Shirley Ross (born Bernice Maude Gaunt, January 7, 1913 – March 9, 1975) was an American actress and singer, notable for her duet with

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

, " Thanks for the Memory" from ''

The Big Broadcast of 1938 ''The Big Broadcast of 1938'' is a Paramount Pictures musical film, musical comedy film starring W. C. Fields and featuring Bob Hope. Directed by Mitchell Leisen, the film is the last in a series of ''Big Broadcast'' movies that were variety sh ...

''. She appeared in 25 feature films between 1933 and 1945, including singing earlier and wholly different lyrics for the

Rodgers and Hart Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership between composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and the lyricist Lorenz Hart (1895–1943). They worked together on 28 stage musicals and more than 500 songs from 1919 until Hart's ...

song in '' Manhattan Melodrama'' (1934) that later became "

Blue Moon A blue moon refers either to the presence of a second full moon in a calendar month, to the third full moon in a season containing four, or to a moon that appears blue due to atmospheric effects. The calendrical meaning of "blue moon" is unc ...

Early musical career

Ross was born in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, the elder of two daughters of Charles Burr Gaunt and Maude C. (née Ellis) Gaunt. Growing up in California, she attended Hollywood High School and UCLA,United Press
"Co-Ed Crashes Gates of Hollywood Studio"
''The Pittsburgh Press'', December 26, 1933, p. 18. training as a classical pianist. By age 14, she was giving radio recitals and made her first vocal recordings at 20 with

Gus Arnheim Gus Arnheim (September 4, 1897 – January 19, 1955) was an American pianist and an early popular band leader. He is noted for writing several songs with his first hit being " I Cried for You" from 1923. He was most popular in the 1920s and 1930s. ...

's band. Here she attracted the notice of the up-and-coming songwriting duo

, who selected her to sell their latest offerings to MGM. One song, "Prayer," later rewritten as "

", led to a successful screen test in 1933. This test, a duet with jazz vocalist Harry Barris, was included in MGM's musical-comedy short subject ''Gentlemen of Polish'' (1934), starring the comedy team of Al Shaw and Sam Lee. MGM cast Ross in a number of small parts in films that included '' Manhattan Melodrama'' with

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...

and

William Powell William Horatio Powell (July 29, 1892 – March 5, 1984) was an American actor, known primarily for his film career. Under contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he was paired with Myrna Loy in 14 films, including the ''The Thin Man (film), Thin M ...

in which, made up to look black, she sang "The Bad in Every Man," an earlier version of "Blue Moon," in a Harlem nightclub.

Paramount

In 1936, MGM loaned her to Paramount, and she was paired with

Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. He is often remembered for his portrayal of an alcoholic writer in Billy Wilder's ''The Lost Weekend'' (1945), which wo ...

in '' The Big Broadcast of 1937''. Although this was officially a leading role, the Big Broadcast format included a busy programme of musical comedy sketches with big-name performers who somewhat overshadowed her. But one press review declared that she had ‘one of the sweetest voices of any actress on the screen’ and predicted a big future for her. Paramount signed her to a five-year contract; meanwhile her introduction to the songwriting team of

Leo Robin Leo Robin (April 6, 1895 – December 29, 1984) was an American composer, lyricist and songwriter. He is probably best known for collaborating with Ralph Rainger on the 1938 Oscar-winning song " Thanks for the Memory," sung by Bob Hope and Shi ...

and

Ralph Rainger Ralph Rainger ( Reichenthal; October 7, 1901 – October 23, 1942) was an American composer of popular music principally for films. Biography Born Ralph Reichenthal in New York City, United States, Rainger initially embarked on a legal career, ...

would prove significant.

Working with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope

Her duet with

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

in '' Waikiki Wedding'' was a Robin-Rainger number titled "

Blue Hawaii ''Blue Hawaii'' is a 1961 American musical romantic comedy drama film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Elvis Presley. The screenplay by Hal Kanter was nominated by the Writers Guild of America in 1962 in the category of Best Written Amer ...

." Thus began a three-year period during which Ross was cast opposite either Crosby or

on five occasions. After a career interruption in the making of '' This Way Please'' with Buddy Rogers, when she walked off the job, alleging that

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success as a violinist on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...

