“Forgotten Hollywood”- No No Nanette…
Manny P. here… 
“`Nanette Fabray was a vivacious actress, singer and dancer who became a star in Broadway musicals, and in showstoppers as The Band Wagon. The Comden and Green musical satirized show business, with such classic tunes as That’s Entertainment and Triplets, in which Nanette, Fred Astaire and Jack Buchanan dressed up as tots. It’s famously showcased in the montage musical, That’s Entertainment Pt. II.
“`Fabray was just three when she launched her career as Vaudeville singer-dancer, Baby Nanette. After launching her career, she studied drama and voice for several years before winning the role of lady-in-waiting to Bette Davis’ Queen Elizabeth I in her initial film The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex in 1939.
“`She went on to star on Broadway. Love Life, a 1948 show with songs by Alan Jay Lerner and Kurt Weill, and it won her a Tony in 1949 as Best Actress in a Musical. Mr. President brought her a second nomination. High Button Shoes was Fabray’s best-known Broadway show, and a New York Times review made her well known from coast-to-coast.
“`She found her biggest audience as a co-star in the pioneering television show Caesar’s Hour, which brought her three Emmy Awards. Nanette appeared in such popular 1950s small screen anthologies as Playhouse 90 and The Alcoa Hour. Other programs include guest-starring roles in Burke’s Law, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Love American Style, Maude, One Day at a Time, The Love Boat, Murder She Wrote, and Coach (in three episodes, she appeared with her niece Shelly Fabares). Mary Tyler Moore credited Fabray, inspiring her trademark comedic crying technique.
“`During Television’s Golden Age, Fabray was invited to appear on variety and game shows, including The Carol Burnett Show, The Hollywood Palace, The Andy Williams Show, The Dean Martin Show, Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall; as a mystery guest on What’s My Line, and 230 episodes of Hollywood Squares.
“`Nanette overcame a significant hearing impairment, and was a long-time advocate for the rights of the deaf and hard of hearing. Her honors representing the handicapped include the President’s Distinguished Service Award and the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award.
“`Nanette Fabray was 97.
Until next time> “never forget”
This entry was posted on Friday, February 23rd, 2018 at 11:14 pm and is filed under Blog by Manny Pacheco. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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