Edna Mae Durbin (December 4, 1921 – April 17, 2013), known professionally as Deanna Durbin, was a Canadian-born actress and singer, who moved to the USA with her family in infancy. She appeared in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s. With the technical skill and vocal range of a legitimate lyric soprano, she performed many styles from popular standards to operatic arias. Durbin was a

child actress The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting on stage or in movies or television. An adult who began their acting career as a child may also be called a child actor, or a "former child actor". Closely associated t ...

who made her first film appearance with

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

in ''

Every Sunday ''Every Sunday'' (sometimes incorrectly listed as ''Every Sunday Afternoon'' or ''Opera vs. Jazz'') is a 1936 American musical short film about two adolescent girls and their efforts to save a public concert series, which was being threatened by ...

'' (1936), and subsequently signed a contract with Universal Studios. She achieved success as the ideal teenaged daughter in films such as '' Three Smart Girls'' (1936), '' One Hundred Men and a Girl'' (1937), and '' It Started with Eve'' (1941). Her work was credited with saving the studio from bankruptcy, and led to Durbin being awarded the Academy Juvenile Award in 1938. As she matured, Durbin grew dissatisfied with the girl-next-door roles assigned to her and attempted to move into sophisticated non-musical roles with film noir ''

Christmas Holiday ''Christmas Holiday'' is a 1944 American film noir crime film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly. Based on the 1939 novel of the same name by W. Somerset Maugham, the film is about a woman who marries a Souther ...

'' (1944) and the whodunit ''

Lady on a Train ''Lady on a Train'' is a 1945 American film noir crime film directed by Charles David and starring Deanna Durbin, Ralph Bellamy, and David Bruce. Based on a story by Leslie Charteris, the film is about a woman who witnesses a murder in a near ...

'' (1945). These films, produced by frequent collaborator and second husband Felix Jackson, were not as successful; she continued in musical roles until her retirement. Upon her retirement and divorce from Jackson in 1949, Durbin married producer-director

Charles Henri David Charles Henri David (May 4, 1906 – March 1, 1999) was a film director. He worked as an assistant to Zoltan Korda for a number of years. He was head of Pathe in France and worked with Jean Renoir and René Clair. He was with the French army until 1 ...

and moved to a farmhouse near Paris. She withdrew from public life, granting only one interview on her career in 1983.

Early life

Edna Mae Durbin was born on December 4, 1921, at Grace Hospital in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...

, the younger daughter of James Allen Durbin and his wife Ada (née Read) Durbin, who were originally from Chester, England. She had one older sister, Edith (later Mrs. Heckman, born in England, died in California). When she was an infant, her family moved from Winnipeg to Southern California, and the family became United States citizens in 1923. At the age of one, Edna Mae was singing children's songs. By the time she was 10, her parents recognized that she had definite talent and enrolled her in voice lessons at the Ralph Thomas Academy. Durbin soon became Thomas's prize pupil, and he showcased her talent at various local clubs and churches.

Career and life

1935–1941: Early career

In early 1935,

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

was planning a biographical film on the life of opera star Ernestine Schumann-Heink and was having difficulty finding an actress to play the young opera singer. MGM casting director Rufus LeMaire heard about a talented young soloist performing with the Ralph Thomas Academy and called her in for an audition. Durbin sang "Il Bacio" for the studio's vocal coach, who was stunned by her "mature soprano" voice. She sang the number again for Louis B. Mayer, who signed her to a six-month contract. She made her first film appearance in the short ''

'' (1936) with

, another teenage singer-actress whose career would rival Durbin's. The film was intended as a demonstration of their talent as performers as studio executives had questioned the wisdom of casting two female singers together. Louis B. Mayer decided to sign both, but by then, Durbin's contract option had lapsed.

Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

producer Joe Pasternak wished to borrow Garland from MGM, but she was unavailable. When Pasternak learned that Durbin was no longer with MGM, he instead cast her in the film. At 14 years old, Durbin signed with Universal, giving her the professional name Deanna. Her first feature-length film, '' Three Smart Girls'' (1936), was a success and established Durbin as a young star. With Pasternak producing for Universal, Durbin starred in a succession of successful musical films, including '' One Hundred Men and a Girl'' (1937), '' Mad About Music'' (1938), '' That Certain Age'' (1938), '' Three Smart Girls Grow Up'' (1939), and '' First Love'' (1939)—most of which were directed by Henry Koster. Durbin also continued to pursue singing projects. In 1936, she auditioned to provide the vocals for Snow White in Disney's animated film ''

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection '' Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as ...

