Difference between revisions of "Pearl Bailey" - New World Encyclopedia

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Pearl Bailey in “St. Louis Woman”, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1946

Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American singer and actress. She is probably most remembered for her role as matchmaker "Dolly Gallagher Levi" in David Merrick's production of Hello Dolly! - a part first created on Broadway by Carol Channing. The all-black version of Hello, Dolly! played on Broadway from 1967 to 1969. She won the theatre's highest honor, the Tony Award, for her performance. Pearl Bailey’s career spanned nearly fifty years in all forms from Vaudeville to Broadway to Television. Her unique delivery, which included ad-libbing and bantering back and forth with the audience, added to her personability and charisma. Throughout her life she performed with her husband, jazz drummer Louie Bellson and other notable musicians such as Louis Armstrong on USO tours (United Service Organization) entertaining troops overseas. She was appointed an “ambassador of love” by President Richard Nixon in 1970 and went on to serve as a special ambassador to the United Nations through three more presidential administrations. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. .

Childhood and Early Career

Marriage and Family life

Bailey was married for 40 years to jazz drummer Louie Bellson who also had a long distinguished career as an entertainer, notably as a drummer and big band leader. He not only performed with Pearl Bailey but along with other jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong. Bellson has performed at the White House more times than any other performer except for Bob Hope. Together the Baily-Bellsons adopted two children,

Later Life: Education and Charity Work

Pearl Bailey signs her autograph, "All Love, Pearl". - -and she means it. This rare treasure has a heart as big as the world.

If there is a benefit for children, Pearl is supporting it. If one cares about other's liberty and rights, Pearl is there, standing tall and advocating that the ethical and fair thing be done. If AIDS is the issue, Pearl rolls up her sleeves and wades right in to see that the humane thing be done. In other words, Pearl loves people... all kinds of people, any age, any race, any nationality, any philosophy. To her, people are people

After Georgetown University in Washington D.C. awarded Pearl Bailey an honorary degree in she decided to return to college in earnest becoming a full-time undergraduate freshman at the age of 67. Fulfilling a life long dream of being a college graduate she finished school with a B.A. in Theology.

Bailey took part in a campaign ad for President Gerald Ford in the 1976 United States presidential election.

Awards Women's International Center presented the Living Legacy Award to Miss Pearl Bailey, on March 11, 1989. She was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom on October 17, 1988 by President Ronald Reagan for: put here

Pearl Bailey died from heart failure in 1990 at the age of 72.

End of Life - Awards

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Bailey, Pearl, The Raw Pearl. New York: Harcourt, 1968. ISBN 0151759308
Bailey, Pearl, Talking to Myself. New York: Harcourt, 1971. ASIN B000DCO646
Bailey, Pearl, Between You and Me: A Heartfelt Memoir on Learning, Loving, and Living. New York: Doubleday, 1989. ISBN 0385262027
Bailey, Pearl, Pearl’s Kitchen: An Extraordinary Cookbook. New York: Harcourt, 1973. ISBN 0151716005
Bailey, Pearl, Duey’s Tale. New York: Harcourt, 1975. ISBN 0151265763
Bailey, Pearl, Hurry Up, America, and Spit. New York: Harcourt, 1976. ISBN 0151430004

External links

Persondata
NAME	Bailey, Pearl Mae
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	American singer
DATE OF BIRTH	March 29 1918
PLACE OF BIRTH	Southampton County, Virginia
DATE OF DEATH	August 17 1990
PLACE OF DEATH	West Chester, Pennsylvania

