Bailey, Pearl (1918-1990), was an American singer and actress known for her warm, throaty voice. She successfully performed on Broadway, in nightclubs, on television, and in motion pictures.
Pearl Mae Bailey was born in Newport News, Virginia, on March 29, 1918. She began her show business career at the age of 15, winning an amateur contest. She sang and danced with several big bands before making her Broadway debut in the musical St. Louis Woman (1946). She made her motion-picture debut in Variety Girl (1947).
By the 1950’s, Bailey had become one of the best-known entertainers in the United States, winning popularity for her casual and humorous performing style. She was featured in the musical films Carmen Jones (1954) and Porgy and Bess (1959). She achieved her greatest stage success in 1967 as Dolly Levi in an all-black production of the musical comedy Hello, Dolly! Bailey starred in her own television series in 1971.
Bailey retired from show business in 1975 and was named to the United States delegation to the United Nations. In her later years, Bailey was active in AIDS causes. She wrote two books about her life, The Raw Pearl (1968) and Talking to Myself (1971). She also wrote the children’s book Duey’s Tale (1975), for which she won the 1976 Coretta Scott King Award, one of the top prizes in children’s literature. She died on Aug. 17, 1990.
