Elizabeth Brice (born Bessie S. Shaler; February 21, 1883 – January 25, 1965) was an American musical-comedy singer and dancer.

Biography

Brice was born Bessie S. Shaler in

Findlay, Ohio Findlay ( ) is a city in Hancock County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The second-largest city in Northwest Ohio, Findlay lies about 40 miles (64 km) south of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. Its population was 40,313 at the 2020 United Sta ...

, on February 21, 1883 to John Shaler and Fannie C. Wise. In March 1901, shortly after her 18th birthday, she married Fred J. Wilkinson in

Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 21,216 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. History The current Town of Ess ...

, Canada. In the 1910s, Brice was the most frequent partner of Charles King, with whom she appeared in ''The Slim Princess'', ''

A Winsome Widow ''A Winsome Widow'' is a 1912 musical produced by Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr., which was a revised version of Charles Hale Hoyt's 1891 hit, '' A Trip to Chinatown'', with a score by Raymond Hubbell. History The show debuted at the Moulin Rouge on Ap ...

'', ''Watch Your Step'' and ''

Miss 1917 ''Miss 1917'' is a musical revue with a book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, music by Jerome Kern, Victor Herbert and others, and lyrics by Harry B. Smith, Otto Harbach, Henry Blossom and others. Made up of a string of vignette (literature), v ...

''. When they performed together in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

they were known as Brice and King. Brice also appeared in other productions, for example the ''

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...

'' of 1913. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

she entertained the troops overseas. She was not related to

Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedian, Illustrated Songs, illustrated song model, singer, and actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. Sh ...

(Fania Borach). Brice lived in

Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

in her retirement. She died in 1965, aged 82.

References

External links

* 1883 births 1965 deaths People from Findlay, Ohio American female dancers American women singers American vaudeville performers Ziegfeld girls 20th-century American dancers 20th-century American women Victor Records artists Columbia Records artists {{US-singer-stub