Lillian Roth (December 13, 1910 – May 12, 1980) was an American singer and actress. Her life story was told in the 1955 film ''

I'll Cry Tomorrow ''I'll Cry Tomorrow'' (1955) is a biopic that tells the story of Lillian Roth, a Broadway star who rebels against the pressure of her domineering mother and struggles with alcoholism after the death of her fiancé. It stars Susan Hayward, Rich ...

'', in which she was portrayed by

Susan Hayward Susan Hayward (born Edythe Marrener; June 30, 1917 – March 14, 1975) was an American actress best known for her film portrayals of women that were based on true stories. After working as a fashion model for the Walter Clarence Thornton, Walt ...

, who was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...

for her performance.

Early life

Roth was born on December 13, 1910, in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, to Katie (née Silverman) and Arthur Rutstein, who were both Jewish.Stark, Bonnie Rothbart (2009)
"Lillian Roth, 1910–1980"
''Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia''. Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved September 6, 2018. At the age of six, Roth was taken by her mother to

Educational Pictures Educational Pictures, also known as Educational Film Exchanges, Inc. or Educational Films Corporation of America, was an American film production and film distribution company founded in 1916 by Earle (E. W.) Hammons (1882–1962). Educational p ...

, where she became the company's trademark, symbolized by a living statue holding a lamp of knowledge. In her 1954 autobiography ''

'', Roth alleged that she had been molested by the man who had painted her as a statue. She attended the

Professional Children's School The Professional Children's School (PCS) is a not-for-profit, college-preparatory school geared toward working and aspiring child actors and dancers in grades four through twelve. The school was founded in New York City in 1914 to provide an ac ...

in New York City with classmates

Ruby Keeler Ethel Ruby Keeler (August 25, 1909 – February 28, 1993) was a Canadian and American actress, dancer, and singer who was paired on-screen with Dick Powell in a string of successful early musicals at Warner Bros., particularly '' 42nd Street'' ( ...

and

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over eight decades, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and ...

. In 1917, Roth made her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

debut as the character Flossie in ''The Inner Man''. Her film debut occurred the following year, when she performed as an extra in the government documentary ''Pershing's Crusaders''. She and her sister Ann also toured together during this period as Lillian Roth and Co., although at times they were billed as the Roth Kids. According to Roth's autobiography, one of the highlights of the tour was meeting U.S. president

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

, who attended the girls' vaudeville act and later allowed them to ride with him briefly in his chauffeur-driven car. Roth entered the Clark School of Concentration in the early 1920s. She appeared in ''

Artists and Models ''Artists and Models'' is a 1955 American musical romantic comedy film in VistaVision directed by Frank Tashlin, marking Martin and Lewis's 14th feature together as a team. The film co-stars Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone, with Eva Gabor ...

'' in 1923 and ''Revels'' with Frank Fay. The 13-year-old Roth lied to the show's producers, telling them that she was 19 years old.

Career

In 1927, at the age of 17, Roth returned to Broadway to perform in the first of three '' Earl Carroll Vanities'', which was followed by ''Midnight Frolics'', a

Florenz Ziegfeld Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the '' Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He al ...

production. Roth signed a seven-year contract with

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

, where she appeared in ''

The Love Parade ''The Love Parade'' is a 1929 American Pre-Code Hollywood, pre-Code musical comedy film, directed by Ernst Lubitsch and starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald, involving the marital difficulties of Queen Louise of Sylvania (MacDonal ...

'' (1929) with

Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor, and entertainer. He is best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", " Louise", " Mimi", and " Thank Heaven f ...

and

Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American soprano and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', ''Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow (1934 film) ...

, ''

The Vagabond King ''The Vagabond King'' is a 1925 operetta by Rudolf Friml in four acts, with a book and lyrics by Brian Hooker and William H. Post, based upon Justin Huntly McCarthy's 1901 romantic novel and play ''If I Were King''. The story is a fictionali ...

'' (1930), ''

Paramount on Parade ''Paramount on Parade'' is a 1930 all-star American pre-Code revue released by Paramount Pictures, directed by several directors including Edmund Goulding, Dorothy Arzner, Ernst Lubitsch, Rowland V. Lee, A. Edward Sutherland, Lothar Mendes, Ott ...

'' (1930), ''Honey'' (1930) (in which she introduced " Sing You Sinners"),

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

's ''

Madam Satan ''Madam Satan'' or ''Madame Satan'' is a 1930 American pre-Code musical comedy film in black and white with Multicolor sequences. It was produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starred Kay Johnson, Reginald Denny, Lillian Roth, and ...

'' (1930) with Reginald Denny and

Kay Johnson Catherine Townsend Johnson (November 29, 1904 – November 17, 1975) was an American stage and film actress. Family Johnson’s father was architect Thomas R. Johnson, the architect of several noteworthy buildings in New York City, inclu ...

