Martha Raye (August 27, 1916 - October 19, 1994) is an American actress and singer who appeared in the film, and later on television. He also acted in dramas, including Broadway. He was honored in 1969 with the Academy Award as recipient of Jean Hersholt's Humanitarian Award for his efforts and volunteer services to the troops.
Video Martha Raye
Initial years
Raye's life as a singer and comedy player started in childhood. He was born in St. James at Butte, Montana, as Margy Reed , some sources give their real name as Maggie O'Reed .
His father, Peter F. Reed Jr., was an Irish immigrant, while his mother, Maybelle Hazel (Hooper) Reed, grew up in Milwaukee and Montana. Her parents performed at the local vaudeville theater as "Reed and Hooper" when their daughter was born. Two days later, her mother appeared again. Martha first appeared when they were three years old. He then performed with his brother "Bud", and the kids became so popular that their parents' actions were renamed "Margie and Bud."
Maps Martha Raye
Careers
In the early 1930s, Raye was a band lead vocalist with Paul Ash Ash and Boris Morros. He made his first film appearance in 1934 in a short band titled A Nite at Nite Club . In 1936, he was signed for a comic role by Paramount Pictures, and made his first photo for Paramount. His first film was Rhythm on the Range with crooner Bing Crosby.
From 1936-1939, he was a major player in 39 episodes of CBS Al Jolson's weekly radio show, the Lifebuoy Program, also called Cafe Trocadero. In addition to comedy, Martha sang solo and duet with Jolson. Over the next quarter century, he will appear with many of his leading comics in his day, including Joe E. Brown, Bob Hope, WC Fields, Abbott, and Costello (in Keep i Em Flying), Charlie Chaplin (in Monsieur Verdoux ), and Jimmy Durante. He joined the USO in 1942, shortly after the US entered World War II.
He is known for the size of his mouth, which is large in proportion to his face, giving him the nickname The Big Mouth . He then referred to this in a series of television commercials for Polident artificial tooth cleansers in the 1980s: "So, grab from The Big Mouth: Polident Green just got a clean stain!" His big mouth will alienate his film work to support the comic section, and is often made to appear larger. In the Disney cartoon Mother Goose Goes Hollywood , he's a caricature while dancing with Joe E. Brown, another actor known for his big mouth. In Warner Bros. carts The Woods Are Full Of Cuckoos (1937), he is jockeyed as a jazzy singing donkey named 'Moutha Bray'.
In 1968, he was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in the form of an Oscar. On November 2, 1993, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton for his services to his country. The quote reads:
A talented performer whose career spans a better part of a century, Martha Raye has delighted audiences and uplifting spirits around the world. He brings his amazing comedic and musical skills to his work in movies, stage and television, helping to shape American entertainment. The courage, kindness, and patriotism he showed on many tours during World War II, the Korean conflict, and the Vietnam conflict earned him the nickname of 'Colonel Maggie'. Americans honor Martha Raye, a woman who tirelessly uses her gift to benefit the lives of her fellow Americans.
Television career
He was a very early television star in his history, and even had his own program for a while, The Martha Raye Show (1954-1956), with an awkward boyfriend depicted by retired boxer Rocky Graziano ( which he calls "goombah", Sicilian slang to 'compare' Italy [best friend]). (The author and producer is the future creator of The Phil Silvers Show , Nat Hiken.)
Some of the guest stars on the show were Zsa Zsa Gabor, Cesar Romero, and Broadway dancer Wayne Lamb. She also appeared on other TV shows in the 1950s, such as What's My Line? .
After the death of his variety TV show, the breakup of his fifth marriage, and a series of other personal and health problems, he attempted suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills on August 14, 1956. The man who wished to give him the medal of St. Christopher, medal of St. Genesisus, and the Star of David. After recovering, he wears this charm faithfully, even though he is not Roman Catholic or Jewish. At the end of each episode of his TV show, he will thank the nuns at the Sisters. Francis Hospital in Miami, Florida, where he has recovered. He will always say, "Good evening, Sister" as a token of appreciation and gratitude.
Later in his career, he made television commercials for Polident denture cleansers, especially during the 1970s and 1980s.
Later career
In 1970, he described Boss Witch, "Queen of all Witchdom", in the big screen movie Pufnstuf for Sid and Marty Krofft. This led him to be cast as Benita Bizarre's villain at The Bugaloos (1970), which Kroffts produced in the same year.
He often appears as a guest on other programs, especially those who often have older performers as guest stars such as ABC The Love Boat , and on various programs including short-lived The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show . He emerged from third to ninth season as Carrie Sharples at Alice, making two or three season appearances. He made guest appearances or did cameo roles in series like Kill, She Wrote on CBS and The Andy Williams Show and McMillan & Wife , both on NBC. She reappears as Agatha to run six retooled episodes of McMillan , taking over for Nancy Walker, who has left the series. His last film appearance was as an airline passenger in the disaster movie The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979).
