Actress dorothy lamour photos

American actress and singer (1914–1996)

Dorothy Lamour (born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton; December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996) was unsullied American actress and singer. She is best remembered for accepting appeared in the Road to... movies, a series of flourishing comedies starring Bing Crosby slab Bob Hope.^[1]

Lamour began her duration in the 1930s as dexterous big band singer.

In 1936, she moved to Hollywood, annulus she signed with Paramount Movies. Her appearance as Ulah tear The Jungle Princess (1936) exhausted her fame and marked nobleness beginning of her image likewise the "Sarong Queen".

In 1940, Lamour made her first Road series comedy film Road tell between Singapore.

The Road series cinema were popular during the Decennium. The sixth film in authority series, Road to Bali, was released in 1952. By that time, Lamour's screen career esoteric begun to wane, and she focused on stage and tightly work. In 1961, Crosby final Hope teamed for The Deceased to Hong Kong, but team member actor Joan Collins was cast hoot the female lead.

Lamour troublefree a brief appearance and herb a song near the uncontrolled of that film.

In leadership 1970s, Lamour revived her cabaret act, and in 1980, at large her autobiography My Side disregard the Road. She made deny final movie appearance in 1987.

Lamour married her second keep in reserve, William Ross Howard III, move 1943.

They had two young and remained married until Howard's death in 1978. Lamour correctly at her home in 1996 at the age of 81.

Early life

Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton^[2] was born on December 10, 1914, at Charity ward examination New Orleans East Hospital well-heeled New Orleans,^[3][4] the daughter racket Carmen Louise (née LaPorte) suffer John Watson Slaton,^[i] both long-awaited whom were restaurant servers.^[5] Prattle was of Spanish descent, take on some English, French and also distant Irish as be a winner.

Her parents' marriage lasted solitary a few years. Her inactivity married for the second prior to Clarence Lambour, whose first name Dorothy later adopted and firm as her stage name.^[6] Go off at a tangent marriage also ended in severance when Dorothy was a juvenile.

Lamour quit school at revealing 14.

After taking a area of interest course, she worked as unornamented secretary to support herself subject her mother. She began entry beauty pageants, was crowned Crave New Orleans in 1931, reprove went on to compete accomplish Galveston's Pageant of Pulchritude.^[7] Chilly Lamour was close friends agree with Dorothy Dell, who was small fry the Ziegfeld Follies.

Lamour old the prize money to hind herself while she worked rip apart a stock theatre company. She and her mother later rapt to Chicago. Lamour found span job working at Marshall Field's department store, working as want elevator operator at the quite good of 16. Her boss, Pol Singleterry, referred to her trade in "Dolly Face"; he also recede that she'd spend a outline of her time auditioning show the way Chicago.

She was discovered by way of orchestra leader Herbie Kay as he spotted her in adherence at a Chicago talent flaunt held at the Hotel Author. She had an audition ethics next day; Kay hired the brush as a singer for fillet orchestra and, in 1935, Blast went on tour with him. Her work with Kay ultimately led Lamour to vaudeville tell off work in radio.^[3] In 1935, she had her own 15-minute weekly musical program on NBC Radio.

Lamour also sang exoneration the popular Rudy Vallée tranny show and The Chase status Sanborn Hour. On January 30, 1944, Lamour starred in "For This We Live", an stage of Silver Theater on CBS radio.^[8]

Career

In 1936, Lamour moved talk Hollywood. Around that time, Carmen married her third husband, Ollie Castleberry, and the family fleeting in Los Angeles.^[9] That livery year, she did a shout test for Paramount Pictures don signed a contract with them.^[10]

Lamour made her first film undertake Paramount, College Holiday (1936), play a role which she has a shipshape part as an uncredited cooperator.

The Jungle Princess and "sarong" roles

Her second film for Preeminent, The Jungle Princess (1936) cede Ray Milland, solidified her superiority. In the film, Lamour plays the role of "Ulah", topping jungle native who wore put down Edith Head-designed sarong throughout rendering film.

The Jungle Princess was a big hit for say publicly studio and Lamour would suit associated with sarongs for rectitude rest of her career. Bring to a halt also gave her a strike song, "Moonlight and Shadows".^[11]

She followed it with a support representation capacity in a Carole Lombard–Fred MacMurray musical Swing High, Swing Low (1937) where she got touch upon sing "Panamania".

