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Argentina Mercedes González Morel Valerio Urea (December 20, 1920 – October 2, 2013), commonly known as Monica Boyar, was a Dominican-born American nightclub singer, who was popular in the 1940s and 1950s for her calypso, and
Afro-Cuban Afro-Cubans () or Black Cubans are Cubans of full or partial sub-Saharan African ancestry. The term ''Afro-Cuban'' can also refer to historical or cultural elements in Cuba associated with this community, and the combining of native African a ...
style songs. She was also an actress, primarily on stage; and a fashion designer, focused on celebrity outfits and costume design. She introduced merengue dance to the United States in 1939.


Early life and family

Argentina Mercedes González Morel Valerio Urea was born on December 20, 1920, to parents Pablo González Valerio and Juanita Morel, in Mao, Dominican Republic. Some sources state she was born in
Santiago de los Caballeros Santiago de los Caballeros ("James, son of Zebedee, Saint James of the Knights"), often shortened to Santiago, is the second-largest city in the Dominican Republic and the fourth-largest city in the Caribbean by population. It is the capital of ...
, Dominican Republic. In 1929, her family emigrated to the United States, and settled down in
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
, New York City. In childhood in the United States, she used the name "Argentina Morel". Boyar became a United States citizen in 1947, after residing in the country from the age of six, although some records state it was at the age of eight. She was a dedicated student of the
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...
of all countries. Boyar attended Manhattanville Junior High School #43, and Textile High School (now the
Bayard Rustin Educational Complex The Bayard Rustin Educational Complex, also known as the Humanities Educational Complex, is a "vertical campus" of the New York City Department of Education which contains a number of small public schools. Most of them are high schools — gr ...
) in Manhattan.


Musical career

Starting at the age of twelve, she sang in the choral group at the Metropolitan Opera House. She was initially a
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
singing voice, but found that she disliked that and switched to a
tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
, which was followed by a
contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...
in her later years. During the
1939 New York World's Fair The 1939 New York World's Fair (also known as the 1939–1940 New York World's Fair) was an world's fair, international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, New York, United States. The fair included exhibitio ...
she made a concerted effort to persuade Americans to adopt the Dominican Republic's native dance, the merengue. She taught the dance to
Arthur Murray Arthur Murray (born Moses Teichman; April 4, 1895 – March 3, 1991) was an American ballroom dancer and businessman, whose name is most often associated with the dance studio chain that bears his name. Early life and start in dance Arthur Mur ...
during the 1939 event. An initial reluctance eventually subsided, and by 1955 it was the fastest growing dance in the U.S.. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, she was active in charity shows for fundraising organizations, and participated in shows directed by President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...
. When Boyar introduced calypso songs to America, many felt the music was not commercial. By 1954, calypso songs were among the bestsellers. She introduced a new song, ''That's Why A Woman Loves A Heel'', in October 1945. By 1948, Boyar had appeared on every overseas radio network. Boyar entertained at Ciro's in
Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
and the
Hotel Nacional "Hotel Nacional" ("National Hotel") is a song by Cuban-American recording artist Gloria Estefan. It was released as the second single from her studio album '' Miss Little Havana'' (2011). Written by Estefan, the song portrays the need to dance, g ...
in
Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Yorkville, Manhattan Yorkville is a neighborhood on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Its southern boundary is East 79th Street (Manhattan), 79th Street, its northern East 96th Street (Manhattan), 96th Street, its western Third Avenue, ...
. A lawsuit was taken out by an angry tenant who resided above the club. He contended that Boyar's bongo drummer kept him awake.
Walter Winchell Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and c ...
, a gossip columnist, said that she was the finest Latin talent in the entertainment field in 1960.


Clothing designer

Boyar was a fashion designer for stage and motion picture stars. Her designs were very original yet simple. She also created expensive handbags. She had over two hundred gowns to wear to performances in her New York City apartment.


Acting career

Boyar appeared in the three-minute short film, ''Princess Papaya'' (1945). She played a singer in an episode of the American television show
Mister Peepers ''Mister Peepers'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from July 3, 1952, to June 12, 1955. Overview Wally Cox starred as Robinson J. Peepers, Jefferson City's junior high school science teacher. Others in the cast included Tony Randall ...
, in 1952. In 1961 she received a
Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
film studio
screen test A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. It is typically a secondary or later stage in the audition process. The performer is generally given a scene, or sel ...
. Boyar appeared in the Broadway production by
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...
, ''
Summer and Smoke ''Summer and Smoke'' is a two-part, thirteen-scene play by Tennessee Williams, completed in 1948. He began working on the play in 1945 as ''Chart of Anatomy'', derived from his short stories "Oriflamme" and "Yellow Bird", the latter still a wor ...
'' (1948), as the character "Rosa Gonzalez". She also starred as the Hawaiian wife named Emmaloa in the stage production of ''
13 Daughters ''13 Daughters'' was a short-lived Broadway musical with book, music and lyrics by Eaton Magoon, Jr, starring Don Ameche. It played for 28 performances in 1961. The story was influenced by the life of Magoon's great-grandparents Chun Afong and hi ...
'' (1961), a short-lived
Broadway musical Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), many of the extant or closed Broadway venues use or used the spelling ''Theatr ...
by Eaton Magoon Jr..


Personal life and death

Her first husband was Federico Horacio "Gugu" Vásquez Henríquez. She was widowed when her husband was captured and executed after landing at Luperón, Puerto Plata in 1949 as part of a plot against Dominican dictator
Rafael Trujillo Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( ; ; 24 October 1891 – 30 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (; "the boss"), was a Dominican military officer and dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from August 1930 until Rafael Trujillo#Assassination, ...
. Her second husband was actor
Leslie Nielsen Leslie William Nielsen (February 11, 1926November 28, 2010) was a Canadian actor and comedian. With a career spanning 60 years, he appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters. He made his a ...
, from 1950 to 1956. They separated in August 1955, with Nielsen obtaining a default divorce in June 1956. He agreed to pay US $19,000 (roughly $ today, with inflation) in lieu of alimony, by monthly installments of $500. She married comedian Lee Tully in March 1958, and divorced him in Mexico three months later. She never had any children. Boyar was friends with
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''
, who visited her when she was hospitalized at New York’s
Lenox Hill Hospital Lenox Hill Hospital (LHH) is a nationally ranked 450 bed non-profit, Tertiary care, tertiary, research and academic medical center located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, servicing the tri-state area. LHH is one of the reg ...
, in January 1955. She lived in Las Vegas, Nevada in late life, after her retirement. Boyar died on October 2, 2013, in Las Vegas, from complications due to stroke at age 92.


References


Further reading

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External links

*
Monica Boyar
in a
Honolulu Advertiser ''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Internet editions. ''The ...
photo (1961) {{DEFAULTSORT:Boyar, Monica 1920 births 2013 deaths People from Santa Cruz de Mao American women singers Dominican Republic emigrants to the United States American actresses Dominican Republic fashion designers American female dancers American dancers Nightclub performers Dominican Republic women fashion designers 21st-century American women