Personal life
Raye's personal life is complex and emotionally charged. He got married seven times.
Raye is a pious Methodist who regularly attends church, reads the Bible daily, and even teaches Sunday school classes. Because his religious outlook is often misunderstood throughout his life, he is famous for saying, "One paper says I am Catholic and the other says I am Jewish, I think that is appropriate because as a Methodist I can not be determined, some time".
Her engagement to orchestra leader Johnny Torrence was announced in June 1936. Less than two months later he commented, "They said I had gone to Hollywood because I was engaged to Johnny Torence one day and decided next."
She married Hamilton Make-up artist "Buddy" Westmore from May 30, 1937, until September 1937, filed a divorce lawsuit on the basis of extreme atrocities; to David Rose's composers from 8 October 1938 to 19 May 1941; to Neal Lang from 25 May 1941 to 3 February 1944; to Nick Condos from 22 February 1944 to 17 June 1953; to Edward T. Begley from 21 April 1954 to 6 October 1956; to Robert O'Shea from 7 November 1956 to 1 December 1960; and to Mark Harris from September 25, 1991 until his death in 1994. He had a son, a daughter, Melodye Condos (born July 26, 1944), with his fourth husband Condos.
Politically, Raye is conservative, affirming his political views by notifying an interviewer, "I am a Republican because I believe in the constitution, strength in national defense, limited government, individual freedom, and personal responsibility as a concrete foundation for the American government. that the United States is the largest country in the world and we can all eternally thank the founders of our nation for the beautiful legacy they left behind today. "Martha Raye is the fifth person to be awarded the Honorary Green Beret. While in Vietnam he will help them in the war hospital rather than perform because he is a LPN.
Death
His last years were plagued by poor health. He suffered from Alzheimer's disease and lost both legs in 1993 due to poor circulation. While in poor health and resting in a hospital bed to be placed in his home, Martha and her husband Mark Harris (who, due to their controversial May/December relationship, became frequent guests on the popular Howard Stern radio program) moved to a hotel after the house they were completely destroyed by the 1994 earthquake. Raye died in Los Angeles in 78 pneumonia on October 19, 1994, after a long history of cardiovascular disease.
In recognition of his work with the USO during World War II and subsequent wars, special consideration was given to bury him at Arlington National Cemetery on his death, but at his request he was buried with full military honor at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, funeral post as honorary colonel of Marines US and an honorary colonel lieutenant in the US Army. He is the only civilian buried in this location to receive a military award every Veterans Day.
Raye has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - one for movies on 6251 Hollywood Boulevard and the other for television at 6547 Hollywood Blvd.
Archive
Martha Raye's moving picture collection was held at the Academy Film Archive. This collection consists of audio recording and home movies.
Movieography
Movies
Television
- What is My Path? (mysterious guest December 11, 1955)
- Four Star Revue (host from 1951-1953)
- The Martha Raye Show (1954-1956)
- Club Oasis (1957-1958)
- The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show (episode "Circus", 8 December 1962)
- The Red Skelton Show (1963)
- The Judy Garland Show (1964)
- Hollywood Palace (April 2, 1966)
- The Carol Burnett Show (1969)
- The Bugaloos (1970-1972)
- McMillan and Wife (1976)
- Really The Night Before Christmas (1977)
- Skinflint: A Country Christmas Carol (1979)
- Gossip Column (1980)
- Pippin: Live and the Age (1981)
- Alice (12 episodes, 1979-1984)
- Killing, She Wrote , episode "Armed Response" (1985)
- Alice in Wonderland (1985)
Stage Work
- Calling All Stars (1934)
- Hold on to your Hat (1940)
- Annie Get Your Pistol (1951)
- What Happened (1958)
- Wildcat (1962)
- My Call Mistress (1963)
- The Solid Gold Cadillac (1964)
- Hello Dolly! (1967)
- Goodbye Charlie (1968)
- Hello, Sucker! (1969) (close on road)
- Everyone Loves Opal (1970; 1988)
- No, No, Nanette (1972) (Patsy Kelly's successor)
- 4 Girl 4 (1982)
- Annie (1983)
- Prince Park Tengah (1989) (replaced by Jo Anne Worley before opening)
References
External links
- Martha Raye on IMDb
- Martha Raye in the TCM Movie Database
- Martha Raye on Broadway Internet Database
- Martha Raye at Discover the Mausoleum
- All Star Revue episode guide on Classic TV Info.
- Guide episode of Martha Raye Show on Classic TV Info.
- Colonel Maggie
- Raye's Story
- Vets honor Colonel Maggie with veteran images and stories.
- Truth or fictional reports of military honors, medals and services as military nurses.
- Martha Raye's Paper, 1916-2000, Margaret Herrick Library, Motion Art Academy and Science Image
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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