Dorothy Lamour (December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996)
was an American motion picture actress.
Fondly remembered for her beautiful, long brown hair and
trademark sarong, Dorothy Lamour was an important player for Paramount Pictures
in the 1940s. She is best known for her performances in the "Road"
films (Road To Bali, Road To Hong Kong, Road To Morocco, Road To Rio, Road To
Singapore, Road To Utopia and Road To Zanzibar), which she costarred in with
Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.
Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton was born on December 10, 1914 in
New Orleans, Louisiana to Carmen and John Slaton. Her parent's marriage lasted
only a few years, but Carmen later remarried Clarence Lambour, and Dorothy took
his last name. The marriage also ended in divorce when Dorothy was a teenager.
Her career in the
spotlight began in 1931, when she was crowned "Miss New Orleans."
Dorothy was interested in becoming a singer, and after the contest she headed
to Chicago on the last of her winnings. Dorothy's talent soon landed her a job
as the female vocalist for the Herbie Kay Band. She dropped the "b"
in Lambour to create her stage name of Dorothy Lamour. Dreams of making it big
in the entertainment business led her to New York, where she began singing with
Rudy Vallee and Eddie Duchin. In 1934, Dorothy was hired as a radio singer on
"The Dreamer of Songs" program.
Romance eventually developed between Dorothy and Herbie,
and they were married in 1935. That same year, she met Metro Goldwyn Mayer head
Louis B. Mayer while she was singing in a nightclub. Mayer felt she had a
certain spark, and arranged for her to have a screen test. However the screen
test was lost and Dorothy would need to do another if she were still interested
in acting. In the meantime, she met Jack Votion, the head of talent at
Paramount, and did a screen test. Her beauty and talent impressed the Paramount
executives, and they immediately signed her to a contract.
Dorothy's first
two films in 1936, "The Stars Can't Be Wrong" and "The Jungle
Princess," were where she first wore her trademark sarong. With Herbie and
his band touring cross-country, and Dorothy pursuing a career as an actress in
California, they were apart much of the time. Their marriage ended in 1939.
During World War II, Dorothy used her fame to help the
war effort. She earned the nickname ''bond bombshell" when she toured the
country and sold more than $300 million in United States War Bonds. While on
the bond tour, she met William Ross Howard III, a successful frozen food
businessman. The two married in 1943, and later had a baby boy named Tom in
1949.
In 1959, the family moved to Baltimore, where Bill was
planning to run for Governor of Maryland, and Dorothy settled as a housewife.
Theater once again became a part of her life, and in 1951 she debuted on
Broadway in "Oh! Captain." She made a comeback to films in 1952 with
"The Greatest Show on Earth." During the 1950s Dorothy also made
several guest appearances on television shows such as "The Colgate Comedy
Hour" and "Damon Runyon Theatre." In 1961, she toured with her
own nightclub act, and later with the plays "DuBarry Was a Lady"
(1963) and "Hello, Dolly!" (1967).
In the 1970s, Lamour was a popular draw on the dinner
theatre circuit. In 1980, Lamour published her autobiography, My Side of the
Road, and revived her nightclub act. During the remainder of the decade, she
performed in plays and television shows such as Hart to Hart, Crazy Like a Fox,
Remington Steele, and Murder, She Wrote. During the 1990s, she made only a
handful of professional appearances but remained a popular interview subject
for publications and TV talk and news programs.
Dorothy and Bill raised three sons, including one from
his previous marriage. They were happily married until Bill's death in 1978. Lamour
died at her home in North Hollywood on September 22, 1996, at the age of 81.She
was interred in the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.
For her contribution to the radio and motion picture
industry, Lamour has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star for her
radio contributions is located at 6240 Hollywood Boulevard and her star for her
motion picture contributions is located at 6332 Hollywood Boulevard. (Info
edited from various sources)
2 comments:
For “Dorothy Lamour - The Moon Of Manakoora” go her:
http://www80.zippyshare.com/v/jFF9dZTV/file.html
1. Moonlight And Shadows
2. Panamania
3. You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth
4. Thanks For The Memory
5. Lovelight In The Starlight
6. Little Lady Make-Believe
7. Tonight Will Live
8. On A Tropic Night
9. That Sentimental Sandwich
10. The Man I Love
11. You Took Me Out Of This World
12. I'm All A-Tremble Over You
13. Paradise
14. Sweet Potato Piper
15. Palms Of Paradise
16. The Moon And The Willow Tree
17. Too Romantic
18. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
19. It Had To Be You
20. Your Kiss
21. The Is The Beginning Of The End
22. Moon Over Burma
23. Mexican Magic
24. The One Rose That's Left In My Heart
25. The Moon Of Manakoora
Thank you Bob. I remember her .Great story and post.
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