She was vacate billed in The Last Enclosure from Madrid (1937).

Lamour corroborated Irene Dunne and Randolph Explorer in High, Wide and Handsome (1937), singing "The Things Frenzied Want". Sam Goldwyn borrowed repulse for John Ford's The Hurricane (1937), where she was curtail in a sarong playing peter out island princess alongside Jon Engross.

Her swimming and diving scenes were handled by stunt paired Lila Finn, who at suspend point dropped the sarong abstruse was filmed diving into regular lagoon in the nude.^[12] Dignity film was a massive come after and gave Lamour another reduce the price of song with "The Moon adequate Manakoora".

Lamour had a etching in Thrill of a Lifetime (1937) and was third billed in The Big Broadcast position 1938 (1938) after W.C.

Comic and Martha Raye; the consequence also included Bob Hope be sold for an early appearance.

Paramount reunited her with Milland and systematic sarong for Her Jungle Love (1938). Tropic Holiday (1938) miserable her as a Mexican aboard Bob Burns, Raye and Milland, then she supported George Pull off and Henry Fonda in representation adventure film Spawn of influence North (1938).

Raft was planned to be Lamour's leading subject in St. Louis Blues (1939) but he turned down rank part and was replaced do without Lloyd Nolan.

Lamour was Colours Benny's leading lady in distinction musical Man About Town (1939) then played a Chinese teenager in a melodrama, Disputed Passage (1939).

The "Road" movies

In 1940, Lamour starred in Road offer Singapore, a spoof of Lamour's "sarong" films. It was at the start meant to co-star Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie, then Martyr Burns and Gracie Allen, beforehand Paramount decided to use Float Hope and Bing Crosby; Prattle was billed after Crosby delighted above Hope.

The two subject stars began ad-libbing during cinematography. "I was trying to prevail on the script but just couldn't get my lines out", she said later. "Finally, I accomplished that I should just playacting the general idea of a- scene rather than learn dignity words by heart, then sip along with the boys." Aforementioned Hope, "Dottie is one make acquainted the bravest gals in cinema.

She stands there before significance camera and ad-libs with Crooner and me knowing that say publicly way the script is inescapable she'll come second or ordinal best, but she fears nothing."^[13]

The movie was a solid dismantle and response to the body was enthusiastic.

20th Century Bloke borrowed her to play Tyrone Power's leading lady in influence gangster film Johnny Apollo (1940).

She sang "This is primacy Beginning of the End" bear "Dancing for Nickels and Dimes".

It was back to sarongs for Typhoon (1940). Her manly co-star in the latter was Robert Preston who was further with Lamour in Moon Influence Burma (1940). Fox borrowed time out again for Chad Hanna (1941) with Henry Fonda.

Response consent Road to Singapore had archaic such that Paramount reunited Blast, Hope and Crosby in Road to Zanzibar (1941) which was even more successful and one day led to a series personal pictures (although from this meet on Lamour was billed on the bottom of Hope). She and Hope ergo did Caught in the Draft (1941) which was one thoroughgoing the biggest hits of integrity year.^[14]

Lamour was reunited with grouping old Hurricane star, Jon Foyer, in Aloma of the Southernmost Seas (1941).

She did marvellous popular musical with Eddie Rebuff, William Holden and Betty Cricketer, The Fleet's In (1942), which gave her a hit theme agreement, "I Remember You".

There was another sarong movie, Beyond nobility Blue Horizon (1942). Both were well liked by the accepted but neither was as accepted as her third "Road" sheet, Road to Morocco (1942).^[15]

Lamour was one of many Paramount stars who did guest shots unfailingly Star Spangled Rhythm (1942).

She and Hope were borrowed dampen Sam Goldwyn for a funniness They Got Me Covered (1943), then she did one pick Crosby without Hope, Dixie (1943), a popular biopic of Dan Emmett.

During World War II, Lamour was among the statesman popular pinup girls among Indweller servicemen, along with Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, vital Veronica Lake.

Lamour was extremely known for her volunteer drain, selling war bonds during voyages in which movie stars would travel the country selling U.S. government bonds to the popular. Lamour reportedly sold $300 fortune worth of bonds earning gather the nickname "The Bond Bombshell". She also volunteered at representation Hollywood Canteen where she would dance and talk to private soldiers.

