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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Klaus Badelt to Christophe Beck
Pearl Bailey Biography (1918-1990)
Born Pearl May Bailey, March 29, 1918, in Newport News, VA; died after collapsing, August 17, 1990, in Philadelphia, PA; daughter of Joseph James (a minister) and Pearl Bailey; married John Randolph Pinkett, Jr., August 31, 1948 (divorced, March, 1952); married Louis Bellson, Jr. (a jazz drummer), November19, 1952; children: (second marriage) Tony Bellson, DeeDee Bellson. Addresses: Agent--William Morris Agency, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York,NY 10019.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Female
- Birth Details
- March 29, 1918
- Newport News, Virginia, United States
- Death Details
- August 17, 1990
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Famous Works
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Credits; STAGE APPEARANCES
- (Broadway debut) Butterfly, St. Louis Woman, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1946.
- Connecticut, Arms and the Girl, 46th Street Theatre, New York City, 1950.
- Bless You All, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1950.
- Madame Fleur, House of Flowers, Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1954.
- Sally Adams, Call Me Madam, Melodyland Theatre, Berkeley, CA, 1966.
- Title role, Hello, Dolly!, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1967-69, later Minskoff Theatre, New York City, 1975.
- Festival at Ford's, Circle in the Square at Ford's, Ford's Theatre, Washington, DC, 1970-71.
- The Pearl Bailey Show, Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, MO, 1973.
- Night of 100 Stars, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1982.
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Credits; MAJOR TOURS
- Title role, Hello Dolly!, U.S. cities, 1969-71 and U.S. and Canadian cities, 1975-76.
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Credits; FILM APPEARANCES
- Specialty, Variety Girl, Paramount, 1947.
- Addie, Isn't It Romantic, Paramount, 1948.
- Frankie, Carmen Jones, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1954.
- Gussie, That Certain Feeling, Paramount, 1956.
- Aunt Hagar, St. Louis Blues, Paramount, 1957.
- Maria, Porgy and Bess, Columbia, 1959.
- Ruby Jones, All the Fine Young Cannibals, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1960.
- Marge, The Landlord, United Artists, 1970.
- Beatrice Chambers, Norman, Is That You?, United Artists, 1976.
- Voice of Big Mamma, The Fox and the Hound, Buena Vista, 1981.
- Also appeared in The Last Generation, 1971.
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Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SERIES
- Host, The Pearl Bailey Show, ABC, 1971.
- Mrs. Washington, The Love Boat, ABC, 1977.
- Lulu Baker, Silver Spoons, NBC, 1982.
- Life's Most Embarrassing Moments, syndicated, 1988.
- Also appeared as guest on numerous shows, including The Ed Wynn Show, NBC, The Nat "King" Cole Show, NBC, The Milton Berle Show, NBC, What's My Line?,CBS, The Perry Como Show, NBC, The Danny Kaye Show, CBS, The Johnny Carson Show, NBC, The Jack Paar Show, NBC, and The Mike Douglas Show, CBS.
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Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SPECIALS
- The Big Party for Revlon (variety), CBS, 1959.
- Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey on Broadway, ABC, 1966.
- Something Special (variety), syndicated, 1966.
- Mike and Pearl (variety), syndicated, 1968.
- Johnny Mann's Stand Up and Cheer (variety), syndicated, 1971.
- Bing Crosby and His Friends (variety), NBC, 1972, CBS, 1974.
- One More Time (variety), CBS, 1974.
- Bing!...A Fiftieth Anniversary Special (variety), CBS, 1977.
- The 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala, ABC, 1985.
- Martha Dermody, "Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale," ABC Afterschool Special, ABC, 1986.
- Miss Ruby's Southern Holiday Dinner, PBS, 1988.
- A Salute to Broadway: The Shows (also known as In Performance at the White House), PBS, 1988.
- A Capital Fourth 1989 (concert), PBS, 1989.
- Also appeared on Bob Hope specials, 1956, 1968, 1978, 1981, 1982.
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Credits; OTHER TELEVISION APPEARANCES
- As the World Turns (episodic), CBS, 1956.
- Bernice, Member of the Wedding (movie), NBC, 1982.
- Mother, Peter Gunn (movie), ABC, 1989.
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Recordings;ALBUMS
- Hello, Dolly!, RCA, 1968.
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Writings;TELEVISION
- The Pearl Bailey Show, ABC, 1971.
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Writings;BOOKS
- The Raw Pearl (autobiography), Harcourt, 1968.
- Talking to Myself (autobiography), Harcourt, 1971.
- Pearl's Kitchen: An Extraordinary Cookbook, Harcourt, 1973.
- Duey's Tale (juvenile), Harcourt, 1975.
- Hurry Up, America, and Spit, Harcourt, 1976.
- Between You and Me: A Heartfelt Memoir on Learning, Loving, and Living, Doubleday, 1989.
Further Reference
BOOKS
- Bailey, Pearl, The Raw Pearl, Harcourt, 1968.
- Bailey, Talking to Myself, Harcourt, 1971.
- Bailey, Between You and Me: A Heartfelt Memoir on Learning, Loving, andLiving, Doubleday, 1989.
- Contemporary Authors, Volume 132, Gale, 1991.
PERIODICALS
- Chicago Tribune, August 19, 1990.
- Los Angeles Times, August 18, 1990.
- New York Times, August 19, 1990.
- Times (London), August 20, 1990.
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