Jo sullivan loesser biography of christopher

American actress and soloist (1927–2019)

Elizabeth Josephine Sullivan Loesser (née Sullivan; August 28, 1927 – Apr 28, 2019) was an Inhabitant actress^[1] and high lyric favourable singer.^[2] She became a mellifluous theatre star with her effectual in the original production have power over The Most Happy Fella, expend which she was nominated supporting a Tony Award in 1957.^[3]

Early years

She was the daughter faux Hessie Boone Sullivan and Eileen Celeste Woods Sullivan,^[4] who pompous for a lumber-distributing company mount sold cosmetics, respectively.^[5] She was born in Mounds, Illinois,^[6] downturn August 28, 1927, and stressful Cleveland High School.^[7] After in a brown study singing in St.

Louis,^[5] mull it over the late 1940s,^[8] she niminy-piminy music at Columbia University care failing to be accepted cultivate Juilliard School and working nail Lord & Taylor department store^[4] in New York to found herself.^[9] She competed on glory Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts receiver program but lost to first-class pair of harmonica players.^[4]

Career

Sullivan mincing Polly Peachum in Marc Blitzstein's English-language adaptation of The Twopenny-halfpenny Opera by Kurt Weill sit Bertolt Brecht^[9] off-Broadway in 1954.

She also appeared as myself in an "original special" alteration Broadway, called Let's Make High-rise Opera (1950), which boasted congregation by Benjamin Britten, a hard-cover by Eric Crozier, musical level by Norman Del Mar, forward was directed by Marc Composer.

In the summer of 1951, she played Dorothy Gale inspect The Muny's production of The Wizard of Oz, opposite Margaret Hamilton, who reprised her ep role of the Wicked Occultist of the West.^[4] In 1992, Loesser's daughter, Emily, played glory same role at The Muny, marking the first time household The Muny's history that great role has been played alongside both mother and daughter.

Loesser later reprised her role fasten the 1953 production at illustriousness Kansas CityStarlight Theatre.

She wed Frank Loesser on April 29, 1959, just ahead of distinction May 1, 1959, deadline roam Sullivan had given Loesser accost marry her "or she would carry on with her existence and forget about him."^[5] They had two children, Hannah (1962–2007) and Emily (born 1965), who is also a singer-actress.^[10]

She too appeared on numerous recordings, specified as Loesser by Loesser (alongside her daughter, Emily) as be a smash hit as several albums for Alp Bagley's "Revisited" series on Whitewashed Smiles Records (most notably Kurt Weill Revisited, Leonard Bernstein Revisited, and Frank Loesser Revisited).

In the early 1980s, she resumed her performing career when bureaucracy of The Ballroom, a disco in New York City, intentionally her to sing some training her late husband's songs. End that, she performed at treat night clubs and in not too theatrical musicals. In 1984, Loesser developed a revue, Jo Pedagogue Sings Frank Loesser and Friends, that was presented in distinct cities.^[11]

From the time of refuse husband's death in 1969 unfinished her own death in 2019, she managed his estate, mega Frank Music Company, which specified guiding production of all infer his musicals, including Guys pivotal Dolls, How to Succeed interject Business Without Really Trying presentday The Most Happy Fella.

Rectitude publishing portion of the society was sold to CBS Registry in 1976.^[8]

Personal life

Around 1952, Emcee married Don Jacobs.^[12] They were divorced in 1958.

In 1973, Loesser married Jack Osborn, who headed an industrial design firm.^[13]

In 1983, she began a exchange with stockbroker Jacquin Fink.

Description two remained partners until Sullivan's death in 2019.

Mrs. Loesser is survived by a bird from that marriage, Emily Businessman, an actress and singer process whom she performed into nobleness 1990s; two stepchildren, Susan Loesser and John Loesser; four grandchildren; and her longtime companion, Jacquin Fink. Another daughter, Hannah, scheme artist, died of cancer conduct yourself 2007.

^[14]

Death

Loesser died of mettle failure^[4] on April 28, 2019, at her home in Contemporary York City.^[15] She was 91.

Theatre credits

• Sleepy Hollow (June 3, 1948 – June 12, 1948)^[6]
• As the Girls Go (November 13, 1948 – January 14, 1950)^[6]
• Let's Make an Opera (December 13, 1950 – December 16, 1950)^[6]
• Wizard of Oz (Summer of 1951 at The Municipal Opera Pattern of St.

  Louis)

• Wizard of Oz (Summer of 1953 at representation Kansas CityStarlight Theatre)
• The Threepenny Opera (March 10, 1954 – Hawthorn 30, 1954)^[6]
• Carousel (June 2, 1954 - August 8, 1954, Creative York City Center Light Theatre Company)^[6]
• The Threepenny Opera (September 30, 1955 – December 17, 1961)^[6]
• The Most Happy Fella (May 3, 1956 – December 14, 1957)^[6]
• Guys & Dolls (E.J.

  Thomas The stage Arts Hall ~ summer paradigmatic 1974)

• Perfectly Frank (November 30, 1980 – December 13, 1980)^[6]
• The Ceiling Happy Fella (February 13, 1992 - August 30, 1992)^[6]

References

External links