's wife, Mary Livingstone, was trying to sabotage her scenes, she was cast opposite Hope in ''

''. Their duet, " Thanks for the Memory", became a huge hit and a defining moment for two careers headed in opposite directions – for Hope, a springboard to bigger and better things; for Ross, the pinnacle. It would prove to be her sole enduring claim to fame. The duet's great success sparked spin-off movies with Bob Hope, '' Thanks for the Memory'' (1938) and another called ''

Some Like It Hot ''Some Like It Hot'' is a 1959 American crime comedy film directed, produced and co-written by Billy Wilder. It stars Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, with George Raft, Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee an ...

'' (1939; later renamed ''Rhythm Romance'' to avoid confusion with the unrelated 1959 feature). Although ''Thanks for the Memory'' did produce another hit song, " Two Sleepy People", the films themselves made little impact, apparently reflecting Paramount's declining interest in musical comedy. Although Ross would have been willing to play straight drama and had performed well in ''Prison Wife'', Paramount relegated her to supporting roles in two minor romantic comedies, which did nothing for her career, even though one of them ('' Paris Honeymoon'') teamed her once more with Crosby. Her extremely promising career suffered a steep decline and never recovered.

Later career

Although Ross knew that her understated appeal was better suited to the screen than the stage, she played the lead in

’s Broadway musical '' Higher and Higher'' (1940), featuring the song "It Never Entered My Mind." The show was a critical failure. Ross signed with

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...

for feature films, and did some radio work, most notably as a regular cast member on '' The Bob Burns Show'' between 1943 and 1947.

Personal life

Ross married agent Ken Dolan in 1938 at age 25. When he became ill Ross increasingly attended him, which became an early retirement for her. He died in 1951, when Ross was 38.Rick Du Brow
"Original 'Thanks for the Memory' Girl Prefers Family to Stardom; Once Musical Comedy Star"
''The Beaver Valley Times'' (Monday, July 20, 1959), p. 9. "Bob really had it from the start – and we're still close friends. I spoke with him on the phone for an hour yesterday." She married Eddie Blum in 1955, when she was 42. She had 3 children. In 1959 she said that she had given up show business to devote her time to her children, and did not regret the decision a bit.

Death

Ross died from cancer in

Menlo Park, California Menlo Park ( ) is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, California, San Mateo County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, California, Eas ...

, aged 62. As her married name, Bernice Dolan Blum, was not well known, her death was not widely publicized. But Hope, with whom she had an enduring real-life friendship,"Cutie Silences Glib Bob Hope with a Smart Crack"
''The Pittsburgh Press'', September 18, 1938, p. D7.Email correspondence with Victoria Rosendahl, May 15, 2012. "Hope and Crosby sent a five-foot-tall cross, with white carnations and a spray of red roses, to her funeral. It was mobbed." did not fail to commemorate her death. He and Crosby sent a 5-foot tall cross with white carnations and a spray of red roses to her funeral. According to her daughter, the service was mobbed.

Filmography

* '' Bombshell'' (1933) - Singer (uncredited) * '' Jail Birds of Paradise'' (1934, Short) - Shirley Ross * ''Morocco Nights'' (1934, Short) - Singer * '' Manhattan Melodrama'' (1934) - Singer in Cotton Club * '' Hollywood Party'' (1934) - Singer of 'Feelin' High' (uncredited) * ''What Price Jazz'' (1934, Short) - Singer * '' The Girl from Missouri'' (1934) - Party Guest (uncredited) * ''Gentlemen of Polish'' (1934, Short) - Singer * ''

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' ( ) is an operetta by the Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The Libretto, librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein (writer), Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's ...

'' (1934) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Buried Loot'' (1935, Short) - Girl in Apartment (uncredited) * ''Two Hearts in Wax Time'' (1935, Short) - Shirley (uncredited) * '' Age of Indiscretion'' (1935) - Dotty * '' Calm Yourself'' (1935) - Mrs. Ruth Rockwell * ''

I Live My Life ''I Live My Life'' is a 1935 American comedy-drama film starring Joan Crawford, Brian Aherne and Frank Morgan. It is based on the story "Claustrophobia" by A. Carter Goodloe. Plot Bored socialite Kay Bentley travels to Greece on her wealthy f ...

'' (1935) - Vi - drunken party guest dozing in armchair next to piano (uncredited) * '' It's in the Air'' (1935) - Cigar Stand Clerk (uncredited) * ''

La Fiesta de Santa Barbara ''La Fiesta de Santa Barbara'' is a 1935 American comedy film, comedy short film directed by Louis Lewyn. It was nominated for an Academy Award at the 9th Academy Awards in 1936 for Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film, Best Short Subj ...

