Betty Ann Grove (September 9, 1929 – November 13, 2015) was an American actress and singer.

Early years

Grove was born in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

. Her mother was "an exhibition ballroom dancer" who performed with Ray Bolger and

Jack Haley John Joseph Haley Jr. (August 10, 1898 – June 6, 1979) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, radio host, singer, drummer and vaudevillian. He was best known for his portrayal of the Tin Man and his farmhand counterpart Hickory in the 193 ...

, among others. Grove took her first dancing lessons at age 4 and at 11 was performing professionally by singing and dancing for service clubs in Cambridge. She attended Longfellow Grammar School and Cambridge High and Latin School. As a high school student, she performed for department stores' fashion shows in Boston.

Stage

In 1950, Grove debuted on Broadway in the 1948 original production of '' Kiss Me, Kate'', playing Lois Lane/Bianca, a lead role that was originated by Lisa Kirk (whom she replaced). She appeared on Broadway in three other shows as well: The 1968 original production of ''

George M! ''George M!'' is a Broadway musical based on the life of George M. Cohan, the biggest Broadway star of his day who was known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway." The book for the musical was written by Michael Stewart, John Pascal, and Franci ...

''; the 1979 original production of '' I Remember Mama''; and the 1983 revival of '' On Your Toes''.

Television

Grove's network television debut came on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...

'' in 1949. That same year, after three auditions, she became the featured singer on ABC-TV's '' Stop the Music''. A 1951 review of ''Stop the Music'' emphasized the "showmanly flair of Miss Grove and ertParks." In a 1952 magazine article, Parks described Grove's activities during five months in 1950 when she was in both ''Stop the Music'' on TV and ''Kiss Me Kate'' on Broadway:

At 7:30 every Thursday night she would rush into a dressing room at ABC's Ritz Theatre on West 48th Street, change into her TV costume, tear on stage for her numbers, change again into her first act ''Kiss Me Kate'' togs, make a beeline for the Shubert Theatre on West 44th Street, arriving just in time for her on-stage cue. All this following a full day of rehearsing. But audiences never had a hint of her exhausting routine, and night after night her "True To You In My Fashion" and "Why Can't You Behave" were show stoppers.

In 1952, Grove had her own summer replacement program (filling in for Kate Smith's program). She teamed with

Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway theatre, Broadway. From 1962 to 1986, G ...

in 1954 to co-star in ''Song Snapshots on a Summer Holiday'', the twice-weekly summer replacement for

Jo Stafford Jo Elizabeth Stafford (November 12, 1917July 16, 2008) was an American traditional pop singer, whose career spanned five decades from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. Admired for the purity of her voice, she originally underwent classical tr ...

's program on Tuesdays and Jane Froman's program on Thursdays. Grove was on '' The Big Payoff'' for four years. She said that she resigned from ''Payoff'' because "I was getting so lazy, that I knew if I didn't make the break now, I'd be too weak to do it later." She also appeared on such television programs as ''The Bert Parks Show'', ''The

Red Buttons Red Buttons (born Aaron Chwatt; February 5, 1919 – July 13, 2006) was an American actor and comedian. He won an Oscar and Golden Globe for '' Sayonara''. He was nominated for awards for his work such as ''Harlow'' (1965), '' They Shoot Ho ...

Show'' and '' Ozark Jubilee''.

Personal life

On September 17, 1955, Grove married Ed Brown, an advertising executive. She died on November 13, 2015, at the age of 86.

Partial discography

*''Waltzing Down the Aisle''/''I Had a Heart When I Came In'' (1955 Major 141) *''Stolen Love''/''You I'm Gonna Marry'' (1956 Jubilee 5260) *''Your High School Key''/''The Closer You Are'' (1956 Jubilee 5254)eBay item number:121421386989

References

External links

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Betty Ann Grove-The Closer You Are(Rare White Cover) on YouTubePAUL WINCHELL & BETTY ANN GROVE DANCE on YouTube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grove, Betty Ann 2015 deaths American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses 20th-century American actresses Jubilee Records artists American musical theatre actresses 1929 births Cambridge Rindge and Latin School alumni 21st-century American women