, ''Sea Legs'' with

Jack Oakie Jack Oakie (born Lewis Delaney Offield; November 12, 1903 – January 23, 1978) was an American actor, starring mostly in films, but also working on stage, radio and television. He portrayed Napaloni in Chaplin's ''The Great Dictator'' (1940) ...

and the

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act known for their anarchic humor, rapid-fire wordplay, and visual gags. They achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The core group consisted of brothers Chi ...

' second film, ''

Animal Crackers An animal cracker is a particular type of cracker (food), cracker, baked in the shape of an animal, usually an animal either at a zoo or a circus, such as a lion, a tiger, a bear, or an elephant. The most common variety is light-colored and sli ...

'' (1930). She took

Ethel Merman Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann; January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American singer and actress. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and her leading roles in musical theatre, musical theater,Obituary ''Variety Obitua ...

's stage role in the film version of ''Take a Chance'', singing "Eadie Was a Lady". After leaving Paramount, Roth was cast by Warner Bros. in a supporting role in the 1933 women's prison film ''

Ladies They Talk About ''Ladies They Talk About'' is a 1933 pre-Code American crime drama directed by Howard Bretherton and William Keighley, and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Preston Foster, and Lyle Talbot. The film is about an attractive woman who is a member of a ...

'' starring

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career, she was known for her strong, realistic screen p ...

. Roth headlined the Palace Theatre in New York and performed in the ''Earl Carroll Vanities'' in 1928, 1931 and 1932. During this time, Roth's personal life increasingly was overshadowed by her

alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...

. Although her parents were not stereotypical stage parents, as a response to their influence, Roth came to rely too much on other people. In her books and interviews, she said she was too trusting of husbands who made key decisions concerning her money and contracts. Roth was out of the limelight by the late 1930s. Her personal and spiritual feelings led her to convert to

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

in 1948. Friends accused her of forsaking Judaism; however, in her autobiography, Roth explained that although her parents had believed in God, she and her sister had not been brought up with a religious foundation. In February 1953, Roth appeared on an episode of the television series '' This Is Your Life'', hosted by

Ralph Edwards Ralph Livingstone Edwards (June 13, 1913DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 86-87. – November 16, 2005) was an American radio ...

, and related her story of alcoholism. As a result, she received more than 40,000 letters. Lillian Roth This is Your Life

In 1962, Roth was featured as

Elliott Gould Elliott Gould (; né Goldstein; born August 29, 1938) is an American actor. Gould's breakthrough role was in the film ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'' (1969), for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The ...

's mother in the Broadway musical '' I Can Get It for You Wholesale'', in which

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...

made her Broadway debut. Despite the acclaim for Streisand, producer

David Merrick David Merrick (born David Lee Margulois; November 27, 1911 – April 25, 2000) was an American theatrical producer who won a number of Tony Awards. Life and career Born David Lee Margulois to Jewish parents in St. Louis, Missouri, Merrick grad ...

realized that Roth's name still sold tickets, and he elevated her to top star billing after the show's opening, with Gould, Streisand and Sheree North listed below. Roth remained with the show for its full run of 301 performances and recorded the cast album for Columbia Records. In 1965, Roth was featured as Rose Brice (mother of

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 ...

) in the national touring company of '' Funny Girl'' (with

Marilyn Michaels Marilyn Michaels (born Marilyn Sternberg, February 26, 1943) is a comedian, singer, actress, impressionist, author, and composer. Family Marilyn Michaels was born in Manhattan to Russian Jewish émigré parents. Her mother was cantoress and actr ...

as Fanny), again receiving top billing. Her final Broadway appearance was in the short-lived musical '' 70, Girls, 70''. Her theme song, which she began singing as a child performer, was "

When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along) "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)" is a popular song written, both words and music, by Harry M. Woods, Harry Woods in 1926. The song became the signature song for singer and actress Lillian Roth, who performed it often durin ...

Autobiographies

Roth wrote her autobiography ''

'' with author-collaborator

Gerold Frank Gerold Frank (August 2, 1907 – September 17, 1998) was an American writer and ghostwriter. He wrote several celebrity memoirs and was considered a pioneer of the "as told to" form of (auto)biography. His two best-known books, however, are ''Th ...

in 1954, and a softened version of the story became the basis of a hit film of the same title the following year, starring

, who was nominated for an Academy Award. The book became a bestseller worldwide and sold more than seven million copies in 20 languages, and the film renewed the public's interest in Roth. She recorded four songs for the

Coral Corals are colonial marine invertebrates within the subphylum Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact Colony (biology), colonies of many identical individual polyp (zoology), polyps. Coral species include the important Coral ...

label (the first commercial recordings of her career), which were followed by an LP for

Epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...

and another for

Tops Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) is a computer system for managing railway locomotives and rolling stock, known for many years of use in the United Kingdom. TOPS was originally developed between the Southern Pacific Railroad (SP), ...