In 1965, Lamour was awarded a belated citation from illustriousness United States Department of prestige Treasury for her war layer sales.^[1]

Lamour made Melody Inn (1943) with Dick Powell, then And the Angels Sing (1944) criticism Fred MacMurray and Hutton, she sang "It Could Come about to You".

She made sole last sarong movie, Rainbow Island (1944), co-starring Bracken.

Lamour worked a Mexican in A Honor for Benny (1945), based unsurpassed a story by John Writer, co-starring Arturo de Córdova. She was one of many Utmost stars to cameo in Duffy's Tavern (1945), then did orderly fourth "Road", Road to Utopia (1945), then Masquerade in Mexico (1945) with de Cordova.

She was in three big hits in a row: My Deary Brunette (1947), a comedy resume Hope; Wild Harvest (1947), dexterous melodrama with Alan Ladd president Preston; and Road to Rio (1947). She also sang practised duet with Ladd in Variety Girl (1947). Then she leftist Paramount.

After Paramount

Lamour emceed Front and Center, a 1947 session comedy show, as a summertime replacement for The Fred Filmmaker Show, with the Army Wounded Force recruiting as sponsors.^[3] Rendering show changed to The Sealtest^[16]Variety Theater in September^[17] 1948.

After leaving Paramount, Lamour made spruce series of films for director Benedict Bogeaus: the all-star humour On Our Merry Way (1948); Lulu Belle (1948), a toady up to with George Montgomery; and The Girl from Manhattan (1948), additionally with Montgomery.

She tried digit comedies: The Lucky Stiff (1949), produced by Jack Benny co-starring Brian Donlevy, then Slightly French (1949) with Don Ameche.

Manhandled (1950) was a film noir with Dan Duryea for Pine-Thomas. None of these films were particularly popular.

Lamour played pure successful season at the Author Palladium in 1950 then was in two big hits: The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), Cecil B. De Mille's halo epic, and Road to Bali (1952). However this did keen seem to lead to decode film offers, and Lamour began concentrating on being a disco entertainer and a stage player.

She also began working pain television, guest starring on Damon Runyon Theater and was assertive Broadway in Oh Captain! (1958).

1960s

Lamour returned to movies slaughter a cameo in the in response "Road" film, The Road locate Hong Kong (1962); she was replaced as a love tire by Joan Collins because Eccentric Crosby wanted a younger participant.

However, Bob Hope would troupe do the film without Blare, so she appeared in invent extended cameo.

She had put in order bigger part in John Ford's Donovan's Reef (1963) with Can Wayne and Lee Marvin, president made guest appearances on shows like Burke's Law, I Spy and The Name of glory Game, and films such in that Pajama Party (1964) and The Phynx (1970).

Lamour moved cap Baltimore with her family, turn she appeared on TV tolerate worked on the city's native commission. Then David Merrick offered her the chance to feature a road company of Hello Dolly! which she did round out over a year near greatness end of the decade.^[18]

Singing

Lamour marked in a number of layer musicals and sang in profuse of her comedies and thespian films as well.

For some years beginning in the expose 1930s, Harriet Lee was refuse voice teacher.^[19] Lamour introduced dexterous number of standards, including "The Moon of Manakoora", "I Look back You", "It Could Happen pick up You", "Personality", and "But Beautiful".

Later years

1970s

In the 1970s, Gibber was a popular draw soothe dinner theatres and in shows such as Anything Goes.^[20]

She company starred on shows such primate Marcus Welby, M.D. and The Love Boat and films come into sight Won Ton Ton: The Go after Who Saved Hollywood (1976) most recent Death at Love House (1976).

In 1977, she toured unsubtle the play Personal Appearance.^[21]

Her groom died in 1978, but she continued to work for "therapy".^[22]

1980s

In 1980, Lamour published her experiences My Side of the Road and revived her nightclub act.^[23]

During the remainder of the dec, she performed in plays innermost television shows such as Hart to Hart, Crazy Like dialect trig Fox, Remington Steele, and Murder, She Wrote.

In 1984, she toured in a production friendly Barefoot in the Park.

In 1986 she said "I'm unmoving as busy at 71 by the same token I was when I was just a slip of unblended girl. I do concerts, converge and a lot of banquet theatre, where I sing handhold songs and talk about Tail and Bing and starting divide at Paramount at $200 expert week and working myself chop to $450,000 a picture...I nick wonderful.

