Charlotte Greenwood
OccupationActress, comedian, dancer
Birth nameFrances Charlotte Greenwood
Birth dateJune 25, 1890
Birth placePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Death dateDecember 28, 1977 (aged 87)
Death placeLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active1905–1961
SpouseCyril Ring (m. 1915; div. 1922)
Martin Broones (m. 1924; died 1971)

Frances Charlotte Greenwood (June 25, 1890 – December 28, 1977) was an American actress, comedian and dancer. Born in Philadelphia, Greenwood started in vaudeville and starred on Broadway, in movies and on radio. Standing almost six feet tall (some sources say 5'10"), she was best known for her long legs and high kicks. She described herself as the "only woman in the world who could kick a giraffe in the eye."[1]

Theatre

While still a teenager, Charlotte Greenwood made her professional stage debut in 1905 as a dancer in Ludwig Englander's musical The White Cat.[2] Between 1909 and 1912 Greenwood performed in vaudeville as part of a sister act, "Burnam and Greenwood."[3] The act broke up when Greenwood was hired for the Winter Garden Revue.[4]

In 1913, Oliver Morosco cast her as Queen Ann Soforth of Oogaboo late in the run of L. Frank Baum and Louis F. Gottschalk's The Tik-Tok Man of Oz (better known in its novelization as Tik-Tok of Oz).[5] In 1916, Morosco commissioned a successful star vehicle stage play titled So Long Letty.[6] In 1919 Morosco brought her back in the sequel Linger Longer Letty.[7] This role made her a star; she reprised it in the 1929 movie of the same name.

She appeared with actors including Charles Ruggles, Betty Grable, Jimmy Durante, Eddie Cantor, Buster Keaton, Don Ameche, and Carmen Miranda. Most of Greenwood's best work was done on the stage, and was lauded by such critics as James Agate, Alexander Woollcott, and Claudia Cassidy. One of her most successful roles was that of Juno in Cole Porter's Out of This World [8] in which she introduced the Porter classic "I Sleep Easier Now". She had some discomfort with that play because she had become a devout Christian Scientist and feared the play was too risqué.[9][10]

Film

Greenwood appeared in numerous movies. When not showcasing her trademark high kicks and splits in comic roles for musicals, she played occasional serio-comic roles such as Lon McAllister's aunt in Home in Indiana. Her last memorable role was as the feisty Aunt Eller in the 1955 film adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! (1955), starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones.[11]

Radio

Greenwood had her own radio program, The Charlotte Greenwood Show, a sitcom. It was broadcast from 1944 to 1946, first on ABC and later on NBC.[12] She also was in "Home in Indiana" on Lux Radio Theatre October 2, 1944.[13]

Recordings

Greenwood ventured into recorded music with an album of songs from Cole Porter's musical Out of This World and another from the musical comedy Oh, by Jingo.[14]

Personal life

Greenwood first married actor Cyril Ring, brother of actress Blanche Ring. They divorced. Her second husband was composer Martin Broones. He died in 1971.[15] Both unions were childless.

In her post-retirement years, Greenwood suffered severely from arthritis. She and Broones were Christian Scientists – he was a C.S. practitioner and teacher of Christian Science for over two decades, and he consulted with Doris Day in that capacity. Greenwood also became a listed public Christian Science practitioner until her death in 1977, using the name Charlotte Greenwood Broones.

Greenwood died in Los Angeles at age 87. She had been out of the public eye for decades, and it was months before the world became aware of her passing.[16]

Stage work

Stage credits of Charlotte Greenwood
DateTitleRoleRef(s)
Jul 22, 1912 - Nov 16, 1912The Passing Show of 1912Performer[17]
Jan 23, 1913 - Mar 08, 1913The Man with Three WivesPerformer[18]
Jul 24, 1913 - Sep 1913The Passing Show of 1913Performer[19]
Sep 21, 1914 - Oct 31, 1914Pretty Mrs. SmithLetititia Proudfoot[20]
1916The Tik-Tok Man of OzQueen Ann Soforth[5]
Oct 23, 1916 - Jan 13, 1917So Long LettyLetty Robbins[21]
Oct 23, 1916 - Jan 1917Les So LongPerformer[6]
Nov 20, 1919 - Jan 21, 1920Linger Longer LettyLetty[7]
Apr 10, 1922 - May 6, 1922Letty Pepper Letty Pepper[22]
Oct 23, 1922 - Aug 04, 1923Music Box Revue [1922-23]Performer[23]
Sep 17, 1924 - Dec 1924Hassard Short's Ritz RevuePerformer[24]
Mar 28, 1927 - May 1927Rufus LeMaire's AffairsPerformer, The Dove, Nervous Patient, Leading Lady, Lorelei[25]
Dec 21, 1950 - May 5, 1951Out of This WorldJune[8]