'', but was rejected by

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...

, who said the 15-year-old Durbin's voice was "too old" for the part. That same year, Cesar Sturani, the general music secretary of the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is opera ...

, offered Durbin an audition. She turned down his offer because she felt she needed more singing lessons.

Andrés de Segurola Andrés Perelló de Segurola (27 March 1874 – 23 January 1953) was a Spanish operatic bass. Biography He was born on 27 March 1874 in Valencia, Spain. He was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Company between 1901 and 1920 and later appeare ...

, who was the vocal coach working with Universal Studios—himself a former Metropolitan Opera singer—believed that Durbin was a potential opera star. De Segurola was commissioned to advise the Metropolitan Opera on her progress. Also in 1936, Durbin began a radio collaboration with Eddie Cantor which lasted until 1938, when her heavy workload for Universal forced her to quit her weekly appearances. The success of Durbin's films was reported to have saved Universal from bankruptcy. In 1938, she received an Academy Juvenile Award with Mickey Rooney. Producer Joe Pasternak said: Durbin continued her success with ''

It's a Date ''It's a Date'' is a 1940 American musical film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Deanna Durbin, Kay Francis, and Walter Pidgeon. Based on a story by Jane Hall, Frederick Kohner, and Ralph Block, the film is about an aspiring actress ...

'' (1940), '' Spring Parade'' (1940), and '' Nice Girl?'' (1941).

1941–1945: Attempts to expand

In 1941, Durbin starred in '' It Started with Eve'' (1941), her last film with Pasternak and director Henry Koster. Pasternak moved from Universal to MGM. Universal announced Durbin was to star in ''They Lived Alone'', scheduled to be directed by Koster. However, Durbin was unhappy by the role, and that Universal had not given support to the career of her first husband assistant director Vaughn Paul, whom she had married in April 1941. Durbin turned down the role, and was suspended by the studio from October 16, 1941, to early February 1942. In late January 1942, Durbin and Universal settled their differences, with the studio conceding to Durbin the approval of her directors, stories, and songs. Wishing to move into more sophisticated material, ''They Lived Alone'' was retooled into ''

The Amazing Mrs. Holliday ''The Amazing Mrs. Holliday'' is a 1943 American comedy drama film produced and directed by Bruce Manning and starring Deanna Durbin, Edmond O'Brien, and Barry Fitzgerald. Based on a story by Sonya Levien, the film is about a young idealistic mi ...

'' (1943), the World War II story of refugee children from China. The film was initially conceived without musical numbers, but Durbin finally relented to Universal's demand to include some. Durbin was also able to retool her second sequel to ''Three Smart Girls'' from ''Three Smart Girls Join Up'' to '' Hers to Hold'' (1943), revolving solely around her character. Her co-star Joseph Cotten would later speak highly of her integrity and character. Durbin also dabbled in other genres, such as the romantic comedy '' His Butler's Sister'' (1943) and the musical Western '' Can't Help Singing'' (1944), her only Technicolor film, which was produced on location in southern Utah and co-starred Robert Paige. The film featured some of the last melodies written by

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

. Durbin continued her push to establish herself as a more dramatic actress with the film noir ''

'' (1944), directed by Robert Siodmak and co-starring Gene Kelly. Siodmark praised Durbin's acting skills, but later recalled she was difficult as "she wanted to play a new part but flinched from looking like a tramp: she always wanted to look like nice wholesome Deanna Durbin pretending to be a tramp."Encounter with Siodmak Taylor, Russell. Sight and Sound; London Vol. 28, Iss. 3, (Summer 1959): 180. Although the film received mixed reviews, Durbin later called it her "only really good film". The whodunit ''

'' (1945) also received mixed critical reviews. Most of these films had been produced by Felix Jackson, whom she married in August 1945; they welcomed their daughter, Jessica Louise, in February 1946.

