Yep, Bentley did that, and in the middle of segregated America to boot. Family members linked to this person will appear here. But trouble started as soon as Gladys was born. [1][2][24] It was initially believed to be the "Asian flu" but later turned into "pneumonia". 4. For the customers of the club, one of the unique things about my act was the way I dressed, she wrote. In August 1928, she signed with Okeh Records company and recorded eight sides over the course of the next year up until 1929. National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gladys Bentley, Prentiss Taylor, and Nora Holt, Letter to Paul Kalmanovitz from the Musicians' Protective Association, Musicians' Protective Association Local 767 claim form, Photograph of two men and a woman taken at the Ubangi Club, Photograph of a group of men and women taken at the Ubangi Club, Photograph of Leroy Broomfield and the Ubangi Club dancers, Carl Van Vechten Photographs of Prentiss Taylor with Gladys Bentley and Nora Holt. Lincoln Memorial Park. Lets just, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Pitiless Facts About Jacques Damala, History's Worst Boyfriend, Startling Facts About Jackie Coogan, The Tragic Child Superstar, Hard-Earned Facts About Pedro Pascal, The Unlikely Star, Tormented Facts About Edvard Munch, The Man Behind The Scream. She's been a special interest of mine for quite some time, and in the 1920's and 30's she was especially prominent. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. The 1950s were even more conservative than the early part of the 20th century. Thanks for your time! Gladys was ill throughout the summer of 1958, so she and husband Vernon Presley returned to Memphis in early August to see her personal physician. This happened even at her star-studded Hollywood shows, which would have the likes of Mary Astor and Barbara Stanwyck watching from the audience. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. She created her own musical revue with a chorus of eight male dancers in drag, the primary attraction at the well-known Ubangi Club, 1934-1937. She sang loud, and her vocal style was deep and booming, sometimes using a growling effect and imitations of a horn. . She dressed in men's clothes (including a signature tuxedo and top hat), played piano, and sang her own raunchy lyrics to popular tunes of the day in a deep, growling voice while flirting with women in the audience. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Gladys Bentley: 0: French: Gladys Bentley: chanteuse de blues amricaine: 0: Dutch: Gladys Bentley: Amerikaans zangeres (1907-1960) . When she eventually left the Clam House for the swanky Ubangi Club on Park Avenue, she reportedly rented an extravagant penthouse apartment that would have raised her mothers eyebrows. For Hoedel, any such claims are just baseless "romanticism." Gladys became severely ill in August 1958 due to undiagnosed hepatitis, brought on by alcoholism, while Elvis was serving in US Army in Germany; he . Heck, I volunteer as tribute. "Goodbye, darling. When Gladys died in 1958, newspapers around the world gave her age as 42, when she was really 46. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. I like to believe that Gladys Bentley had her thumb on the pulse of the time. The headline sent shockwaves through America. They eventually divorced. Today though, Bentleys story is resurfacing and she is seen as an African-American woman who was ahead of her time for proudly loving other women, wearing mens clothing and singing bawdy songs. By 1933, Bentley headlined in nightclubs and theatres such as The Cotton Club and The Apollo. As a child, Bentley developed tender feelings for a female teacher and was often sent home for going . Langston Hughes recorded his reaction to the beginning of Bentley's career success: For two or three amazing years, Miss Bentley sat, and played piano all night long with scarcely a break between the notes, sliding from one song to another, with a powerful and continuous underbeat of jungle rhythm. Yet in California, Bentley only got into some silver screen drama. based on information from your browser. There is a problem with your email/password. Before joining the team, she worked as a course lecturer while completing her Ph.D. in English Literature. In 1952, her first husband J.T. She tried to continue her musical career but did not achieve as much success as she had had in the past. Bentley moved to Los Angeles to live with her mother. 0 cemeteries found in Carson, Los Angeles County, California, USA. Its a woman.. Once more, I ask: Did Gladys Bentley care? Haleema Shah is the host and associate producer for the Smithsonian's "Sidedoor" podcast, and a journalist who believes in using audio to enable audiences to delve deep into the ideas that shape our world. One of the frustrating and actually joyous things about Gladys Bentley was she was constantly inventing herself, Wilson says. Then, she made a jaw-dropping decision. She was revolutionary in her masculinity: "Differing from the traditional male impersonator, or drag king, in the popular theater, Gladys Bentley did not try to 'pass' as a man, nor did she playfully try to deceive her audience into believing she was biologically male. This is when she began performing in men's attire ("white full dress shirts, stiff collars, small bow ties, oxfords, short Eton jackets, and hair cut straight back"),[3] and here she perfected her act and became popular and successful. That year, Bentley took up with kitchen cook Charles Roberts, marrying him after a whirlwind courtship. Her parents tried to cure Bentley by taking her to numerous doctors. Already a big girl, her parents and siblings saw this masculine turn as shamefully unladylike, while her classmates teased her at school. There was just one huge problem. Oftentimes when she mentioned something about her personal life, you had to take it with a grain of salt and not necessarily take it for truth.. Her name doesnt have the same recognition as many of her Harlem Renaissance peers, in part, because the risqu nature of her performances would have kept her out of mainstream venues, newspapers and history books. This drag king persona has formed part of her