First Lady of Musical Comedy

A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

Recent entries:
•“I came, I saw, I coffee’d” (7/25)
•“Love ordering food hate answering the door” (7/25)
•“Can anyone tell me what oblivious means? I have no idea” (7/21)
•“Sundays were made for good coffee, good music, and being lazy with the people you love” (7/21)
•“The people who currently own this world don’t care which ruler you choose. They care only that you keep choosing to be ruled” (7/21)
More new entries...

Follow @barrypopik

Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.

Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.

Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.

Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.

This site is edited by Barry Popik. These are the Cookies and Privacy Policies.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Entry from November 28, 2022

First Lady of Musical Comedy

Wikipedia: Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific (1949), the title character in Peter Pan (1954), and Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1959). She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989. She was the mother of actor Larry Hagman.

Wikipedia: Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann, January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American actress and singer, known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and for leading roles in musical theatre. She has been called “the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage”. Over her distinguished career in theater she became known for her performances in shows such as Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy, and Hello, Dolly!

Posted by Barry Popik
New York City • Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus • Monday, November 28, 2022 • Permalink

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.