1946–1949: Decline and retirement

In 1946, Durbin was the second-highest-paid woman in the United States, just behind

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

,; her fan club ranked as the world's largest during her active years. However, while her adult dramatic roles may have been more satisfying for Durbin, it was clear her fans preferred her in light musical confections. In 1946, Universal merged with two other companies to create Universal-International. The new regime discontinued much of Universal's familiar product and scheduled only a few musicals. Jackson left Universal in November 1946; he also left Durbin in January 1947, although their separation was not announced until the following year.Singer Deanna Durbin Files Divorce Action: Film Actress Asks Daughter's Custody; Charges Mental Cruelty and Desertion Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 27 Sep 1949: A1.DIVORCE GRANTED TO DEANNA DURBIN: Singing Actress Says Director Husband, Felix Jackson, Left Her and Hollywood Los Angeles Times 28 Oct 1949: 2. Durbin's final four pictures — ''

I'll Be Yours ''I'll Be Yours'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Deanna Durbin. Based on the play '' A jó tündér'' by Ferenc Molnár, the film is about a small-town girl who tells a fib to a wealthy business ...

'' (1947), ''

Something in the Wind ''Something in the Wind'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by Irving Pichel and starring Deanna Durbin, Donald O'Connor, and John Dall. Durbin's third husband Charles David said she "hated" making her last three films and that she ...

'' (1947), '' Up in Central Park'' (1948), and '' For the Love of Mary'' (1948) — all reverted to her previous musical-comedy structure. On August 22, 1948, Universal-International announced a lawsuit which sought to collect wages the studio had paid Durbin in advance. Durbin settled the complaint by agreeing to star in three more pictures, including one in Paris; this did not materialize before Durbin's contract expired. She received a $200,000 ($ in ) severance payment,

1949–2013: Retirement

Unsatisfied by her career options, Durbin chose to retire and move to Paris. When her former producer Joe Pasternak tried to dissuade her, she told him, "I can't run around being a Little Miss Fix-It who bursts into song—the highest-paid star with the poorest material." In September 1949, Durbin filed for divorce from Jackson, which was finalized in November. On December 21, 1950, Durbin married French director-producer

, who had previously directed her in ''Lady on a Train''. Durbin and David raised a son, Peter David (born in June 1951), as well as Durbin's daughter Jessica, on a farm outside of Paris. Durbin turned down several offers for a comeback, including a Broadway role as Eliza Doolittle in '' My Fair Lady''; she later said, "I had my ticket for Paris in my pocket." In 1951, she was invited to play in London's West End production of '' Kiss Me, Kate'', and in the

film version of the same in 1953, and Sigmund Romberg's operetta '' The Student Prince'' in 1954. In 1983, film historian David Shipman was granted a rare interview by Durbin. Durbin acknowledged her dislike of the Hollywood studio system, emphasizing that she never identified herself with the public image that the media created around her. She spoke of the Deanna "persona" in the third person, and considered the film character "Deanna Durbin" to be a byproduct of her youth and not her true identity. In private life, Durbin had continued to use her given name, Edna; salary figures printed annually by the Hollywood trade publications listed the actress as "Edna Mae Durbin, player". Also in the interview, she steadfastly asserted her right to privacy, something she maintained until the end of her life, declining to be profiled on websites. Durbin's husband of almost 50 years, Charles David, died in Paris on March 1, 1999. On April 30, 2013, a newsletter published by the Deanna Durbin Society reported that Durbin had died "in the past few days", quoting her son, Peter H. David, who thanked her admirers for respecting her privacy. No other details were given. According to the

Social Security Death Index The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) was a database of death records created from the United States Social Security Administration's Death Master File until 2014. Since 2014, public access to the updated Death Master File has been via the Limit ...

(under the name Edna M. David), she died on April 17, 2013Date of death of Edna David per Social Security Death Index
search.ancestrylibrary.com; accessed April 11, 2018. in the 19th arrondissement of Paris.

Legacy

Deanna Durbin has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1722 Vine Street. She left her hand and footprints in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre on February 7, 1938. Durbin was well known in Winnipeg, Manitoba (her place of birth), as "Winnipeg's Golden Girl" (a reference to one of the city's most famous landmarks, the statue '' Golden Boy'' atop the Manitoba Legislative Building). Frank Tashlin's Warner Bros. cartoon ''

The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos ''The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos'' is a 1937 '' Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Frank Tashlin. The short was released on December 4, 1937. Plot The cartoon starts with an owl named "Owl Kott" (satirizing Alexander Woolcott's ''Town Crier' ...

