Today's Birthday: 26 September
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London, Julie
Julie London was an actress & sultry singer who starred in a number of movies in the 40s & 50s before beginning a popular singing career, but probably most remembered for her role as Nurse Dixie McCall in 'Emergency! (1972) (TV)' in the 70s. Known for her wonderful sex appeal throughout her career, even well up into her late 40s, she had a wide and full career most people can only dream of.
Julie started out by playing small parts in the early 1940's and
quickly became a leading actress and G.I. pin-up girl. In 1947, she
married actor 'Jack Webb' prior to his fame in '"Dragnet" (1952)' , and went into
semi-retirement, doing few films and even taking a break between 1951 -
1955. After her and Jack divorced in the mid-50s she became a jazz/pop
singer, managed and groomed by jazz musician/actor 'Bobby Troup' , who would
later become her partner in life when they married in 1959, and even
later on the small screen. Ironically, when former hubby Jack Webb
became the producer of 'Emergency! (1972) (TV)' , he hired not only Julie but her
then-current husband, Bobby, and they starred together in her most
recognizable role. Many people also remember their appearances together
in the 70s on the TV game show featuring Hollywood married couples,
'"Tattletales" (1974)' with host 'Bert Convy' .
Her biggest popularity as a singer was in the late 50s. She left her
full-time film career to concentrate on her singing career, and to date
over 40 of her albums have been released, but her vocal style has been
endeared by many core fans since then. Her last recording was an
excellent cover of the classic tune "My Funny Valentine" on the
soundtrack to the 'Burt Reynolds' neo-noir detective flick 'Sharky's Machine (1980)' .
After suffering a stroke in 1995, her health began to deteriorate, and
in 1999 her longtime husband Bobby died, and her own passing followed
later in October, 2000. She left a legacy of a satisfying screen career
and a lot of wonderful music that will live forever. Julie had 2
children with Jack Webb and 3 more with Bobby Troup. - Author: Anonymous
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Gale, Minna
Minna Gale made her theatrical debut in 1884 under the leadership of
Daniel Bandmann, playing in East Lynne and similar "popular" plays. Her
big break came the following year when she auditioned for Lawrence
Barrett, the well-known Shakespearean actor, and was immediately hired
by him. She made her debut in his company as Queen Gertrude in Hamlet,
an unsuitable role for her since she was only 15 (Barrett, playing
Hamlet, was 47.) However, she so impressed Barrett that he made her his
leading lady in October, a bare two months after her debut with his
company. For the next six seasons, she would be Barrett's only regular
leading lady, her beauty and grace lending much to the performances.
When Barrett teamed up with Edwin Booth in 1886 for several seasons of
joint tours, he insisted on Minna being the leading lady for the new
company, at first over Booth's objections. Barrett's confidence in her
was soon justified when drama critics singled her out for praise, often
declaring her performances more satis- factory than those of her male
co-stars. When Barrett died in 1891, Minna continued to support Booth
for two more weeks. She played Ophelia in Edwin Booth's final
performance on the stage. After this, she formed her own company (many
of them from the Booth-Barrett company) with herself as the star and
played many of the cities where she had found success with Barrett. She
retired from the stage in 1893, not to perform again until 1909 when
she created a role in Viola Allen's production of The White Sister.
After that, she performed in several plays in the 1910s, mixing her
stage work with various productions for the Famous Players Film
Co. - Author: Karla Boardman
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Gershwin, George
He was born Jacob Gershowitz, 26 September 1898, in Brooklyn, New York,
of Russian-Jewish immigrants. As a boy he could play popular and
classical works on his brother Ira's piano by ear. In 1913 he quit
school to study music and began composing for Tin Pan Alley; by 1919 he
had his first hit "Swanee" and his first Broadway show "La, La,
Lucille." In less than three weeks in 1924 he composed "Rhapsody in
Blue," originally for Paul Whiteman's relatively small swing band and
later orchestrated by Ferde Grof^Eé. "Concerto in F" followed the next
year, and his musical success "Oh, Kay!" (which included "Someone to
Watch Over Me") the year after that. Success continued: "Funny Face"
(1927), the tone poem "American in Paris" (1928), "Girl Crazy" (1929),
"Of Thee I Sing" (1931 the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize),
and the first true American opera: "Porgy and Bess" (1935). He moved to
Hollywood were his songs were performed by Fred Astaire and Ginger
Rogers. In 1937 he fell in love with Paulette Goddard, then married to
Charlie Chaplin. He was hearbroken that she would not leave her husband
for him. When he fell ill, that June, it was written off as stress. A
month later he died of a brain tumor, five hours after a failed
surgical attempt to remove it. Funerals were hold in both Hollywood and
New York. - Author: Ed Stephan
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