Delloreese Patricia Early (July 6, 1931 – November 19, 2017), known professionally as Della Reese, was an American jazz and gospel singer, actress, and ordained minister whose career spanned seven decades. She began her long career as a singer, scoring a hit with her 1959 single "
Don't You Know?
"Don't You Know?" is a 1959 popular song written by Bobby Worth, and hit record for singer Della Reese.
The song was adapted from an aria ("Musetta's Waltz") from Puccini's ''La bohème''. The song was Reese's first single on her new label R ...
". In the late 1960s she hosted her own talk show, ''Della'', which ran for 197 episodes. From 1975 she also starred in films, playing opposite
Redd Foxx
John Elroy Sanford (December 9, 1922 – October 11, 1991), better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Foxx gained success with his raunchy nightclub act before and during the civil rights movement. ...
in ''
Harlem Nights
''Harlem Nights'' is a 1989 American crime comedy-drama film starring and directed by Eddie Murphy, who also wrote. The film co-stars Richard Pryor, Michael Lerner, Danny Aiello, Redd Foxx (in his last film appearance before his death in 1991) ...
'' (1989),
Martin Lawrence in ''
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
''A Thin Line Between Love and Hate'' is a 1996 American comedy thriller film. It tells the story of Darnell Wright ( Martin Lawrence), a ladies' man who finds himself stalked by one of his obsessed lovers: Brandi (Lynn Whitfield), an attractive ...
'' (1996) and
Elliott Gould
Elliott Gould (; né Goldstein; born August 29, 1938) is an American actor. He began acting in Hollywood films during the 1960s.
Elliott's breakthrough role was in the '' Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'' (1969), for which he received a nomination ...
in ''
Expecting Mary
''Expecting Mary'' is a 2010 American comedy-drama film starring Elliott Gould, Linda Gray, Lainie Kazan, Cloris Leachman, Della Reese, Olesya Rulin, Cybill Shepherd, Gene Simmons, and Fred Willard. It was written and directed by Dan Gordon and p ...
'' (2010). Reese achieved continued success in the religious television
drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
''
Touched by an Angel
''Touched by an Angel'' is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced ...
'' (1994–2003), in which she played the leading role of Tess.
Early years
Della Reese was born Delloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, in the historic
Black Bottom neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, to Richard Thaddeus Early, an African-American steelworker, and Nellie (Mitchelle), a Native American cook of the
Cherokee
The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, th ...
tribe.
Her mother had had several children before Reese's birth, none of whom lived with her; hence, Reese grew up as an only child. At six years old, Reese began singing in church; from this experience she became an avid gospel singer. On weekends in the 1940s, she and her mother would go to the movies independently to watch the likes of
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...
,
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...
, and
Lena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...
portray glamorous lives on screen. Afterward, Reese would act out scenes from the films. In 1944, she began her career directing the young people's choir, after she had nurtured acting plus her obvious musical talent. She was often chosen, on radio, as a regular singer. At the age of 13, she was hired to sing with
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to t ...
's gospel group. Reese entered Detroit's
Cass Technical High School
Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a public high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. (where she attended the same year as Edna Rae Gillooly, later known as
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complicated women in dramas, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Em ...
). She also continued with her touring with Jackson. With higher grades, she became in 1947 the first in her family to graduate from high school, aged 15.
After this she formed her own gospel group, the
Meditation Singers. However, due in part to her father's serious illness and the death of her mother, Reese had to interrupt her schooling at
Wayne State University
Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university in Detroit, Michigan. It is Michigan's third-largest university. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 350 programs to nearly 25,000 ...
to help support her family. Faithful to the memory of her mother, Delloreese moved out of her father's house when she disapproved of him taking up with a new girlfriend. She then took on odd jobs, such as truck driver, dental receptionist, and elevator operator, after 1949. Performing in clubs, Early soon decided to shorten her name from "Delloreese Early" to "Della Reese".
Musical career
Reese was discovered by the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, and her big break came when she won a contest, which gave her a week to sing at Detroit's well-known Flame Show Bar. Reese remained there for eight weeks. Although her roots were in gospel music, she now was being exposed to and influenced by such jazz artists as
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
,
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer.
Nicknamed "Sassy" and " The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for a total of nine Grammy Award ...
and
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...
. In 1953, she signed a recording contract with
Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records was an American independent record label, specializing in rhythm and blues and novelty records. It was founded in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson. His partner was Jerry Blaine. Blaine bought Abramson's half of the compan ...
, for which she recorded six albums. Later that year, she also joined the
Hawkins Orchestra. Her first recordings for Jubilee were songs such as "
In the Still of the Night" (originally published in 1937), "
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" is a popular song copyrighted in 1937 by its composer, Irving Berlin, and first recorded by (i) Ray Noble (January 5, 1937), Howard Barrie, vocalist, and (ii) Red Norvo (January 8, 1937), Mildred Bailey, vocali ...
" and "
Time After Time" (1947). The songs were later included on the album ''And That Reminds Me'' (1959).
In 1957, Reese released a single called "
And That Reminds Me". After years of performing, she gained chart success with this song. It became a Top Twenty pop hit and a million-seller record. That year, Reese was voted by ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'', ''
Cashbox'' and various other magazines, as "The Most Promising Singer". In 1959, Reese moved to
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...
and released her first RCA single, called "
Don't You Know?
"Don't You Know?" is a 1959 popular song written by Bobby Worth, and hit record for singer Della Reese.
The song was adapted from an aria ("Musetta's Waltz") from Puccini's ''La bohème''. The song was Reese's first single on her new label R ...
", which was adapted from
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini ( Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long ...
's music for ''
La bohème
''La bohème'' (; ) is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions '' quadri'', '' tableaux'' or "images", rather than ''atti'' (acts). composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giusep ...
'', specifically the aria "
Quando m'en vo' "Quando me'n vo", also known as "Musetta's Waltz", is a soprano aria, a waltz in act two of Puccini's 1896 opera ''La bohème''. It is sung by Musetta, in the presence of her bohemian friends, hoping to reclaim the attention of her occasional boyfr ...
" (Musetta's Waltz). It became her biggest hit to date, reaching the number 2 spot on the pop charts
and topping the R&B charts (then called the "Hot R&B Sides") that year.
It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a
gold disc
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
.
Eventually, the song came to be widely considered the
signature song
A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a ...
of her early career. She then released a successful follow-up single called "Not One Minute More" (number 16).
She remained on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart with "And Now" (number 69). In 1960 she released "
Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)
"Someday You'll Want Me to Want You" is a popular song published in 1944 by Jimmie Hodges. The song became a standard, recorded by many pop and country music singers.
Background
In April 1951, Hugh O. Starr, an inventor from Steubenville, Ohio, ...
" (number 56),
which was drawn from her
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
-nominated album ''
Della'' – a big band outing arranged by
Neal Hefti
Neal Paul Hefti (October 29, 1922 – October 11, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger. He wrote music for '' The Odd Couple'' movie and TV series and for the ''Batman'' TV series.
He began arranging professionally in his ...
who incorporated some arrangement ideas conceived by Reese.
In November 1960, Reese appeared in advertisements in ''
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when ...
'' magazine for the newly launched AMI Continental jukebox. Reese recorded regularly throughout the 1960s, releasing singles and several albums. Two of the most significant were ''
The Classic Della
''The Classic Della'' is an album by actress and singer Della Reese. The songs are based on classical music pieces by Tchaikovsky ("Symphony No. 6," "Melodie Op. 42"), Debussy ("Reverie"), Schubert ("Serenade"), Chopin ("Etude in E, Op. 10 No. 3 ...
'' (1962) and ''Waltz with Me, Della'' (1963), which broadened her fan base internationally. She recorded several jazz-focused albums, including ''Della Reese Live'' (1966), ''On Strings of Blue'' (1967) and ''One of a Kind'' (1978). ''Live'' hit number 21 on the R&B charts.
She also performed in Las Vegas for nine years, and toured across the country. She signed with
Avco Embassy Records and released the soul-pop album ''
Black is Beautiful
Black is beautiful is a cultural movement that was started in the United States in the 1960s by African Americans. It later spread beyond the United States, most prominently in the writings of the Black Consciousness Movement of Steve Biko in ...
'' in 1970, charting at number 44 on the R&B chart.
In 1986, Reese formed the gospel group Brilliance with fellow singers
O.C. Smith,
Mary Clayton
Merry Clayton (born December 25, 1948) is an American soul music, soul and gospel music, gospel singer. She provided a number of backing Vocal music, vocal tracks for major performing artists in the 1960s, most notably in her Duet (music), duet ...
,
Vermettya Royster, and Eric Strom. They released an album that earned Reese a Grammy nomination in the gospel category for the song "You Gave Me Love" (1987).
She later earned another nomination for the album ''Live! My Soul Feels Better Right Now'' (1998).
Motown singer
Martha Reeves
Martha Rose Reeves (born July 18, 1941) is an American R&B and pop singer. She is the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas which scored over a dozen hit singles, including " Come and Get These Memories", " Nowhere to R ...
cites Reese as a major influence, and says she named her group the
Vandellas after Van Dyke Street in Detroit and Della Reese. In 2017, Reese was inducted into the
Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame
The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is an independent organization whose mission is to educate and to celebrate, preserve, promote, and present rhythm and blues music globally.
History
The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame was founde ...
.
Television and film career
In 1969, Reese began a transition into acting work, which would eventually lead to her highest profile. Her first attempt at television stardom was a talk show series, ''Della'', which was cancelled after 197 episodes (June 9, 1969 – March 13, 1970). In 1970, Reese became the first black woman to guest host ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
''. She appeared in several TV movies and miniseries, was a regular on ''
Chico and the Man
''Chico and the Man'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC for four seasons from September 13, 1974, to July 21, 1978. It stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown (the Man), the cantankerous owner of a run-down garage in an East Los ...
'' and played the mother of
B. A. Baracus
Sergeant Bosco Albert "B.A." (Bad Attitude) Baracus , played by Mr. T, is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists of the 1980s action-adventure television series ''The A-Team''. B. A. Baracus appeared on ''The A-Team'' from the s ...
in ''
The A-Team
''The A-Team'' is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from January 1983 to March 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The four members of the team were tried by court ma ...
'' episode "Lease with an Option to Die". In 1991, she starred opposite her old friend
Redd Foxx
John Elroy Sanford (December 9, 1922 – October 11, 1991), better known by his stage name Redd Foxx, was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Foxx gained success with his raunchy nightclub act before and during the civil rights movement. ...
in his final sitcom, ''
The Royal Family
A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term papa ...
'', but his death halted production of the series for several months. Reese also did
voice-over
Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non- diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentation ...
for the late 1980s
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...
animated series ''
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo
''A Pup Named Scooby-Doo'' is an American animated mystery comedy series produced by Hanna-Barbera. It is the eighth incarnation of the studio's ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise and depicts younger versions of the title character and his human companion ...
'' on ABC. In 1989, she starred alongside
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...
,
Richard Pryor
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor Sr. (December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He reached a broad audience with his trenchant observations and storytelling style, and is widely regarded as on ...
and Redd Foxx in the film ''Harlem Nights'', in which she performed a fight scene with Eddie Murphy. Reese appeared as a panelist on several episodes of the television game show ''
Match Game
''Match Game'' is an American television panel game show that premiered on NBC in 1962 and has been revived several times over the course of the last six decades. The game features contestants trying to match answers given by celebrity panelis ...
''.
Television guest appearances
Reese had a wide variety of guest-starring roles, beginning with an episode of ''
The Mod Squad
''The Mod Squad'' is an American crime drama series, originally broadcast for five seasons on ABC from September 24, 1968, to March 1, 1973. It starred Michael Cole as Peter "Pete" Cochran, Peggy Lipton as Julie Barnes, Clarence Williams III ...
''. This led to other roles in such series as: ''
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors'', ''
Getting Together
''Getting Together'' is an American musical sitcom that aired on ABC during the 1971–72 U.S. television season. It starred Bobby Sherman and Wes Stern as Bobby Conway and Lionel Poindexter, a songwriting duo. The pilot for the series had aired ...
'', ''
Police Woman'', ''
Petrocelli
''Petrocelli'' is an American legal drama that ran for two seasons on NBC from September 11, 1974 to March 31, 1976.
Plot
Tony Petrocelli is an Italian-American, Harvard-educated lawyer, who grew up in South Boston and gave up the big money and ...
'', ''
Joe Forrester
''Joe Forrester'' is an American crime/drama television series, starring Lloyd Bridges as a uniformed foot patrol officer in a run-down neighborhood of Los Angeles. Patricia Crowley co-starred as Georgia Cameron, Joe's romantic interest. Former ...
'', ''
Police Story'', ''
The Rookies
''The Rookies'' is an American police procedural series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California Police Department (SC ...
,'' ''
McCloud'', ''
Sanford and Son
''Sanford and Son'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the British sitcom '' Steptoe and Son'', which initially aired on BBC One in the Unit ...
'' (with Redd Foxx), ''
Vega$
''Vegas'' (stylized as ''Vega$'') is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 20, 1978, to June 3, 1981, with the pilot episode airing April 25, 1978. ''Vegas'' was produced by Aaron Spelling and created by Mic ...
'', and ''
Insight
Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect within a particular context. The term insight can have several related meanings:
*a piece of information
*the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intui ...
''. She featured in two episodes of ''
The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...
'', three episodes of ''
Crazy Like a Fox'', four episodes of ''
Charlie & Co.'' (opposite
Flip Wilson
Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor best known for his television appearances during the late 1960s and 1970s. From 1970 to 1974, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series ''The F ...
), ''
227
Year 227 ( CCXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Senecio and Fulvius (or, less frequently, year 980 ''Ab urbe condi ...
'' (with best friend
Marla Gibbs
Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Theresa Bradley; June 14, 1931) is an American actress, singer, comedian, writer and television producer, whose career spans six decades. Gibbs is known for her role as George Jefferson's maid, Florence Johnston, in th ...
), ''
MacGyver
Angus "Mac" MacGyver is the title character and the protagonist in the TV series ''MacGyver''. He is played by Richard Dean Anderson in the 1985 original series. Lucas Till portrays a younger version of MacGyver in the 2016 reboot.
In both p ...
'', ''
Night Court'', ''
Dream On'', ''
Designing Women'', ''
Picket Fences
''Picket Fences'' is an American family drama television series about the residents of the town of Rome, Wisconsin, created and produced by David E. Kelley. The show initially ran from September 18, 1992, to June 26, 1996, on the CBS televis ...
'',
Disney Channel's ''
That's So Raven
''That's So Raven'' is an American television teen sitcom that was created by Michael Poryes and Susan Sherman, and aired on Disney Channel for four seasons between January 2003 and November 2007. The series centers on Raven Baxter (Raven-S ...
'', and ''
The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, ...
''. She also had a recurring role in ''It Takes Two'' opposite
Richard Crenna and
Patty Duke
Anna Marie "Patty" Duke (December 14, 1946 – March 29, 2016) was an American actress and mental health advocate. Over the course of her acting career, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awa ...
.
''Touched by an Angel''
After coping with the death of one of her best friends, Redd Foxx, in 1991, she was reluctant to play the older female lead in inspirational television drama ''Touched by an Angel,'' but went ahead and auditioned for the role of Tess. She wanted to have a one-shot agreement between
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
and producer
Martha Williamson, but the network ordered more episodes. Reese was widely seen as a key component of the show's success. Already starring on ''Touched by an Angel'' was the lesser-known Irish actress
Roma Downey
Roma Burnett (née Downey) is an actress, producer, and author from Derry, Northern Ireland. She produced the mini-series ''The Bible'' for the History Channel and also appeared in it as Mary, mother of Jesus. For nine seasons she played Moni ...
, who played the role of case worker Tess's angel/employee, Monica. In numerous interviews, there was an on- and off-screen chemistry between both Reese and Downey. The character of Tess was the angelic supervisor who sent the other angels out on missions to help people redeem their lives and show them God's love, while at the same time, she was sassy and had a no-nonsense attitude. The show often featured a climactic monologue delivered by the angel Monica in which she reveals herself as an angel to a human with the words: "I am an angel sent by God to tell you that He loves you." The character of Tess was portrayed by Reese as down-to-earth, experienced and direct. Reese also sang the show's theme song, "Walk with You", and was featured prominently on the soundtrack album produced in conjunction with the show.
During its first season in 1994, many critics were skeptical about the show, it being the second overtly religious prime-time fantasy series, after ''
Highway to Heaven''. The show had a rocky start, low ratings and was cancelled 11 episodes into the first season. However, with the help of a massive letter-writing campaign, the show was resuscitated the following season and became a huge ratings winner for the next seven seasons. At the beginning of the fourth season in 1997, Reese threatened to leave the show because she was making less than her co-stars; CBS ended up raising her salary. In 2000, her health problems became obvious when she collapsed on the set and was hospitalized. ''Touched by an Angel'' was cancelled in 2003, but it continued re-running heavily in syndication and on
Ion Television
Ion Television is an American broadcast television network owned by the Katz Broadcasting subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company. The network first began broadcasting on August 31, 1998, as Pax TV, focusing primarily on family-oriented en ...
(formerly PAX-TV),
The Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies and ...
,
Up, and later
MeTV
MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television program ...
. Downey said of her on- and off-screen relationship with Reese:
Downey also said:
Personal life
Reese was the godmother of
Roma Downey
Roma Burnett (née Downey) is an actress, producer, and author from Derry, Northern Ireland. She produced the mini-series ''The Bible'' for the History Channel and also appeared in it as Mary, mother of Jesus. For nine seasons she played Moni ...
's daughter Reilly Marie. Reese officiated at the marriage ceremony of Downey and
Mark Burnett
Mark Burnett (born 17 July 1960) is a television producer who is the former Chairman of MGM Worldwide Television Group. He is best known for creating and producing the reality shows ''The Apprentice'', '' Survivor'', ''The Voice'', and ''Sh ...
in the absence of Downey's late mother.
Family
Reese's mother, Nellie Mitchelle Early, died in 1949 of an
intracerebral hemorrhage. Reese's father, Richard Early, died ten years later. Reese had an adoptive daughter from a family member unable to care for her, named Delorese Daniels Owens, born in 1961. Owens died on March 14, 2002. She died from complications stemming from
pituitary disease. Sharing her frustration with the lack of awareness and knowledge of pituitary disorders, Reese said:
Marriages
In 1952, Reese married factory worker Vermont Adolphus Bon Taliaferro, nineteen years her senior.
She adopted the stage name Pat Ferro
for a week, before introducing the stage name she used for the rest of her life—though sources differ as to whether this name change was after the failure of the marriage,
or simply a show-business decision. A second marriage ceremony, on December 28, 1959, to accountant Leroy Basil Gray, who had two children by a previous marriage, was kept secret for some time.
[''Jet'', February 11, 1960.] This marriage either ended in divorce
or was annulled on the basis that Gray's previous divorce was invalid.
In 1961, Reese was briefly married to bandleader
Mercer Ellington
Mercer Kennedy Ellington (March 11, 1919 – February 8, 1996) was an American musician, composer, and arranger. His father was Duke Ellington, whose band Mercer led for 20 years after his father's death.
Biography Early life and education
Ellin ...
(who was then her manager), before their union was annulled later that year due to Ellington's
Mexican divorce from his wife Evelyn Walker being ruled invalid.
In 1983, Reese married Franklin Thomas Lett, Jr., a concert producer and writer.
Ministry
In the 1980s, Reese was ordained a minister through the Christian New Thought branch known as Unity after serving as the senior minister and founder of her own church, Understanding Principles for Better Living. The "Up Church" is under
Universal Foundation for Better Living, a denomination of Christian New Thought founded by Rev.
Johnnie Colemon
Johnnie Colemon (February 18, 1920 – December 23, 2014) was an influential minister and teacher in the New Thought movement. She is often referred to as the “First Lady of New Thought”. Colemon founded several large organizations within th ...
, a close friend of Rev. Reese-Lett. In her ministerial work, she was known as the Rev. Dr. Della Reese Lett.
Health and death
In 1979, during taping for a guest spot on ''
The Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...
'', Reese suffered a near-fatal brain
aneurysm, but made a full recovery after two surgeries by neurosurgeon
Charles Drake at
University Hospital in
London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...
. In 2016, shortly after her 85th birthday, Reese was said to be in poor health, and had undergone multiple surgeries. She stated that she had neglected her health for years, which had contributed to her developing
type 2 diabetes. After her last appearance in ''
Signed, Sealed, Delivered'', she retired from acting. While Reese sometimes used a wheelchair, she avoided using one often, out of concern it would make her condition worse.
Reese died at her home in the
Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles on November 19, 2017, at the age of 86.
Discography
Filmography
Film
Television films
Television series
Awards and nominations
Awards
* 1994:
Hollywood Walk of Fame:
7060 Hollywood Boulevard—Television
* 1996:
Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 1997: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 1998: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 1999: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 2000: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 2001: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 2002: Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 2015: Golden Palm Star on the
Palm Springs Walk of Stars
* 2017:
Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame
The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame is an independent organization whose mission is to educate and to celebrate, preserve, promote, and present rhythm and blues music globally.
History
The National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame was founde ...
Award
Nominations
* 1961: Grammy Award—''Della'' (Album)
* 1987: Grammy Award—"You Gave Me Love"
* 1997:
—''Touched by an Angel''
* 1997:
—''Touched by an Angel''
* 1997:
Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Made for TV Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 1998: Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 1998: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series—''Touched by an Angel''
* 1998: Grammy Award—''Live! My Soul Feels Better Right Now''
* 2000:
Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting By a Female Performer in an Animated Feature—''
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
''
References
External links
*
*
*
Della Reese Interviewat
The Archive of American Television
Understanding Principles for Better Living ChurchDella Reese's oral history video excerptsat The National Visionary Leadership Project
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reese, Della
1931 births
2017 deaths
20th-century African-American women singers
20th-century American singers
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Actresses from Detroit
African-American Christians
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African-American television talk show hosts
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American people of Cherokee descent
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