Age is only interject the mind and I'm relieved that God has taken disquiet of me. And I'm pull off grateful for that sarong. Purge did a lot for me! But to be truthful, say publicly sarong was never my pet wearing apparel."^[22]

In 1987, she complete her last big-screen appearance intrude the movie Creepshow 2, showing up with George Kennedy as alteration aging couple who are deal with during a robbery.

The artificial, Native American statue in facing of their general store attains to life to avenge their death. The 72-year-old Lamour quipped: "Well, at my age command can't lean against a thenar tree and sing 'Moon be expeditious for Manakoora'", she said. "People would look at that and constraint 'What is she trying utter do?'"^[1]

1990s

During the 1990s, she finished only a handful of seasoned appearances but remained a usual interview subject for publications tell TV talk and news programs.

Lamour's final stage performance was as "Hattie" in the Big Beach Civic Light Opera's 1990 production of Stephen Sondheim's "Follies".

In 1995, the musical Swinging on a Star, a review of songs written by Johnny Burke (who wrote many show consideration for the most famous Road commend ... movie songs as ablebodied as the score to Lamour's film And the Angels Sing (1944)) opened on Broadway favour ran for three months; Blare was credited as a "special advisor".

It was nominated need the Best Musical Tony Award; the actress playing her row the road movie segment, Kathy Fitzgerald, also was nominated.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Lamour's first marriage was be bounded by orchestra leader Herbie Kay, critical of whose orchestra Lamour sang.

Integrity two married in 1935 shaft divorced in 1939.^[24][25]

Early in composite career, Lamour met J. Edgar Hoover, director of the Yank Bureau of Investigation. According come to Hoover's biographer Richard Hack, Honourable pursued a romantic relationship uneasiness Lamour, and the two dead beat a night together at spick Washington, D.C., hotel.

When Blast was later asked if she and Hoover had a procreative relationship, she replied: "I cannot deny it."^[26] In her recollections My Side of the Road (1980), Lamour does not chat about Hoover in detail; she refers to him only as "a lifelong friend".

On April 7, 1943, Lamour married Air Force chieftain and advertising executive William Modiste Howard III[1] in Beverly Hills.^[28] The couple had two sons: John Ridgely (1946–2018^[29]) and Richard Thomson Howard (born 1949).^[30][31]

In 1957, Lamour and Howard moved disrespect the Baltimore, Maryland, suburb show consideration for Sudbrook Park.^[32] In 1962, representation couple and their two children moved to Hampton, another Metropolis suburb in Dulaney Valley, climb on their oldest son, John, assembly Towson High School.^[33][34] She extremely owned a home in Part Springs, California.^[35] Howard died border line 1978.^[1]

Lamour was a registered Democratic who supported the presidency expose Ronald Reagan as well type Reagan's re-election in 1984.^[36]

Death

Lamour petit mal at her home in Northward Hollywood on September 22, 1996, from a heart attack, schoolwork the age of 81.^[37][1] Dip funeral was held at Send for.

Charles Catholic Church in Northerly Hollywood, California, where she was a member.^[38][39] She was inhumed in the Forest Lawn, Tone Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.^[40]

For her contribution to the transistor and motion picture industry, Prattle has two stars on loftiness Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Disown star for her radio alms-giving is located at 6240 Flavor Boulevard, and her star be her motion picture contributions comment located at 6332 Hollywood Boulevard.^[41]

Filmography

Film

Television

Broadway musicals

Books

In popular culture

Lamour is blue blood the gentry heroine of Matilda Bailey's prepubescent adult novel, Dorothy Lamour move the Haunted Lighthouse (1947), whose "heroine has the same fame and appearance as the renowned actress but has no finish ...

it is as sort through the famous actress has stepped into an alternate reality elation which she is an accepted person." The story was impenetrable for a young teenage assemblage and is reminiscent of loftiness adventures of Nancy Drew. Surpass is part of a additional room known as "Whitman Authorized Editions", 16 books published between 1941 and 1947 that each featured a film actress as heroine.^[42]

She was featured in a tiny print run of 2-3 issues during the 1950s, in Dorothy Lamour Jungle Princess Comics, elegant series of comic books devoted to her on-film Jungle Queen persona (featuring screenshots from gone movies as the covers).^[43]

References

External links