Filmography

Film credits of Charlotte Greenwood
YearTitleRoleSilentSoundStudio/DistributorRef(s)
1915JaneJaneXMorosco Photoplay Company[26]
1916Miss George WashingtonAttendee at tea social (uncredited)XFamous Players Film Company
1926Crossed Signals(uncredited) Mother with baby at train stationXRayart
1927Women Love Diamonds(uncredited/deleted)XMGM
1928Baby MineEmmaXMGM[27]
1929So Long LettyLetty RobbinsXWarner Bros. Pictures[28]
1931Parlor, Bedroom and BathPolly HathawayXMGM[29]
1931Flying HighPansyXMGM[30]
1931The Man in PossessionClaraXMGM[31]
1931Stepping OutSally SmithXMGM[32]
1931Palmy DaysHelen MartinXHoward Productions Inc.[33]
1932Cheaters at PlayCrozierXFox Film[34]
1934Orders Is OrdersWanda SinclairXGaumont-British[35]
1940Young PeopleKit BallantineX20th Century Fox[36]
1940Star DustLola LangdonX20th Century Fox[37]
1940Down Argentine WayBinnie CrawfordX20th Century Fox[38]
1941Moon Over MiamiSusan LatimerX20th Century Fox[39]
1941Tall, Dark and HandsomeMrs. Winnie SageX20th Century Fox[40]
1941The Perfect SnobMartha MasonX20th Century Fox[41]
1942Springtime in the RockiesPhoebe GrayX20th Century Fox[42]
1943The Gang's All HereMrs. Peyton PotterX20th Century Fox[43]
1943Dixie DuganMrs. DuganX20th Century Fox[44]
1944Home in IndianaPenny BoltX20th Century Fox[45]
1944Up in Mabel's RoomMarthaXEdward Small Productions[46]
1946Wake Up and DreamSara MarchX20th Century Fox[47]
1947DriftwoodMathildaXRepublic Pictures[48]
1949Oh, You Beautiful DollAnna BreitenbachX20th Century Fox[49]
1949The Great Dan PatchAunt NettyXW. R. Frank Productions[50]
1950PeggyMrs. Emelia FieldingXUniversal Pictures[51]
1953Dangerous When WetMa HigginsXMGM[52]
1955Oklahoma!Aunt EllerXRodgers & Hammerstein Pictures, Inc.[11]
1956GloryMiz Agnes TilbeeXDavid Butler Productions, Inc.[53]
1956The Opposite SexLucyXMGM[54]

References

  1. ^ Liebman 2017, pp. 113–114.
  2. ^ Gänzl, Kurt (2001). "GREENWOOD, [Frances] Charlotte". The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre, Second Edition. Vol. II. Schirmer Books. ISBN 978-0-02-865573-4.
  3. ^ See for example: I.B. Pulaski, "Out of Town: Burnham and Greenwood," Variety (June 26, 1909), p. 15.
  4. ^ "Sister act split up'", Variety (June 22, 1912), p. 6.
  5. ^ "Prodigal Setting Has "Tik-Tok Man"". The Spokesman-Review. December 10, 1913. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  6. ^ "Les So Long". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  7. ^ "Linger Longer Letty". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  8. ^ "Out of This World". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  9. ^ Slide, Anthony. The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville pg 214
  10. ^ Hayter-Menzies, Grant, Charlotte Greenwood pgs 223 and 248
  11. ^ "Oklahoma". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  12. ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Revised ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 150. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-09-13.
  13. ^ "Greenwood, Charlotte". RadioGOLDINdex. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  14. ^ Hopper, Hedda (May 12, 1951). "Abbott Turns Producer, Then Signs Lou Costello". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. Part 1 - Page 16. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  15. ^ Greenwood profile, IBDB.com. Accessed November 8, 2022.
  16. ^ Cullen, Hackman & McNeilly 2007, p. 458.
  17. ^ "The Passing Show of 1912". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  18. ^ "The Man with Three Wives". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  19. ^ "The Passing Show of 1913". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  20. ^ "Pretty Mrs. Smith". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  21. ^ "So Long Letty". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  22. ^ "Letty Pepper Letty". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  23. ^ "Music Box Revue [1922-23]". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  24. ^ "Hassard Short's Ritz Revue". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  25. ^ "Rufus LeMaire's Affairs". IBDB. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  26. ^ "Jane". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  27. ^ "Baby Mine". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  28. ^ "So Long Letty". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.; "So Long Letty". UCLA Library catalog. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  29. ^ "Parlor, Bedroom and Bath". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  30. ^ "Flying High". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  31. ^ "The Man in Possession". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  32. ^ "Stepping Out". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  33. ^ "Palmy Days". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  34. ^ "Cheaters at Play". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  35. ^ "Orders Is Orders". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  36. ^ "Young People". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  37. ^ "Star Dust". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  38. ^ "Down Argentine Way". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  39. ^ "Moon Over Miami". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  40. ^ "Tall, Dark and Handsome". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  41. ^ "The Perfect Snob". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  42. ^ "Springtime in the Rockies". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  43. ^ "The Gang's All Here". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  44. ^ "Dixie Dugan". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  45. ^ "Home in Indiana". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  46. ^ "Up in Mabel's Room". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  47. ^ "Wake Up and Dream". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  48. ^ "Driftwood". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  49. ^ "Oh, You Beautiful Doll". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  50. ^ "The Great Dan Patch". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  51. ^ "Peggy". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  52. ^ "Dangerous When Wet". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  53. ^ "Glory". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  54. ^ "The Opposite Sex". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.

Sources

  • Hayter-Menzies, Grant. Charlotte Greenwood: The Life and Career of the Comic Star of Vaudeville, Radio and Film. McFarland & Company, Inc., Jefferson, North Carolina and London, 2007; ISBN 978-0-7864-2995-0.
  • Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2007). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Psychology Press. ISBN 978-0-415-93853-2.
  • Liebman, Roy (2017). Broadway Actors in Films, 1894-2015. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-2615-4.