. She also headlined a vaudeville revival at the Palace Theatre on Broadway. A highlight of her act was an imitation of Hayward's imitation of Roth singing "Red, Red Robin". In 1958, Roth published a second book, ''Beyond My Worth'', which was not as successful as its predecessor. Roth tried to reinvent herself as a major concert and nightclub performer. She appeared at venues in

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

and New York's Copacabana and was a popular attraction in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Personal life

Roth was married six times: to aviator William C. Scott (Willie Richards), Judge Benjamin Shalleck, Mark Harris, Eugene J. Weiner, Edward Goldman (Vic) and Thomas Burt McGuire. Before her marriages, she was engaged to David Lyons, who died of tuberculosis. She divorced her first husband, William C. Scott, in 1932 after 13 months of marriage. She married her second husband, Judge Benjamin Shalleck, in 1933. They met when he heard a case she had brought disputing a garage bill, in which he ruled against her. Claiming that he objected to her career, she obtained a divorce in California in 1939. In 1947, she met McGuire, scion of Funk and Wagnalls Publishing Company at an

Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led Mutual aid, mutual-aid fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined twelve-step program. AA's Twelve Traditions, besides emphasizing anon ...

meeting. McGuire managed Roth until September 1963, when he sent her a note stating that their marriage was finished.

Later life

In 1970, Roth lived in

Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...

. She returned to Broadway in 1971 in the

Kander and Ebb Kander and Ebb were a highly successful American songwriting team consisting of composer John Kander (born March 18, 1927) and lyricist Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004). Known primarily for their stage musical theatre, musicals, whi ...

musical '' 70, Girls, 70'' and played a pathologist in the 1976 cult horror film ''

Alice, Sweet Alice ''Alice, Sweet Alice'', originally titled ''Communion'', is a 1976 American Psychological horror (film and television), psychological horror slasher film directed by Alfred Sole, written by Sole and Rosemary Ritvo, and starring Linda Miller (act ...

.'' Her last film was ''

Boardwalk A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway typically built with wooden planks, which functions as a type of low water bridge or small viaduct that enables pedestrians to ...

'' (1979) with

Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American acting coach and actor. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed ...

Ruth Gordon Ruth Gordon Jones (October 30, 1896 – August 28, 1985) was an American actress, playwright and screenwriter. She began her career performing on Broadway at age 19. Known for her nasal voice and distinctive personality, Gordon gained internati ...

and

Janet Leigh Jeanette Helen Morrison (July 6, 1927 – October 3, 2004), known professionally as Janet Leigh, was an American actress. Raised in Stockton, California, by working-class parents, Leigh was discovered at 18 by actress Norma Shearer, who helped he ...

. Roth's successful concert at The Town Hall was released as an album by AEI Records after her death. One of her final appearances came in a club act at the New York nightclub Reno Sweeney.

Death

After suffering a stroke at her New York apartment in February 1980, Roth died at age 69 on May 12 at De Witt Nursing Home in Manhattan.Ledbetter, Les (1980). "Lillian Roth, Actress and Singer, Dies...", ''The New York Times'', May 13, 1980, p. C20.

ProQuest ProQuest LLC is an Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan-based global information-content and technology company, founded in 1938 as University Microfilms by Eugene Power. ProQuest is known for its applications and information services for l ...

Historical Newspapers, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Filmography

Short Subjects: * ''Pershing's Crusaders'' (1918) (uncredited extra) * ''Lillian Roth and Band'' (1929) * ''Lillian Roth and Her Piano Boys'' (1929) * ''Lillian Roth and the Foster Girls'' (1929) * ''Raising the Roof'' (1929) * ''Meet the Boyfriend'' (1930) * ''Down Among the Sugar Cane'' (1932) * ''Naughty-Cal'' (1932) * ''Ain't She Sweet'' (1933) * ''Million Dollar Melody'' (1933) * ''Story Conference'' (1934) * ''Masks and Memories'' (1934) * ''Arcade Varieties'' (1939) * ''Snow Follies'' (1939) Features: * ''

Illusion An illusion is a distortion of the senses, which can reveal how the mind normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation. Although illusions distort the human perception of reality, they are generally shared by most people. Illusions may ...

'' (1929) * ''

'' (1930) * ''

Honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...

'' (1930) * ''

'' (1930) * '' Madame Satan'' (1930) * ''

'' (1930) * '' Sea Legs'' (1930) * ''

'' (1933) * '' Take a Chance'' (1933) * ''

'' (1976) * ''Night-Flowers'' (1979) * ''

'' (1979)

References

External links

* *
Lillian Roth's appearance on ''The Mike Wallace Interview'', April 5, 1958
Univ. of Texas/Austin: Harry Ranson Center) {{DEFAULTSORT:Roth, Lillian 1910 births 1980 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers Actresses from Boston Actresses from Palm Springs, California American film actresses American musical theatre actresses Articles containing video clips Catholics from Massachusetts Catholics from New York (state) Converts to Roman Catholicism from Judaism Jewish American actresses Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Paramount Pictures contract players Actresses from Manhattan American vaudeville performers 20th-century American Jews