'' (1937) contains a turtle

caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

of Deanna Durbin called "Deanna Terrapin". An unnamed caricature of Durbin also appeared in the Warner Brother's cartoon "Malibu Beach Party" (1940). Durbin figures prominently in the 1963

Ray Bradbury Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and ...

short story "The Anthem Sprinters" (collected in '' The Machineries of Joy''). Durbin's singing is featured in Alistair MacLean's 1955 novel '' HMS Ulysses'', being broadcast over the wartime ship's internal communication system. She was also referenced in Richard Brautigan's novel ''

Trout Fishing in America ''Trout Fishing in America'' is a novella written by Richard Brautigan and published in 1967. It is technically Brautigan's first novel; he wrote it in 1961 before '' A Confederate General from Big Sur'', which was published first. Overview ''Tr ...

'' (1967), when the narrator claims to have seen one of her movies seven times, but cannot recall which one. In song, Durbin's name found its way into the introduction to a song written by satirical writer Tom Lehrer in 1965. Prior to singing "Whatever Became of Hubert?", Lehrer said that Vice President

Hubert Humphrey Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American pharmacist and politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing ...

had been relegated to "those where-are-they-now columns: Whatever became of Deanna Durbin, and Hubert Humphrey, and so on." She is also referenced in the Glenn Miller WWII novelty song "Peggy the Pin-up Girl". Interestingly, the lyrics pair her name with her first co-star Judy Garland: "Even a voice that's so disturbin' / Like Judy Garland or Miss Durbin / Can't compare to my pin-up queen". In Philippe Mora's film '' The Return of Captain Invincible'' (1983), Christopher Lee sings a song called "Name Your Poison", written by

Richard O'Brien Richard Timothy Smith. known professionally as Richard O'Brien, is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, composer, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has remained in conti ...

and Richard Hartley, which has the line, "Think of young Deanna Durbin / And how she sang on rum and bourbon." Anne Frank was a fan of Durbin, and pasted two photos of her on the wall in the family's hideout; the photos are still on the wall today.

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...

was also a fan of Durbin, screening her films "on celebratory wartime occasions". Russian cellist/conductor Mstislav Rostropovich cites Durbin in the mid-1980s as one of his most important musical influences, stating: "She helped me in my discovery of myself. You have no idea of the smelly old movie houses I patronized to see Deanna Durbin. I tried to create the very best in my music, to try to recreate, to approach her purity." Indian-Bengali film director Satyajit Ray, in his acceptance speech for an Oscar (Honorary – Lifetime Achievement) in 1992, mentioned Deanna Durbin as the only one of the three cinema personalities he recalled writing to when young who had acknowledged his fan letter with a reply. (The other two were Ginger Rogers and

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holly ...

Filmography

Box office ranking

*1938 – 15th (US), 6th (UK) *1939 – 12th (US), 1st (UK) *1940 – 12th (US), 2nd (UK) *1941 – 24th (US), 2nd (UK) *1942 – 4th (UK) *1944 – 25th (US), 4th (UK)

Discography

Between December 15, 1936, and July 22, 1947, Deanna Durbin recorded 50 tunes for Decca Records. While often re-creating her movie songs for commercial release, Durbin also covered independent standards, like "Kiss Me Again", "My Hero", "Annie Laurie", "Poor Butterfly", "Love's Old Sweet Song" and "God Bless America". * " Alice Blue Gown" * "

Alleluia Alleluia (derived from the Hebrew '' Hallelujah'', meaning "Praise Yahweh") is a Latin phrase in Christianity used to give praise to God. In Christian worship, Alleluia is used as a liturgical chant in which that word is combined with verses ...

" (from ''100 Men and a Girl'') * " Always" (from ''Christmas Holiday'') * " Adeste Fideles" * " Amapola" (from ''First Love'') * " Annie Laurie" * "Any Moment Now" (from ''Can't Help Singing'') * "

Ave Maria The Hail Mary ( la, Ave Maria) is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's ...

