Tragic songstress Lillian Roth (nee Lillian Rutstein), born in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 13, 1910, was given her first name in honor of singer Lillian Russell. She was the daughter of daunting stage parents who groomed her and younger sister Anne for stardom at an early age. The girls did not disappoint. In 1916, Lillian moved with her ...
My life was never my own. It was charted before I was born.
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Fact
1
Upon her death, her remains were interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York. The location plot is Section 26, Grave 039.
2
Was cast to play one of the aunts in the original Broadway production of Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Ave.", but was replaced during rehearsal.
3
Following the Broadway opening of the musical "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" in 1962, producer David Merrick raised her name to sole star billing over the title (above Barbra Streisand, Elliott Gould and Sheree North).
4
In 1953 Ralph Edwards aired Lillian's tragic story on a special telecast of his This Is Your Life (1952) series. It drew the largest amount of mail in the show's history.
Butterfingers was a childhood nickname because she used to drop everything!
7
Was portrayed by Susan Hayward in the film I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955). The film was made after her autobiography of the same title was published, in which she wrote about her experiences with alcoholism.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
Night-Flowers
1979
Deaf Neighbor
Boardwalk
1979
Ruth
Alice Sweet Alice
1976
Pathologist (as Miss Lillian Roth also)
Playhouse 90
1957
TV Series
Irene Contino
Matinee Theatre
1956
TV Series
Nurse
The United States Steel Hour
1955
TV Series
Elaine
Snow Follies
1939
Short
Lillian Roth, Singer
Arcade Varieties
1939
Short
Lillian Roth
With Best Dishes
1939
Short
Singer
Masks and Memories
1934
Short
Julie
Story Conference
1934
Short
Lillian Roth
Take a Chance
1933
Wanda Hill
Million Dollar Melody
1933
Short
Ladies They Talk About
1933
Linda
Down Among the Sugar Cane
1932
Short
Lillian Roth
Puff Your Blues Away
1931
Short
Meet the Boyfriend
1930
Short
Lillian
Naughty-Cal
1930
Short
Lillian
Sea Legs
1930
Adrienne
Madam Satan
1930
Trixie
Galas de la Paramount
1930
Lillian Roth - Episode 'Love Time'
Animal Crackers
1930
Arabella Rittenhouse
Honey
1930
Cora Falkner
The Vagabond King
1930
Huguette
The Love Parade
1929
Lulu
Illusion
1929
Revolutionary Rhythm Dance Specialty
Raising the Roof
1929
Short
Lillian Roth and the Foster Girls
1929
Short
Lillian
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Masks and Memories
1934
Short performer: "Mardi Gras", "Alone", "Sophisticated Lady" - uncredited
Story Conference
1934
Short performer: "Alimony Sal", "My Man Blues", "If I Were a Millionaire" - uncredited
Ladies They Talk About
1933
performer: "If I Could Be with You" 1926 - uncredited
Ain't She Sweet?
1933
Short performer: "Ain't She Sweet"
Down Among the Sugar Cane
1932
Short performer: "Down Among the Sugar Cane"
Puff Your Blues Away
1931
Short performer: "Puff Your Blues Away"
Meet the Boyfriend
1930
Short performer: "So Alonesome", "Just Like Jimmy and Me"
Naughty-Cal
1930
Short performer: "True to the Navy", "Sailor Go for It", "Says Who ?"
Madam Satan
1930
performer: "Low Down" 1930 - uncredited
Animal Crackers
1930
performer: "Why Am I So Romantic?" 1930 - uncredited
Paramount on Parade
1930
performer: "Anytime's the Time to Fall in Love"
Honey
1930
performer: "Let's Be Domestic", "I Don't Need Atmosphere to Fall in Love With You", "Sing You Sinners"
The Vagabond King
1930
performer: "Huguette Waltz" - uncredited
The Love Parade
1929
performer: "Let's Be Common" 1929, "The Queen Is Always Right" 1929 - uncredited
$1.7 Million
