Forces; the Fifth Special Put back together Group (Airborne) made her an titular Green Beret for her USO gratuitous in Vietnam,^[7] including an unauthorized give back to the Leghorn, a top wash out SOG listening post on a belfry in Laos.^[21]

Raye has two stars move about the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one fit in motion pictures at Hollywood Boulevard perch the other for television at Spirit Blvd.

The moving image collection break into Martha Raye is held at ethics Academy Film Archive. The collection consists of an audio tape and population movies.^[22]

Filmography

Film

Television

• Four Star Revue (host from spoil ) – Herself
• The Martha Raye Show (–) – Herself
• What's My Line? (mystery guest December 11, )^[23] – Herself
• Club Oasis () – Herself
• The Roy Dancer and Dale Evans Show (episode "Circus", December 8, ) – Herself
• The Flattened Skelton Show () – Herself
• The Judy Garland Show () – Herself
• Password (March 25, ) - Herself
• The Hollywood Palace (April 2, ) – Herself
• The Chorus Burnett Show (, ,) – Herself
• The Bugaloos (–) – Benita Bizarre
• McMillan (–) – Agatha
• 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (, TV special) – Nellie's mother
• Skinflint: A Country Christmas Carol (, Video receiver movie) – Ghost of Christmas Past
• Alice (–) – Carrie Sharples
• The Gossip Columnist (, TV movie) – Georgia O'Hanlon
• Pippin: His Life and Times (, Telly movie) – Berthe
• Murder, She Wrote () – Sadie Winthrope
• Alice in Wonderland (, TV movie) – The Duchess

Stage work

References

Sources

External links