Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress and singer. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman in 1946. 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.Her rendition of "Takes Two to Tango" hit the top ten in 1952.
March 29, 1918, Southampton County, Virginia, United States
Died
August 17, 1990, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Place Of Birth
Newport News, Virginia, USA
Profession
Actress, Soundtrack
Education
Georgetown University
Nationality
American
Spouse
Louie Bellson (m. 1952–1990), John Randolph Pinkett (m. 1948–1952)
Children
Dee Dee Belson, Tony Bellson
Parents
Ella Mae Bailey, Reverend Joseph Bailey, Baby, It's Cold Outside, Best of Friends, Five Pound Box of Money
Siblings
Bill Bailey
Awards
Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, Special Tony Award, Grammy Hall of Fame, Coretta Scott King Award for Authors, Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Performances, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer In Children's Programming, Baby, It's Cold Outside, Best of Friends, Five Pound Bo...
Movies
Carmen Jones, The Fox and the Hound, Porgy and Bess, Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway, Norman... Is That You?, St. Louis Blues, That Certain Feeling, All the Fine Young Cannibals, The Landlord, Tubby the Tuba, Peter Gunn, Isn't It Romantic?, The Member of the Wedding
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 47-50. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.
7
Sang "He'll Understand" at Joan Crawford's funeral in 1977.
8
Won a Special Tony Award in 1968 for her performance as a replacement in the lead in "Hello, Dolly!". RCA released a new version of the Broadway Cast Recording with Bailey, the first time this was done during a Broadway show's original run. (Carol Channing had originated the role in 1964.).
9
Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
10
Appointed as a special ambassador to the United Nations in 1975 by President Gerald Ford.
11
Was an avid baseball fan, especially of the New York Mets.
12
Received the Women's International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award in 1989.
13
Died in Philadelphia after collapsing at a local hotel.
14
Born at 7:00am-EST
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
P.O.V.
2014
TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me
2009
TV Movie documentary performer: "Something's Gotta Give"
Mwah! The Best of the Dinah Shore Show
2003
TV Movie documentary performer: "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" originally "Moritat vom Mackie Messer"
The Fox and the Hound
1981
performer: "Best of Friends" 1981, "Lack of Education" 1981, "Appreciate the Lady" 1981
The Muppet Show
1978
TV Series performer - 2 episodes
The Pearl Bailey Show
1971
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway
1969
TV Movie performer: "A Little Girl From Little Rock", "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home", "If My Friends Could See Me Now", "Little Green Apples", "Wives and Lovers", "The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York", "Seventy-Six Trombones", "There is Nothin' Like a Dame", "The Two of Us", "Elegance", "Hello Dolly", "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free"
The 22nd Annual Tony Awards
1968
TV Special performer: "Put on Your Sunday Clothes/So Long, Dearie"
The Danny Kaye Show
1964
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Ed Sullivan Show
1961
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Porgy and Bess
1959
performer: "Oh, I Can't Sit Down"
Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall
1958
TV Series performer - 1 episode
St. Louis Blues
1958
performer: "Hush the Wind" uncredited, "Saint Louis Blues"
The Steve Allen Plymouth Show
1957
TV Series performer - 1 episode
That Certain Feeling
1956
performer: "That Certain Feeling", "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart"
Carmen Jones
1954
performer: "BEAT OUT DAT RHYTHM ON A DRUM", "WHIZZIN' AWAY ALONG DE TRACK", "CARD SONG"
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1954
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Isn't It Romantic?
1948
performer: "I Shoulda Quit When I Was Ahead"
Texaco Star Theatre
1948
TV Series performer - 1 episode
Variety Girl
1947
performer: "TIRED"
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
Peter Gunn
1989
TV Movie
Mother
ABC Afterschool Specials
1985
TV Series
Martha Dermody
Silver Spoons
1984-1985
TV Series
Lulu Baker
The Member of the Wedding
1982
TV Movie
Bernice Sadie Brown
The Fox and the Hound
1981
Big Mama (voice)
The Love Boat
1978
TV Series
Millie Washington
Norman... Is That You?
1976
Beatrice Chambers
Tubby the Tuba
1975
Mrs. Elephant (voice)
Love, American Style
1973
TV Series segment "Love and High Spirits"
- Love and the Games People Play/Love and High Spirits/Love and the Memento/Love and the Single Husband/Love and the Stutter 1973 ... segment "Love and High Spirits"
The Landlord
1970
Marge
ABC Stage 67
1966
TV Series
All the Fine Young Cannibals
1960
Ruby
Porgy and Bess
1959
Maria
St. Louis Blues
1958
Aunt Hagar
That Certain Feeling
1956
Augusta aka Gussie
As the World Turns
1956
TV Series
Corinne Bailey (1982)
Carmen Jones
1954
Frankie
Isn't It Romantic?
1948
Addie
Variety Girl
1947
Pearl Bailey - Singer
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Today
1989
TV Series
Herself
The Pat Sajak Show
1989
TV Series
Herself
In Performance at the White House: A Salute to Broadway - The Shows
1988
TV Movie
Herself
50th Presidential Inaugural Gala
1985
TV Movie
Herself
Broadway Plays Washington on Kennedy Center Tonight
1982
TV Movie
Herself
Night of 100 Stars
1982
TV Special
Herself
Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny
1982
TV Movie
Herself
Great Vibes! Lionel Hampton & Friends
1982
TV Movie
Herself
Signature
1982
TV Series
Herself - Guest
All-Star Celebration Opening the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
$11 Million
