Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer and author. After appearing in

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 ...

, she made her Broadway debut in '' St. Louis Woman'' in 1946. She received a Special Tony Award for the title role in the all-black production of '' Hello, Dolly!'' in 1968. In 1986, she won a

Daytime Emmy award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

for her performance as a fairy godmother in the

ABC Afterschool Special ''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presented situations, often controve ...

''Cindy Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale''. Her rendition of " Takes Two to Tango" hit the top ten in 1952. In 1976, she became the first African-American to receive the

Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award The Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award is presented by the Screen Actors Guild's National Honors and Tributes Committee for "outstanding achievement in fostering the finest ideals of the acting profession." It predates the 1st Screen Actor ...

. She received the

Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...

on October 17, 1988.

Early life

Portrait of Pearl Bailey, as Connecticut in Arms of the Girl LCCN2004662540

Bailey was born in

Newport News Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

to the Reverend Joseph James and Ella Mae Ricks Bailey. She was raised in the Bloodfields neighborhood of Newport News and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in nearby

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...

, the first city in the region to offer higher education for black students.

Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the ...

singer

Ruth Brown Ruth Alston Brown (; January 12, 1928 – November 17, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter and actress, sometimes referred to as the " Queen of R&B". She was noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for At ...

was one of her classmates. Bailey later moved to Philadelphia with her mother and siblings. Bailey made her stage-singing debut at the age of 15. Her brother

Bill Bailey Mark Robert Bailey (born 13 January 1965), known professionally as Bill Bailey, is an English musician, comedian and actor. He is known for his role as Manny in the sitcom '' Black Books'' and his appearances on the panel shows '' Never Mind th ...

was beginning his own career as a tap dancer and suggested that she enter an amateur contest at the Pearl Theatre in Philadelphia. Bailey won and was offered $35 a week to perform there for two weeks. However, the theater closed during her engagement and she was not paid. She later won a similar competition at

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

's famous

Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater is a music hall at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (Eighth Avenue) in the Harlem neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is a ...

and decided to pursue a career in entertainment. She was also known to have performed in the church choir at St Peter Claver Catholic Church in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, at the behest of Msgr Bernard J. Quinn.

Career

Bailey began by singing and dancing in Philadelphia's black nightclubs in the 1930s, and soon started performing in other parts of the East Coast. In 1941, during World War II, Bailey toured the country with the USO, performing for American troops. After the tour, she settled in New York. Her solo successes as a nightclub performer were followed by acts with entertainers such as

Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocalis ...

and

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...

. In 1946, Bailey made her

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 ...

debut in '' St. Louis Woman''. For her performance, she won a Donaldson Award as the best Broadway newcomer. Bailey continued to tour and record albums along with her stage and screen performances. Early in the television medium, Bailey guest starred on CBS's ''

Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town ''Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town'', also known as ''Wonderful Town, USA'', is a half-hour variety television series that aired on CBS from June 16, 1951, to April 19, 1952, in which Faye Emerson visits various cities. Episodes of the program were ...

''.

Female impersonator Lynne Carter credited Bailey with launching his career. In 1967, Bailey and Cab Calloway headlined an all-black cast version of '' Hello, Dolly!'' The touring version was so successful that producer

David Merrick David Merrick (born David Lee Margoulis; November 27, 1911 – April 25, 2000) was an American theatrical producer who won a number of Tony Awards. Life and career Born David Lee Margulois to Jewish parents in St. Louis, Missouri, Merrick gra ...

took it to Broadway, where it played to sold-out houses and revitalized the long-running musical. Bailey was given a special

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

for her role, and

RCA Victor 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 A ...

released a second original-cast album, the only recording of the score to have an overture written especially for the recording. Pearl Bailey Ed Sullivan Show 1968

A passionate fan of the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...

, Bailey sang the national anthem at

Shea Stadium Shea Stadium (), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.

prior to Game 5 of the

1969 World Series The 1969 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1969 season. The 66th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Baltimore Orioles and the National L ...

, and appears in the World Series highlight film showing her support for the team. She also sang the national anthem prior to Game 1 of the

1981 World Series The 1981 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1981 season. The 78th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees and the Nati ...

between the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...

and

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...

Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the orig ...

. Bailey hosted her own variety series on ABC, ''

The Pearl Bailey Show ''The Pearl Bailey Show'' is an American variety show that aired on ABC Saturdays 8:30–9:30 P.M. from January 1971 to May 1971. A Cooper-Finkel Company production in association with the Pearl Bailey Production Corporation, the show starred vete ...