Credits

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 [[Image:Pearlbailey.jpg|thumb|Pearl Bailey in “St. Louis Woman”, photographed by [[Carl Van Vechten]], 1946]]
-'''Pearl Mae Bailey''' (March 29, 1918 &ndash; August 17, 1990) was an American singer and actress. She is probably most remembered for her role as matchmaker "Dolly Gallagher Levi" in [[David Merrick]]'s production of Hello Dolly! - a part first created on Broadway by [[Carol Channing]]. The all-black version of Hello, Dolly! played on Broadway from 1967 to 1969. Pearl Bailey’s career spanned nearly fifty years in all forms from Vaudeville to Broadway to Television. Her unique delivery, which included ad-libbing and bantering back and forth with the audience, added to her personability and charisma. Throughout her life she performed with her husband, jazz drummer [[Louie Bellson]] and other notable musicians such as [[Louis Armstrong]] on USO tours (United Service Organization) entertaining troops overseas. She was appointed an “ambassador of love” by President [[Richard Nixon]] in 1970 and went on to serve as a special ambassador to the United Nations through three more presidential administrations.  In 1988, President [[Ronald Reagan]] awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.                              .
+'''Pearl Mae Bailey''' (March 29, 1918 &ndash; August 17, 1990) was an American singer and actress. She is probably most remembered for her role as matchmaker "Dolly Gallagher Levi" in [[David Merrick]]'s production of Hello Dolly! - a part first created on Broadway by [[Carol Channing]]. The all-black version of Hello, Dolly! played on Broadway from 1967 to 1969. She won the theatre's highest honor, the Tony Award, for her performance. Pearl Bailey’s career spanned nearly fifty years in all forms from Vaudeville to Broadway to Television. Her unique delivery, which included ad-libbing and bantering back and forth with the audience, added to her personability and charisma. Throughout her life she performed with her husband, jazz drummer [[Louie Bellson]] and other notable musicians such as [[Louis Armstrong]] on USO tours (United Service Organization) entertaining troops overseas. She was appointed an “ambassador of love” by President [[Richard Nixon]] in 1970 and went on to serve as a special ambassador to the United Nations through three more presidential administrations.  In 1988, President [[Ronald Reagan]] awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.                              .
 ==Childhood and Early Career==
-She was born in Newport News, Virginia, to Rev. Joseph & Ella Mae Bailey. Her father was a preacher in an evangelical church Although Pearl Bailey had no official training in music she attributed her love of music to her childhood experience in a Pentecostal "holy roller" church singing hymns and spirituals. Her parents divorced when she was four and the children,Billy, (a tap dancer whose talents were "rediscovered" through the movie Taps with Gregory Hines) and two sisters,  divided their time between Philadelphia and Washington D.C.  Pearl dropped out of high school to pursue the vaudeville circuit after winning a talent contest.  Later in life, she would puruse her lifelong dream of receiving a higher education.
-In 1954, she took the role of Frankie in the film version of ''Carmen Jones'', and her rendition of "Beat Out That Rhythm on the Drum" is one of the highlights of the film.  In 1959, she played the role of Maria in the film version of ''Porgy and Bess'', starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge.  Also that year she played the role of "Aunt Hagar" in the movie St. Louis Blues alongside Mahalia Jackson, Eartha Kitt, and Nat King Cole.  During the 1970s she had her own television show, and she also provided voices for animations such as ''Tubby the Tuba'' (1976) and Walt Disneys ''The Fox and the Hound'' (1981).
-She made her Broadway debut in ''St. Louis Woman '' in 1946.  She won a Tony Award, the theater's highest honor, for the title role in ''Hello, Dolly!'' in 1968.  Her rendition of "Takes Two to Tango" hit the top ten in 1952.
-Many know Pearl Bailey as a consummate entertainer, and that is true. Since she was a young girl, she has been singing, performing, entertaining, innovating, captivating her audience throughout the world. She has performed in all mediums, from night clubs to the stage on Broadway to movies to television. She has appeared in such hits as "Variety Girl", "Isn't It Romantic", "Carmen Jones", "That Certain Feeling", "St. Louis Blues", and "Porgy and Bess". She has received the theater's highest honor, the Tony Award.
 ==Marriage and Family life==
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 Pearl Bailey died from heart failure in 1990 at the age of 72.
+==End of Life - Awards==
 ==References==