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Pearl Bailey

Pearl Bailey

  • Child actor
  • Teen actor

Pearl Mae Bailey, born in Virginia on March 29, 1918, was an American actress and singer. Bailey began by singing and dancing in Philadelphia’s black nightclubs in the 1930s, and soon started performing in other parts of the East Coast. In 1941, during World War II, Bailey toured the country with the USO, performing for American troops. After the tour, she settled in New York. Her solo successes as a nightclub performer were followed by acts with such entertainers as Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington. In 1946, Bailey made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman. Bailey continued to tour and record albums in between her stage and screen performances. Her rendition of "Takes Two to Tango" hit the top ten in 1952. On November 19, 1952, Bailey married jazz drummer Louie Bellson in London. They adopted a child, Tony, in the mid-1950s, and subsequently a girl, Dee Dee J. Bellson, born April 20, 1960. In 1954, she took the role of Frankie in the film version of Carmen Jones, and her rendition of "Beat Out That Rhythm on the Drum" is one of the highlights of the film. She also starred in the Broadway musical House of Flowers. In 1959, she played the role of Maria in the film version of Porgy and Bess, starring Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge. Also that year, she played the role of "Aunt Hagar" in the movie St. Louis Blues, alongside Mahalia Jackson, Eartha Kitt, and Nat King Cole. Though she was originally considered for the part of Annie Johnson in the 1959 film Imitation of Life, the part went to Juanita Moore. A passionate fan of the New York Mets, Bailey sang the national anthem at Shea Stadium prior to game 5 of the 1969 World Series, and appears in the Series highlight film showing her support for the team. She also sang the national anthem prior to game 1 of the 1981 World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. Bailey, a Republican, was appointed by President Richard Nixon as America's "Ambassador of Love" in 1970. She attended several meetings of the United Nations and later appeared in a campaign ad for President Gerald Ford in the 1976 election. Also during the 1970s she had her own television show, and she also provided voices for animations such as Tubby the Tuba (1976) and Disney's The Fox and the Hound (1981). She returned to Broadway in 1975, playing the lead in an all-black production of Hello, Dolly!. At age 67, she earned a B.A. in theology from GeorgetownUniversity in Washington, D.C., in 1985. Later in her career, Bailey was a fixture as a spokesperson in a series of Duncan Hines commercials, singing "Bill Bailey (Won't You Come Home)". In her later years Bailey wrote several books: The Raw Pearl (1968), Talking to Myself (1971), Pearl's Kitchen (1973), and Hurry Up America and Spit (1976). In 1975 she was appointed special ambassador to the United Nations by President Gerald Ford. Her last book, Between You and Me (1989), details her experiences with higher education. In 1988 Bailey received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan. On August 17, 1990, Bailey died of heart condition. She is buried at RollingGreenMemorial Park in West Chester, Pennsylvania. During her lifetime, she won a Tony Award for the title role in the all-black production of Hello, Dolly! in 1968. In 1986, she won a Daytime Emmy award for her performance as a fairy godmother in the ABC Afterschool Special, Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale.

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2014

as Self (archive footage)

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2010

as Animal

The World of Nat King Cole

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2004

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TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

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2004

as Self (archive footage)

Passing the Baton: The Making of The Fox and the Hound

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2003

as Self

Great Broadway Musical Moments from the Ed Sullivan Show

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2003

as Self

The Ultimate Collection Starring Johnny Carson - The Best of the 60s and 70s

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2002

Peter Gunn

Peter Gunn

1989

as Mother

Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale

Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale

1985

as Martha Dermody

The Member of the Wedding

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1982

as Bernice Sadie Brown

Night of 100 Stars

Night of 100 Stars

1982

as Self

The Fox and the Hound

The Fox and the Hound

1981

as Big Mama (voice)

Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life

Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life

1981

as Self

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

1977

as Millie Washington

Norman... Is That You?

Norman... Is That You?

1976

as Beatrice Chambers

The Muppet Show

The Muppet Show

1976

as Self - Special Guest Star

Tubby the Tuba

Tubby the Tuba

1975

as Mrs. Elephant (voice)

One More Time

One More Time

1974

The Pearl Bailey Show

The Pearl Bailey Show

1971

as Self - Host

The Flip Wilson Show

The Flip Wilson Show

1970

as Self

The Landlord

The Landlord

1970

as Marge

Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway

Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway

1969

as Self

The Carol Burnett Show

The Carol Burnett Show

1967

as Self - Guest / Various Characters

The Danny Kaye Show

The Danny Kaye Show

1963

as Self

All the Fine Young Cannibals

All the Fine Young Cannibals

1960

as Ruby

The Big Party

The Big Party

1959

as Self

Porgy and Bess

Porgy and Bess

1959

as Maria

St. Louis Blues

St. Louis Blues

1958

as Aunt Hagar

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

1956

as Self

The Steve Allen Show

The Steve Allen Show

1956

as Self - Singer

That Certain Feeling

That Certain Feeling

1956

as Gussie

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956

as Self - Recipient / Performer

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956

as Self - Presenter

Carmen Jones

Carmen Jones

1954

as Frankie

The Oscars

The Oscars

1953

as Self

Your Show of Shows

Your Show of Shows

1950

What's My Line?

What's My Line?

1950

as Self - Mystery Guest

Isn't It Romantic?

Isn't It Romantic?

1948

as Addie

Variety Girl

Variety Girl

1947

as Pearl Bailey