Nora Bayes
Nora Bayes (October 8, 1880 – March 19, 1928) was a popular American singer, comedienne and actress of the early 20th century.
Early life and career
Born Eleanor "Dora" Goldberg, with Dora being a pet or nickname, to a Jewish family in Joliet, Illinois, Bayes was performing professionally in vaudeville in Chicago by age 18. She toured from San Francisco, California to New York City and became a star both on the vaudeville circuit and the Broadway stage.
In 1908, she married singer-songwriter Jack Norworth. The two toured together and were credited for collaborating on a number of compositions, including the immensely popular "Shine On, Harvest Moon," which the pair debuted in Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies of 1908. Bayes and Norworth divorced in 1913.
After America entered World War I Bayes became involved with morale boosting activities. George M. Cohan asked that she be the first to record a performance of his patriotic song "Over There". Her recording was released in 1917 and became an international hit. She also performed shows for the soldiers. In 1919, she recorded "How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree)?" for Columbia which became a hit for that year.
44th Street Theatre
The 44th Street Theatre was a Broadway theatre located at 216 West 44th Street in New York City from 1912 to 1945. It opened and operated for three years as the Weber and Fields' Music Hall. Its rooftop theatre, the Nora Bayes Theatre, presented many productions of the Federal Theatre Project in the mid 1930s. Its basement club became the famed Stage Door Canteen during World War II.
History
The 44th Street Theatre was located at 216 West 44th Street in New York City. The architect was William A. Swansea. Built by The Shubert Organization in 1912, it was first named Weber and Fields' Music Hall. The theatre was renamed in 1915 when the comedy duo of Joe Weber and Lew Fields split with the Shuberts.
A theatre on the roof of the building, Lew Fields' 44th Street Roof Garden, became the Nora Bayes Theatre in 1918. In the mid-1930s it presented Federal Theatre Project shows.
In the basement of the 44th Street Theatre was a small nightclub, probably a speakeasy during Prohibition.
Podcasts:
Nora Bayes
ALBUMS
- The Roaring 20s - Hits of '20 released: 2002
- American Pop: An Audio History released: 2000
- Nipper's Greatest Hits: 1901-1920 released: 1991
- Stairway to Paradise (2007-05-10 Encores! cast) released:
- Pop Music: The Early Years 1890-1950 released:
The Roaring 20s - Hits of '20
Released 2002- Dardanella
- Swanee
- Whispering
- The 'St. Louis Blues'
- I'll See You in C-U-B-A
- The Love Nest
- Marion, You'll Soon Be Marryin' Me (with Gladys Rice)
- The Japanese Sandman
- Alice Blue Gown
- Wait Till You Get Them Up in the Air, Boys
- Prohibition Blues
- You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet!
- Hold Me
- When My Baby Smiles at Me
- Margie
- Mean, Mean Mama
- Rock Me in My Swanee Cradle
- Left All Alone Again Blues
- Oh, by Jingo! Oh, by Gee! You're the Only Girl for Me
- Original Dixieland One-Step
- I Love the Land of Old Black Joe
- You'd Be Surprised
- In Sweet September
- Chile Bean
American Pop: An Audio History
Released 2000- Society's Blues
- Ragtime Annie
- It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'
- Original Charleston Strut
- The Old Hen Crackled & The Roosters Gonna Crow
- New Orleans Joys
- Kansas City Man's Blues
- Elephants Wobble
- Working Man Blues
- Lucky Rock Blues
- Chicago Stomp
- Johnny Dunn's Cornet Blues
- California Here I Come
- Prisoner's Song
- Ezekiel Saw the Wheel
- Suitcase Blues
- When the Works All Done This Fall
- Sugar Hill
- Candy Girl
- Long Lonesome Blues
- It's All Right Now
- Sweet & Low Down
- Stockyard Strut
- The Cross-Eyed Butcher & the Cacklin' Hen
Nipper's Greatest Hits: 1901-1920
Released 1991- I've Got Rings on My Fingers (Bells on My Toes)
- Grand Old Rag
- Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?
- Smiles and Chuckles
- That Haunting Melody
- Tiger Rag
- A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody
- The Arkansas Traveler
- In the Good Old Summertime
- Life's a Funny Proposition After All
- The Yama Yama Man
- It's a Long Way to Tipperary
- In My Merry Oldsmobile
- Carry Me Back to Old Virginny
- Over There
- Shine on, Harvest Moon
- Come Josephine in My Flying Machine
- Mister Moon Man, Turn Off the Light
- After You've Gone
- I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
Stairway to Paradise (2007-05-10 Encores! cast)
- Overture
- The Land Where the Good Songs Go
- Everything in America is Ragtime
- The Maiden With the Dreamy Eyes
- If I Were on the Stage (Kiss Me Again)
- Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning
- The Yellow Peril
- Pack Up Your Sins and Go to the Devil
- Manhattan / Mountain Greenery
- I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan
- Memories of You
- I Know Darn Well I Can Do Without Broadway
- Doin' the New Low-Down
- My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More
- I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
- Dancing in the Dark
Pop Music: The Early Years 1890-1950
- Diga Diga Doo
- I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues
- Easter Parade
- The Object of My Affection
- The Lady in Red
- The Music Goes Round and Round
- I Can't Get Started
- These Foolish Things
- The Toy Trumpet
- Nightmare
- The Flat Foot Floogie
- My Heart Belongs to Daddy
- September Song
- I Thought About You
- Down the Road Apiece
- Prisoner of Love
- Why Don't You Do Right
- Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition
- Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer
- I'm Beginning to See the Light
- Laura
- Linda
- Buttons and Bows
- Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer
- One for My Baby
Born: 1880-10-08
Died: 1928-03-19