'' (1935, Short) - Herself * '' Devil's Squadron'' (1936) - Eunice * ''

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

'' (1936) - Trixie * '' The Big Broadcast of 1937'' (1936) - Gwen Holmes * '' Hideaway Girl'' (1936) - Toni Ainsworth * '' Waikiki Wedding'' (1937) - Georgia Smith * '' Blossoms on Broadway'' (1937) - Sally Shea * ''

'' (1938) - Cleo Fielding * ''

Prison Farm A prison farm (also known as a penal farm) is a large correctional facility where penal labor convicts work legally or illegally on a farm (in the wide sense of a productive unit), usually for manual labor, largely in the open air, such as in ...

'' (1938) - Jean Forest * '' Thanks for the Memory'' (1938) - Anne Merrick * '' Dangerous to Know'' (1938) - Herself / Singer on Recording (voice, uncredited) * '' Paris Honeymoon'' (1939) - Barbara Wayne aka Countess De Remi * '' Cafe Society'' (1939) - Bells Browne * ''

'' (1939) - Lily Racquel * '' Unexpected Father'' (1939) - Dianna Donovan * '' Kisses for Breakfast'' (1941) - Juliet Marsden * '' Sailors on Leave'' (1941) - Linda Hall * ''

A Song for Miss Julie ''A Song for Miss Julie'' is a 1945 American Musical film directed by William Rowland. Plot Cast * Shirley Ross as Valerie Kimbro * Barton Hepburn as George Kimbro * Jane Farrar as Julie Charteris * Roger Clark as Stephen Mont * Cheryl Wa ...

'' (1945) - Valerie Kimbro (final film role)

Notes

References

External links

*
Portrait of Shirley Ross seated on a desk, 1933.
Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Press coverage

* United Press
"Co-Ed Crashes Gates of Hollywood Studio"
''The Pittsburgh Press'', December 26, 1933, p. 18 * NEA (captioned photo)
"The perfect legs of Shirley Ross..."
''The Spokane Chronicle'' (Monday, March 26, 1934), p. 5 *
"Shirley Ross Wins Contract, Big Role"
''The Milwaukee Sentinel'', September 8, 1936, p. 17
"This Actress Proves Dangerous,"
''The Pittsburgh Press'' (Tuesday, October 6, 1936), p. 27
"New Star Tops State Musical,"
''Spokane Daily Chronicle'', October 12, 1936, p. 10 * Ed Sullivan
"Broadway: Building Up From a Terrific Letdown"
''The Pittsburgh Press'', October 24, 1936, p. 6
"'Big Broadcast' Comes Thursday: Cast for Carolina Picture Includes Benny, Gracie Allen and Burns"
''The Spartanburg Herald-Tribune'', November 1, 1936, p. 20
"'The Big Broadcast' Current Empire Film Has Mixture of Comedy and Music,"
''The Lewiston Daily Sun'', November 3, 1936, p. 2 * Sheilah Graham
"Hollywood Today: 'Those Who Wait' Include Stars of Filmdom,"
''The Milwaukee Journal'', November 16, 1936, p. 7
"Miss Ross Steals Show At Paramount"
''The Deseret News'', January 26, 1937, p. 11 * Eileen Percy
"Shirley Ross to Play Lead in 'This Way Please'"
''The Milwaukee Sentinel'', April 30, 1937, p. 2
"Romance in 'Waikiki Wedding: Crosby's Latest at American Said to be Topnotch,'"
''The San Jose News'', June 14, 1937, p. 13 * Louella O. Parsons
"Shirley Ross Has New Job"
''The Rochester Journal'', June 29, 1937, p. 6
"Theater Gossip: Runyon Story to be Filmed,"
''The St. Petersburg Independent'', August 20, 1937, p. 5-A
"Film Runyon's Story"
''The St. Petersburg Times'', September 12, 1937, p. 22 * United Press
"Bing Crosby Shoots 73 to Defeat Hope"
''The Eugene Register-Guard'', November 8, 1937, p. 6
"Right This Way, My Charming Little Chickadees"
''The Pittsburgh Press'', February 5, 1938, p. 10 * Associated Press wirephoto
"Finds 450 Dead,"
''The Spokane Spokesman-Review'', March 5, 1938, p. 13
"'Big Broadcast of 1938' Stars"
''The Rochester (PA) Daily Times'', March 31, 1938, p. 7
"Shirley Ross Gets a Leading Role in 'Paris Honeymoon'"
''The Schenectady Gazette'', May 18, 1938, p. 8 * Jimmy Fidler
"Hollywood Shots: Bing's lost ad lib in 'Paris Honeymoon',"
''The Reading Eagle'', June 22, 1938), p. 8 * Sheilah Graham
"Hollywood Clothes Offering Ideas to Brides, Travelers,"
''The Milwaukee Journal'', August 8, 1938, p. 2
Ad for "Prison Farm"
''The Meriden Record'', August 11, 1938, p. 13. "The man she loved put her in a prison more terrifying than Devil's Island."
"Cutie Silences Glib Bob Hope With a Smart Crack,"
''The Pittsburgh Press'', September 18, 1938, p. D7 * Associated Press
"Pair Off in Hollywood: Genevieve Tobin and Shirley Ross Are Newlyweds"
''The Lawrence Journal-World'', September 20, 1938, p. 12 * Louella O. Parsons
"It Was Ken Vs. Ken Until Shirley Chose Ken: Miss Ross and Dolan Reveal Marriage in Nevada,"
''The Milwaukee Sentinel'', September 20, 1938, p. 3
"Bob Hope Stars as 'Househusband',"
''The Spokane Chronicle'', January 3, 1939, p. 14
"Song Inspires Film,"
''The Melbourne Age'', January 7, 1939, p. 12 * Kaspar Monahan
"Two Screen Comedies on Warner Bill: Bob Hope and Shirley Ross Shine in Adaptation of Stage Hit,"
''The Pittsburgh Press'', January 14, 1939, p. 6 * Patricia Lindsay
"Faddish Diets Are Out, Says Beauty Expert"
''The Miami News'', June 30, 1939, p. 4-C * L.S.B. Shapiro
"A New Hit for Broadway"
''The Montreal Gazette'', April 13, 1940, p. 10 * Louella O. Parsons
"Film Actors Find New Careers on Broadway"
''Milwaukee Sentinel'', April 14, 1940, p. 7-D * Associated Press
"Shirley Ross Sets Pace for Comediennes on Broadway,"
''The Miami News'', May 4, 1940, p. 6-A * Jimmy Fidler
"Hollywood: Short Short Story,"
''The Pittsburgh Press'', August 19, 1940, p. 9 * Dee Lowrance
"Sister Sluggers: Ladies Of Hollywood Have Learned How To Flip A Mean Right and Are Glad to Oblige for the Camera"
''The Wilmington Star'', June 29, 1941, p. 18 * Captioned photo (ad for '' Kisses for Breakfast'')
"They're Much Married"
''St. Petersburg Times'', August 24, 1941, p. 21
"Beautiful Star Collects Rent"
''The Madera Tribune'', January 29, 1942, p. 1 * Associated Press
"Shirley Ross Granted Divorce From Dolan"
''The San Bernardino Sun'', January 8, 1944, p. 2 * Dorothy Kilgallen
"Voice of Broadway: Gossip in Gotham"
''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', January 24, 1944, p. 22 *

Louella O. Parsons Louella Rose Oettinger, (August 6, 1881 – December 9, 1972) known by the pen name Louella Parsons, was an American gossip columnist and a screenwriter. At her peak, her columns were read by 20 million people in 700 newspapers worldwide. She ...

"Hollywood: Snapshots of Hollywood Collected at Random"
''Milwaukee Sentinel'', July 2, 1945, p. 6 * Rick Du Brow
"Original 'Thanks for the Memory' Girl Prefers Family to Stardom; Once Musical Comedy Star"
''The Beaver Valley Times'', July 20, 1959, p. 9 * Polly Anderson
"How 'Thanks' became Hope's signature song"
''The Lumberton Robesonian'', May 25, 2003, p. 4C

Miscellaneous

*
Google Books – Roy Hemming on Shirley Ross (1991)

Google Books – Bernard K. Dick on Ross, Crosby & Hope (2007)

In My Mother's Kitchen: Life, Love, and Cooking with Shirley Ross

Photographs and literature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Shirley 1913 births 1975 deaths Actresses from Omaha, Nebraska American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American radio personalities Deaths from cancer in California Hollywood High School alumni People from Menlo Park, California Musicians from Omaha, Nebraska Entertainers from Greater Los Angeles University of California, Los Angeles alumni 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers