Kent Edwards (born — died August 7, 1993) was an American

musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...

actor and nightclub singer of the 1940s who is best remembered for portraying Einar in the original production of ''

Song of Norway ''Song of Norway'' is an operetta written in 1944 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Edvard Grieg and the book by Milton Lazarus and Homer Curran. A very loose film adaptation with major changes to both the book a ...

'' at the

Los Angeles Civic Light Opera The Los Angeles Civic Light Opera (LACLO) was an American theatre/opera company in Los Angeles, California. Founded under the motto "Light Opera in the Grand Opera manner" in 1938 by impresario Edwin Lester, the organization presented fifty season ...

, 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 ...

, and in the 1946-1947 national tour. He recorded the role for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

on the 1945

cast album A cast recording is a recording of a stage musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording or OCR, as the name implies, features the voices of the sho ...

Career

Born Kenneth Edwards in Wichita, Kansas, he began his career in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

; making his stage debut in Bob Wright and Chet Forrest's 1940 musical revue ''Thank You, Columbus'' at the

Hollywood Playhouse ''Hollywood Playhouse'', also known as ''Woodbury Hollywood Playhouse'', is a radio anthology drama series that featured adaptations of plays and short stories. Created as a showcase for Tyrone Power, the series began October 3, 1937, on the Blu ...

. He made his

debut in the revue '' New Faces of 1943''; performing in that work from December 22, 1942, through March 13, 1943. In 1944 he originated the role of Einar in Robert Wright and George Forrest's

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

'' which he performed not only at its premiere at the

, but also on

from Aug 21, 1944 through September 7, 1946. He continued with the work on its National tour in 1946–1947. He also toured the United States with

Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...

in ''Spring in Brazil''. In addition to performing in musicals, Edwards performed as a nightclub singer. He was a regular at the Colonial Inn in Hallandale, Florida in the late 1940s. He also appeared in night clubs in Hollywood, Chicago and New York City; including the Copacabana. He died in

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

of a heart attack at the age of 75.

References

External links

Kent Edwards at IBDB
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Kent 1910s births 1993 deaths Actors from Wichita, Kansas Male actors from Miami American male musical theatre actors Singers from Miami Nightclub performers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers