By Ligia Fernandez
To access past Entertainers columns, click on the Entertainers archive
link to the left.
March 2007
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Source:
Theatremania.com
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Chita Rivera
(1933 - )
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Chita Rivera is unstoppable. At a time when most
singer/dancers "of a certain age" are either retired, teaching or taking
much less demanding roles, she is currently touring the country and kicking
up her heels in her autobiographical review CHITA RIVERA: THE DANCER'S LIFE.
Born in Washington D.C. to Puerto Rican parents, Chita
received her early dance training while on scholarship at George
Balanchine's School of American Ballet studying under such prestigious
instructors as Edward Villella and Maria Tallchief.
But fate had other plans. In 1952, she landed a chorus
role in the national tour of CALL ME MADAM starring Elaine Stritch. Other
dancer roles in the Broadway musicals CAN-CAN, SEVENTH HEAVEN, MR. WONDERFUL
and SHINBONE ALLEY followed.
Fame would come in 1957 when she drew upon her Puerto
Rican roots to play the fiery Anita in the original company of the Tony
Award winning WEST SIDE STORY. She has been fortunate enough to
originate a number of memorable female characters over the years including
Rosie in BYE BYE BIRDIE (1960) and its less-success sequel BRING BACK BIRDIE
(1981), Velma Kelly in CHICAGO (1975), Anna in THE RINK (1984) and the Queen
in MERLIN (1983). She won the Tony Award as mysterious movie diva
Aurora in Kander & Ebb's KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (1993).
In 2002, she received the prestigious Kennedy Center
Honors for her contributions to the performing arts.
But she maintains her greatest achievement is her
daughter, performer Lisa Mordente, who is currently on the road with Mom as
dance captain for CHITA RIVERA: THE DANCER'S LIFE.
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Source:
Lucyfan.com |
Eddie Cantor
(1892 - 1964) |
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"It takes twenty years to become an overnight success."
--Eddie Cantor
Nicknamed Banjo Eyes for his trademark wide-eyed stare, Ziegfeld Follies
icon Eddie Cantor was born in New York's Lower East Side. He began his
career in local Vaudeville shows and later began touring Vaudeville cicuits as part of the
song-and-dance-act Lee and Cantor (with Al Lee).
While working on Earl Carroll's show CANARY COTTAGE, he was seen by
Florenz Ziegfeld who signed him in the ZIEGFELD FOLLIES OF 1917 through
1919, when active participation in an Actor's Equity strike to close down
Broadway theatres that violated actors' rights led to a rift with Ziegfeld
that temporarily ended his Follies career.
The rift ended in 1923 when he was again headlined in the FOLLIES
as well as starred in the Ziegfeld-produced musicals KID BOOTS and WHOOPEE.
The 1930-40s saw his career shift from the theatre to movies, including
the film version of his stage hit WHOOPEE, and a successful long-running
radio program featuring many of his Ziegfeld Follies cronies including W.C.
Fields and Fanny Brice.
Cantor was also well-known for his humanitarism, especially for creating
the March of Dimes organization with President Roosevelt during World War II
and was often seen handing out money to down-on-their-luck actors.
He passed away of a heart attack on October 10, 1964. |
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