'' (January – May 1971), which featured many notable guests, including

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...

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

and

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and Singing, vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and se ...

(one of his last appearances before his death). Following her 1971 television series, she provided voices for animations such as '' Tubby the Tuba'' (1976) and Disney's ''

The Fox and the Hound ''The Fox and the Hound'' is a 1981 American animated buddy drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions and loosely based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix. The 24th Disney animated feature film, the film tells the st ...

'' (1981). She returned to Broadway in 1975, playing the lead in an all-black production of '' Hello, Dolly!''. In October 1975, she was invited by

Betty Ford Elizabeth Anne Ford (; formerly Warren; April 8, 1918 – July 8, 2011) was the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a p ...

to sing for Egyptian president

Anwar Sadat Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat, (25 December 1918 – 6 October 1981) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the third president of Egypt, from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 ...

at a

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

state dinner as part of

Mideast The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

peace initiative. She earned a degree in

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

from

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private research university in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll in 1789 as Georgetown College, the university has grown to comprise eleven undergraduate and graduate ...

in Washington, D.C. in 1985 at age 67. It took her seven years to earn her degree. At Georgetown, she was a student of the philosopher

Wilfrid Desan Wilfrid Desan (1908– 14 January 2001) was a professor in philosophy best known for introducing French existentialism and especially the thought of Jean-Paul Sartre to the United States. He was a native of Belgium who emigrated to the United States ...

. Later in her career, Bailey was a fixture as a spokesperson in a series of Duncan Hines commercials, singing "Bill Bailey (Won't You Come Home)." She also appeared in commercials for

Jell-O Jell-O is an American brand offering a variety of powdered gelatin dessert (fruit-flavored gels/jellies), pudding, and no-bake cream pie mixes. The original gelatin dessert ( genericized as jello) is the signature of the brand. "Jell-O" is ...

, Westinghouse and Paramount Chicken. In her later years, Bailey wrote several books: ''The Raw Pearl'' (1968), ''Talking to Myself'' (1971), ''Pearl's Kitchen'' (1973) and ''Hurry Up America and Spit'' (1976). In 1975, she was appointed special ambassador to the United Nations by President

Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...

, a position she held under three presidents. Her last book, ''Between You and Me'' (1989), details her experiences with higher education. On January 19, 1985, she appeared on a nationally televised broadcast gala the night before the second inauguration of

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

. In 1988, Bailey received the

from President Reagan.

Personal life

Bailey went through a number of failed marriages in her earlier adult years. She married John Randolph Pinkett, either her third or fourth husband, when she was 30 years old, and divorced him four years later, accusing him of physical abuse. On November 19, 1952, Bailey married jazz drummer

Louie Bellson Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...

in London. They remained married until her death nearly 38 years later in 1990. Bellson was six years Bailey's junior and white. Interracial couples were rare at that time, and Bellson's father was reportedly opposed to the marriage because of Bailey's race. They later adopted a son, Tony, in the mid-1950s. A daughter, Dee Dee J. Bellson, was born April 20, 1960. Tony Bellson died in 2004. Dee Dee Bellson died on July 4, 2009, at the age of 49, five months after her father, who died on February 14. Bailey, a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, was appointed by President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...

as the nation's "Ambassador of Love" in 1970. She attended several meetings of the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...

and later appeared in a campaign ad for President

in the 1976 election. She was awarded the Bronze Medallion in 1968, the highest award conferred upon civilians by New York City. Bailey was a close friend of actress

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 ...

. In 1969, Crawford and Bailey joined fellow friend

Gypsy Rose Lee Gypsy Rose Lee (born Rose Louise Hovick, January 8, 1911 – April 26, 1970) was an American burlesque entertainer, stripper and vedette famous for her striptease act. Also an actress, author, and playwright, her 1957 memoir was adapted in ...

in accepting a USO award. That same year, Bailey was recognized as USO's woman of the year. Upon Crawford's death in May 1977, Bailey spoke of Crawford as her sister and sang a hymn at her funeral. American socialite

Perle Mesta Perle Reid Mesta (born Pearl Skirvin; October 12, 1889March 16, 1975) was an American socialite, political hostess, and United States ambassador to Luxembourg (1949–53). Mesta was known for her lavish parties for Washington, D.C., society. At ...

was another of Bailey's close friends. In the waning days of Mesta's life, Bailey visited Mesta frequently and sang hymns for her.

Death

Bailey died at

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is the flagship hospital of Jefferson Health, a multi-state non-profit health system based in Philadelphia. The hospital serves as the teaching hospital for Thomas Jefferson University. History Originall ...

in Philadelphia on August 17, 1990. An autopsy confirmed the death was caused by the narrowing of the

coronary artery The coronary arteries are the arterial blood vessels of coronary circulation, which transport oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. The heart requires a continuous supply of oxygen to function and survive, much like any other tissue or organ o ...

. Bailey had suffered from heart problems for over thirty years. Bailey is buried at Rolling Green Memorial Park in

West Chester, Pennsylvania West Chester is a borough and the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Located within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the borough had a population of 18,461 at the 2010 census. West Chester is the mailing address for most of its neigh ...

Remembrances

The television show ''

American Dad! ''American Dad!'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman for the Fox Broadcasting Company. Since 2014, the series has been airing new episodes on TBS. ''American Dad!'' is the first television ...

'' features Pearl Bailey High School. The 1969 song "We Got More Soul" by

Dyke and the Blazers Dyke and the Blazers was an American funk band led by Arlester Christian. The band was formed in 1965, and recorded up until Christian's death in 1971. Among their most successful records were the original version of "Funky Broadway" (1966) and " L ...

includes Bailey in its roster of icons. A dress owned by Bailey is at the

National Museum of African American History and Culture The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is a Smithsonian Institution museum located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the United States. It was established in December 2003 and opened its permanent home in ...

. A library in her hometown of Newport News, Virginia is named after her.

Performances

Film *''

Variety Girl ''Variety Girl'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Mary Hatcher, Olga San Juan, DeForest Kelley, Frank Ferguson, Glenn Tryon, Nella Walker, Torben Meyer, Jack Norton, and William Demarest. It was ...

'' (1947) – Pearl Bailey – Singer *'' Isn't It Romantic?'' (1948) – Addie *''

Carmen Jones ''Carmen Jones'' is a 1943 Broadway musical with music by Georges Bizet (orchestrated for Broadway by Robert Russell Bennett) and lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II which was performed at The Broadway Theatre. Conceptually, it is Bizet's o ...

'' (1954) – Frankie *'' That Certain Feeling'' (1956) – Augusta aka Gussie *''

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...

'' (1958) – Aunt Hagar *''

Porgy and Bess ''Porgy and Bess'' () is an English-language opera by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto written by author DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin. It was adapted from Dorothy Heyward and DuBose Heyward's play '' Porgy'', ...

'' (1959) – Maria *''

All the Fine Young Cannibals ''All the Fine Young Cannibals'' is a 1960 American film directed by Michael Anderson, based on the novel by Rosamond Marshall, starring Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood, Susan Kohner, George Hamilton and Pearl Bailey. Hamilton said that the film " ...

'' (1960) – Ruby *'' The Landlord'' (1970) – Marge *'' Tubby the Tuba'' (1975) – Mrs. Elephant (voice) *'' Norman... Is That You?'' (1976) – Beatrice Chambers *''

'' (1981) – Big Mama – Owl (voice) Television *''

The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (prior to 1960) – Herself *''

The Andy Williams Show ''The Andy Williams Show'' was an American television variety show that ran from 1962 to 1971 (alternating during the summer of 1970 with ''Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens'')Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time N ...

'' (1963) – Herself *''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

'' (1968) – Guest Star *''Mike and Pearl'' (1968) – Herself *''Carol Channing and Pearl Bailey: On Broadway'' (1969) – Herself *''

'' (1971)
(midseason replacement series) – Herself – Host / Singer *''

The Carol Burnett Show ''The Carol Burnett Show'' is an American variety/sketch comedy television show that originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 279 episodes, and again with nine episodes in fall 1991. It starred Carol Burnett, Har ...

'' (1972) – Guest Star * ''One More Time'' (1974), a CBS musical comedy special
with

Carol Channing Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019) was an American actress, singer, dancer and comedian who starred in Broadway and film musicals. Her characters usually had a fervent expressiveness and an easily identifiable voice, ...

George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...

and others – Herself''One More Time''
Press Release at Wikimedia Commons *''

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 ...

'' (1977) – Millie Washington *''All-Star Salute to Pearl Bailey'' (1979) – Herself *''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as ...

'' (1979) – Herself *''

The Member of the Wedding ''The Member of the Wedding'' is a 1946 novel by Southern writer Carson McCullers. It took McCullers five years to complete, although she interrupted the work for a few months to write the novella '' The Ballad of the Sad Café''.McDowell, Marga ...

