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Gloria Grafton
Singer, Actress
(1909 - 1994)
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Gloria Grafton appeared in The Second Little Show in 1930, a follow-up to the successful The Little Show (1929). This new style revue approached the form with simplicity and economy, forgoing elaborate costumes and sets and relying on satire and parody. Despite a score by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz, the show did not enjoy the success of its forerunner.
In 1934 Grafton introduced “Two Cigarettes in the Dark” in the stage comedy, Kill the Story. In 1935 she starred with Donald Novis, Jimmy Durante and others in Billy Rose’s extravaganza, Jumbo, staged at the Hippodrome. In the show she sang the poignant “Little Girl Blue” with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and, with Novis, introduced “My Romance” and “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.”
She appeared in a few films, most notably Up Goes Maisie (1946) which starred Ann Sothern, and she dubbed Lucille Ball’s singing voice in the Ralph Blane/Hugh Martin musical, Best Foot Forward (1943). She also appeared in Meet the People (1944).
- Sandra Burlingame |
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