Pearl Bailey | |
|---|---|
 Bailey c. 1946 | |
| Born | Pearl Mae Bailey March 29, 1918 Newport News, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | August 17, 1990 (aged 72) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer, author |
| Years active | 1936–1989 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer and author.[1] After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman in 1946.[2] She received a Special Tony Award for the title role in the all-black production of Hello, Dolly! in 1968. In 1986, she won a Daytime Emmy award for her performance as a fairy godmother in the ABC Afterschool Special Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale. Her rendition of "Takes Two to Tango" hit the top ten in 1952.[3]
In 1976, she became the first African-American to receive the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.[4] She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on October 17, 1988.
- ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 26/7. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
- ^ "Who's Who in Musicals: A to Ba". Musicals101.com. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ Bergman, Peter J. (June 30, 2021). "Two to Tango: Rashidra Scott plays Pearl Bailey in 'Ambassador of Love'". The Berkshire Edge. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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