'' (1982) – Bernice Sadie Brown *''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other soa ...

'' (cast member in 1982) – Herself *''

Peter Gunn ''Peter Gunn'' is an American private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, Edie Hart. The series aired on NBC from September 22, 1958, to 1960 and on ABC in 1960–1961. The seri ...

'' (1989) (unsold pilot) – Mother (final television appearance) Pearl Bailey Nanette Fabray Arms and the Girl 1950

Pearl Bailey Perry Como The Pearl Bailey Show 1971

Theater *'' St. Louis Woman'' (1946) (Broadway) *''Arms and the Girl'' (1950) (Broadway) *''Bless You All'' (1950) (Broadway) *'' House of Flowers'' (1954) (Broadway) *''

Les Poupées de Paris ''Les Poupées de Paris'' (''The Dolls of Paris'') was a musical theatre, musical puppet show created, produced and directed by Sid and Marty Krofft, that toured the United States throughout the 1960s. History Puppeteers Sid and Marty Krofft ha ...

'' (1962) (Off-Broadway) (voice only) *''

Call Me Madam ''Call Me Madam'' is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to ...

'' (1966) ( Melodyland Theater) *'' Hello, Dolly!'' (1967)
(Broadway and US national tour) *'' Hello, Dolly!'' (1975) (Broadway)

Discography

* ''Pearl Bailey Entertains'' (1950) and 1953 * ''Birth of the Blues'' (1952) * ''Cultured Pearl'' (1952) * ''I'm with You'' (1953) * ''Say Si Si'' (1953) * ''Around the World with Me'' (1954) * ''Carmelina'' (1955) * ''The Intoxicating Pearl Bailey'' (1956) * ''The One and Only Pearl Bailey Sings'' (1956) * ''Gems by Pearl Bailey'' (1958) * ''Porgy & Bess'', original motion picture soundtrack (1959) (Grammy Award winner) * ''Pearl Bailey A-Broad'' (1959) * ''Pearl Bailey Sings for Adults Only'' (1959) * ''Pearl Bailey Plus Margie Anderson Singing the Blues'' (1960?) * ''More Songs for Adults Only'' (1960) * ''For Adult Listening'' (1960) * ''Naughty but Nice'' (1960) * ''Songs of the Bad Old Days'' (1960) * ''Pearl Bailey Sings the Songs of Harold Arlen'' (1961) * ''Come On, Let's Play with Pearlie Mae'' (1962) * ''Happy Sounds'' (1962) * ''All About Good Little Girls and Bad Little Boys'' (1963) * ''C'est La Vie'' (1963) * ''

'' (1964) * ''Songs By James Van Heusen'' (1964) * ''The Risque World of Pearl Bailey'' (1964) * ''For Women Only'' (1965) * ''The Jazz Singer'' (1965) * '' Hello, Dolly!'' (1967 Broadway cast) * ''After Hours'' (1969) * ''Pearl's Pearls'' (1971)

Bibliography

*''The Raw Pearl'' (1968) (autobiography) *''Talking to Myself'' (1971) (autobiography) *''Pearl's Kitchen: An Extraordinary Cookbook'' (1973) *''Duey's Tale'' (1975) (Photos and Design by

Arnold Skolnick Arnold H. Skolnick (February 25, 1937 – June 15, 2022) was an American graphic artist and book publisher. His best known work is the original 1969 poster for the Woodstock Art and Music Fair. 1969 Woodstock poster Skolnick's 1969 Woodstoc ...

) *''Hurry Up America and Spit'' (1976) *''Between You and Me: A Heartfelt Memoir on Learning, Loving, and Living'' (1989)

References

External links

* *
Pearl Bailey
at TVGuide.com *
Pearl Bailey Collection, 1944-1989
at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

Pearl Bailey papers
fro
African American Museum in Philadelphia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bailey, Pearl African-American actresses 20th-century African-American women singers African-American television personalities 1918 births 1990 deaths Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Special Tony Award recipients American film actresses American cookbook writers 20th-century American memoirists American women memoirists American musical theatre actresses American stage actresses American voice actresses Black conservatism in the United States Vaudeville performers Daytime Emmy Award winners Donaldson Award winners Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award Georgetown College (Georgetown University) alumni Mercury Records artists Roulette Records artists RCA Victor artists Pennsylvania Republicans Virginia Republicans People from Southampton County, Virginia Musicians from Newport News, Virginia Singers from Virginia 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American women writers African-American Catholics