" (from ''Mad About Music'') * "

" (from ''

'') * "Be a Good Scout" (from ''That Certain Age'') * " Because" (from ''Three Smart Girls Grow Up'') * " Begin the Beguine" (from ''Hers to Hold'') * "Beneath the Lights of Home" (from ''Nice Girl'') * " The Blue Danube" (from ''Spring Parade'') * " Brahms' Lullaby" (from ''I'll Be Yours'') * "Brindisi" (" Libiamo ne' lieti calici)" (from ''100 Men and a Girl'') * "Californ-I-Ay" * "Can't Help Singing" (from ''Can't Help Singing'') * "Carmena Waltz" * "Chapel Bells" (from ''Mad About Music'') * " Cielito Lindo" ("Beautiful Heaven)" * "

Ciribiribin "Ciribiribin" is a merry Piedmontese ballad, originally in three-quarter time, composed by Alberto Pestalozza in 1898 with lyrics by Carlo Tiochet. It quickly became popular and has been recorded by many artists. Decades later it enjoyed conti ...

" * "Clavelitos" (from ''It Started with Eve'') * " Danny Boy" (from ''Because of Him'') * " Embraceable You" * "Every Sunday" (with Judy Garland) * "Filles de Cadiz" ("The Maids of Cadiz") (from ''That Certain Age'') * "Gimme a Little Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?" (from ''Lady on a Train'') * "

God Bless America "God Bless America" is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin during World War I in 1918 and revised by him in the run up to World War II in 1938. The later version was notably recorded by Kate Smith, becoming her signature s ...

" * "Goin' Home" (from ''It Started With Eve'') * "Goodbye" (from ''Because of Him'') * " Granada" (from ''I'll Be Yours'') * "A Heart That's Free" (from ''100 Men and a Girl'') * " Home! Sweet Home!" (from ''First Love'') * "Il Bacio" ("The Kiss") (from ''Three Smart Girls'') * "I'll Follow My Sweet Heart" * "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" (from ''For the Love of Mary'') * "I'll See You In My Dreams" * "I Love to Whistle" (from ''Mad About Music'') * "(I'm) Happy Go Lucky and Free" (from ''Something in the Wind'') * "(I'm) Happy Go Lucky and Free" (from ''Something in the Wind'') * "In the Spirit of the Moment" (from ''His Butler's Sister'') * "Italian Street Song" * " It's a Big Wide Wonderful World" (from ''For the Love of Mary'') * "It's Dreamtime" (from ''I'll Be Yours'') * "It's Foolish But It's Fun" (from ''Spring Parade'') * "It's Only Love" (from ''Something In The Wind'') * "It's Raining Sunbeams" (from ''100 Men and a Girl'') * "Invitation to the Dance" (from ''Three Smart Girls Grow Up'') * "Je Veux Vivre" ('' Roméo et Juliette'') (from ''That Certain Age'') * "Kiss Me Again" * "La Estrellita" ("Little Star)" * "Largo Al Factotum" (''

The Barber of Seville ''The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution'' ( it, Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione ) is an '' opera buffa'' in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was ba ...

'') (from ''For the Love of Mary'') * "

The Last Rose of Summer "The Last Rose of Summer" is a poem by the Irish poet Thomas Moore. He wrote it in 1805, while staying at Jenkinstown Castle in County Kilkenny, Ireland, where he was said to have been inspired by a specimen of Rosa 'Old Blush'. The poem is ...

" (from ''Three Smart Girls Grow Up'') * "

Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; gd, Loch Laomainn - 'Lake of the Elms'Richens, R. J. (1984) ''Elm'', Cambridge University Press.) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault, often considered the boundary between the lowlands of ...

" (from ''It's a Date'') * "Love at Last" (from ''Nice Girl'') * "Love is All" (from ''It's a Date'') * "Lover" (from ''Because of Him'') * "

Love's Old Sweet Song "Love's Old Sweet Song" is a Victorian parlour song published in 1884 by composer James Lynam Molloy and lyricist Graham Clifton Bingham. The first line of the chorus is "Just a song at twilight", and its title is sometimes misidentified as suc ...

" * " Make Believe" * " Mighty Like a Rose" (from ''The Amazing Mrs. Halliday''") * " Molly Malone" * "More and More" (from ''Can't Help Singing'') * "More and More/Can't Help Singing" (from ''Can't Help Singing'') * "

Musetta's Waltz "Quando me'n vo", also known as "Musetta's Waltz", is a soprano aria, a waltz in act two of Puccini's 1896 opera ''La bohème''. It is sung by Musetta, in the presence of her bohemian friends, hoping to reclaim the attention of her occasional boyfr ...

" ('' La bohème'') (from ''It's a Date'') * "My Heart is Singing" (from ''Three Smart Girls Grow Up'') * "My Hero" * "My Own" (from ''That Certain Age'') * " Nessun dorma" ('' Turandot'') (from ''His Butler's Sister'') * " Never in a Million Years/ Make Believe" * " Night and Day" (from ''Lady on a Train'') * " O Come, All Ye Faithful" * "

Old Folks at Home "Old Folks at Home" (also known as " Swanee River") is a minstrel song written by Stephen Foster in 1851. Since 1935, it has been the official state song of Florida, although in 2008 the original lyrics were revised. It is Roud Folk Song Ind ...

" (from ''Nice Girl'') * "The Old Refrain" (from ''The Amazing Mrs. Holiday'') * " On Moonlight Bay" (from ''For the Love of Mary'') * "One Fine Day" ('' Madama Butterfly'') (from ''First Love'') * "One Night of Love" * "Pace, Pace, Mio Dio" ('' La forza del destino'') (from ''Up In Central Park'') * "Pale Hands I Loved" ('' Kashmiri Song'') (from ''Hers to Hold'') * "Perhaps" (from ''Nice Girl'') * " Poor Butterfly" * "The Prince" * "Russian Medley" (from ''His Butler's Sister'') * "Sari Waltz (Love's Own Sweet Song)" (from ''I'll Be Yours'') * "Say a Pray'r for the Boys Over There" (from ''Hers to Hold'') * "Seal It With a Kiss" * " Seguidilla ('' Carmen'') (from ''Hers to Hold'') * "Serenade to the Stars" (from ''Mad About Music'') * " Silent Night" (from ''Lady on a Train'') * "Someone to Care for Me" (from ''Three Smart Girls'') * "Something in the Wind" (from ''Something in the Wind'') * "Spring in My Heart" (from ''First Love'') * "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" (from ''Christmas Holiday'') * " Swanee – Old Folks at Home" (from ''Nice Girl'') * " Summertime" (''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', ...

'') * "Sweetheart" * "Thank You America" (from ''Nice Girl'') * "There'll Always Be An England" (from ''Nice Girl'') * "The Turntable Song" (from ''Something in the Wind'') * "Two Guitars" (from ''His Butler's Sister'') * "Two Hearts" * "

Un bel dì vedremo The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...

" ('' Madama Butterfly'') (from ''First Love'') * "Viennese Waltz" (from ''For The Love Of Mary'') * " Vissi d'arte ('' Tosca'') (from ''The Amazing Mrs. Holiday'') * "Waltzing in the Clouds" (from ''Spring Parade'') * "When April Sings" (from ''Spring Parade'') * "When I Sing" (from ''It Started with Eve'') * "When the Roses Bloom Again" * "When You're Away" (from ''His Butler's Sister'') * "You Wanna Keep Your Baby Looking Nice, Don't You" (from ''Something in the Wind'') * "You're as Pretty as a Picture" (from ''That Certain Age'')

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * *
Deanna Durbin
at the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

– Includes audio of her singing many of her songs.
The Deanna Durbin Showcase
* * * – The opening scene of ''Something in the Wind'' – "The Turntable Song" * w.

Frank Lebby Stanton Frank Lebby Stanton (February 22, 1857 – January 7, 1927), frequently credited as Frank L. Stanton, Frank Stanton or F. L. Stanton, was an American lyricist. He was also the initial columnist for the ''Atlanta Constitution'' and became the ...

Ethelbert Nevin Ethelbert Woodbridge Nevin (November 25, 1862February 17, 1901) was an American pianist and composer. Early life Nevin was born on November 25, 1862, at Vineacre, on the banks of the Ohio River, in Edgeworth, Pennsylvania.Mulkearn, Lois, p. 62 ...