Frances White (born Frances Mae Caples; January 1, 1896 – February 24, 1969) was an American singer and actress on

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 Stree ...

, on the

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

stage, and in silent film. She popularized the spelling song "

M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I is a song written by Bert Hanlon and Ben Ryan, with music by Harry Tierney. The conductor of the song was Josef Pasternack. It was written by Ben Ryan for Frances White, who introduced it in the Florenz Ziegfeld revue ''M ...

". She played "Fanny Warden" in '' The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford'' (1915), a series of silent short comedies. She was also in the cast of the

eugenics Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...

film ''

The Black Stork ''The Black Stork'', also known as ''Are You Fit To Marry?'', is a 1917 American motion picture film both written by and starring Harry J. Haiselden, who was the chief surgeon at the German-American Hospital in Chicago. ''The Black Stork'' ...

'' (1917).

Early life

Frances Caples was the daughter of Edward T. Caples and Caroline Leibfried Caples. Her grandfather was a wealthy Texas banker. She may have been from Texas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Seattle (sources vary on this point).

Career

White began her stage career in Los Angeles in 1910. She joined William Rock; the duo Rock & White found success on the vaudeville circuit with a musical comedy and dance act before they split in 1919. She was a "child impersonator", wearing gingham rompers and an oversized hair bow; in this guise, she was known for popularizing the spelling song "M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I". She was also known for a very short "neat and smart" haircut, brushed back to the nape with oil. White played "Fanny Warden" in ''The New Adventures of J. Rufus Wallingford'' (1915), a series of silent short films starring

Burr McIntosh William Burr McIntosh (August 21, 1862 – April 28, 1942) was an American lecturer, photographer, film studio owner, silent film actor, author, publisher of ''The'' ''Burr McIntosh Monthly'',Max Figman. She was also in the cast of the eugenics film ''The Black Stork'' (1917). Her Broadway credits included roles in ''

Ziegfeld Follies of 1916 The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air ...

Hitchy-Koo ''Hitchy-Koo'' is a 1912 American popular song and a series of musical revues, inspired by the song, staged on Broadway each year from 1917 through 1920 and on tour in 1922. Described by ''Variety'' magazine as a "hit song of 1912", the song was c ...

'' (1917), ''Let's Go'' (1918), ''Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic'' (1919), ''Jimmie'' (1921), and ''

The Hotel Mouse ''The Hotel Mouse'' is a 1923 British silent crime film directed by Fred Paul and starring Lillian Hall-Davis, Campbell Gullan and Warwick Ward. It was based on a play by Paul Armont and Marcel Gerbidon. Cast * Lillian Hall-Davis - Mauri ...

'' (1922). White's last film role was in ''Face to Face'' (1922), with

Marguerite Marsh Marguerite Marsh (April 18, 1888 – December 8, 1925) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 70 films between 1911 and 1923. Early in her career, she was known as Margaret Loveridge. Biography Marsh was the el ...

. "This unique actress knows her limitations and flatly refuses to be anything but her breezy, slangy, fresh young self," said a 1925 newspaper profile. Also in 1925, she explained to

Lorena Hickok Lorena Alice "Hick" Hickok (March 7, 1893 – May 1, 1968) was a pioneering American journalist and devoted friend and mentor to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. After an unhappy and unsettled childhood, Hickok found success as a reporter for the ...

that the distinctive sound of her voice was the result of a

tonsillectomy Tonsillectomy is a list of surgical procedures, surgical procedure in which both palatine tonsils are fully removed from the back of the throat. The procedure is mainly performed for recurrent tonsillitis, throat infections and obstructive sleep ...

Legal problems

In 1922, Frances White was sued for

alienation of affections Alienation of affections is a common law tort, abolished in many jurisdictions. Where it still exists, an action is brought by a spouse against a third party alleged to be responsible for damaging the marriage, most often resulting in divorce. The ...

by Dorothy Wolfe Stothart, the wife of composer

Herbert Stothart Herbert Pope Stothart (September 11, 1885February 1, 1949) was an American songwriter, arranger, conductor, and composer. He was also nominated for twelve Academy Awards, winning Best Original Score for '' The Wizard of Oz''. Stothart was widel ...

. A Seattle jeweler sued White for money owed in the late 1920s. In 1930, she was briefly jailed for failure to pay a taxi fare in New York City. In 1931, she declared bankruptcy.

Personal life

White first married in 1910, at age 14, in Mexico, to her co-star Lonnie Garwood; the marriage was quickly annulled. She next married comedian Frank Fay in 1917; they soon divorced. She married again, to businessman Clinton Donnelly in 1923; they too divorced. She lived with her mother in New York City and Los Angeles, until her mother's death in 1955. White died in 1969, aged 73 years, in Los Angeles.

References

External links

A recording of Frances White singing "Go-Zin-To"
a novelty song, on YouTube
A recording of Frances White singing "I'd Like to be a Monkey in the Zoo"
a novelty song, on YouTube
An autographed photograph of Frances White
in the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:White, Frances 1896 births 1969 deaths Actresses from Seattle American stage actresses American film actresses American silent film actresses American women comedians American women singers Vaudeville performers