legacy to this day. Gladys George was one of the movies' greatest hard-luck dames, both on- and off-screen. Lamont Bentley, a promising actor who appeared in more than a dozen films and television shows but was best known for his role on the comedy series "Moesha," died early Wednesday in a car crash in . The report will reveal what was in Tewmey's system at the time of his . He demanded she stop trying to perform on Broadway, and took his suit all the way up to the Supreme Court. [2] She heard that Harry Hansberry's Clam House on 133rd Street, one of the city's most notorious gay speakeasies,[8] needed a male pianist. Get the latest information about timed passes and tips for planning your visit, Search the collection and explore our exhibitions, centers, and digital initiatives, Online resources for educators, students, and families, Engage with us and support the Museum from wherever you are, Find our upcoming and past public and educational programs, Learn more about the Museum and view recent news, Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of African American History & Culture. In the end, the booming, bodacious, and vivacious singer succumbed to the relatively common ailment of pneumonia, which came on quickly and didnt let her go. "It broke my heart," Elvis Presley said. She went to Broadway anywaybut she would live to regret it. When Gladys Bentley performed in speakeasies, especially at the beginning of her career, a curious thing started happening. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. Bentley was openly lesbian early in her career,[16] but during the McCarthy Era, she started wearing dresses and married (within five months of meeting) Charles Roberts, age 28, a cook, in a civil ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, in 1952. Inevitably, even the vaunted Ubangi club closed its doors in 1937, kicking Bentley out along with its regular clientele. [12] Bentley was known for taking popular songs and putting a promiscuous spin on them. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - Funeral arrangements were announced for Betsy Layne Elementary School teacher Lea Bentley. Bentley's performances appealed to black, white, gay, and straight audiences alike, and many celebrities attended her shows. Celebrity OTE - Spring Arts Guide Daniel Kaluuya Digital. On August 14, 1958, Gladys Presley died, aged just 46. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. She was frequently harassed for wearing men's clothing. In 1960, after a lifetime as a popular entertainer and a woman who lived on the fringes in a world that wasnt ready to accept her, Gladys Bentley succumbed to pneumonia. She had been living in California with her mother and was waiting to be ordained as a minister in the Temple of Love in Christ, Inc. Today, she is being rediscovered for the same reason that her story was obscured during her youth. Gladys Bentley had told the gossip columnist that she had just gotten married. Scholars who have studied Bentleys life said that the story Bentley told about being cured in the Ebony article was likely a response to the McCarthy Era and its hostile claims that homosexuality and communism were threats to the country. As times progressed and federal laws continued to change, there became a point where Bentley had to carry special permits to allow her to perform in men's clothing. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. All Rights Reserved. He was inconsolable as he sank to his knees beside his mother's bed. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. singer. Table showing information for name claims, including the name itself . Thing is, Bentley didnt keep her private life private, not by a long shot. For all her revelations in her Ebony article, Bentleys confessions may not be what they seem. The timing of her downturn in health spurred theories that Gladys drank herself to death, wracked with worry and suffering from a broken heart while her son was serving overseas in Germany. On May 15, 1958 she appeared as a contestant on You Bet Your Life, engaging in discussion with host Groucho Marx before accompanying herself on piano as she sang "Them There Eyes". Inside these hidden, smoky rooms, Bentley astounded and scandalized audiences with her booming voice, her impeccably tailored suits, and her raunchy lyrics. Some pearl-clutching patrons complained, and the citys response was swift and brutal. Date of Death: July 19, 2017. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Gladys Alberta Bentley I found on Findagrave.com. Roberts later denied that they had ever married. Born in working-class Philadelphia, Bentley moved to New York City at the age of 18 at a time when gay and lesbian nightclubs began to emerge and the . So she did what many 16-year-olds only dream of: She ran away from home to go seek stardom in Harlem, New York, the epicentre of Black bohemian culture at the time. Openly lesbian, she sang raunchy remakes of popular tunes in a deep voice, dressed in her signature mens style of tuxedo and top hat. Eventually, Bentley got tired of performing for small crowds, and began looking for gigs at bona fide clubs around New York. . Years before Bentley played midtown nightclubs, she got her musical career started at rent parties, where people in Harlem would cover the costs by charging admission for private parties with alcohol and live performances. Ergo, no charges. Her beginnings werent humble, though; they were scandalous. He was 77. Gladys Presley died on August 14, 1958, at the age of 46 after suffering from heart failure. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. Bentley made her spectacular debut on the Great White Way in 1933until it turned into an utter disaster. That all changed in the blink of an eye. Wilson also says that Bentley, who was aging and no stranger to reinvention, was likely making deft use of the press. But its more complicated than all that. GLADYS BENTLEY Gladys D. Fleming Bentley, 77, of 1020 Virginia Avenue, Anderson County, died Friday, August 2, 2002 at Heritage Hall Care Center in Lawrenceburg. The Prohibition Era had come to an end, and now white pleasure-seekers frequented Harlem far less than before. Elvis had an emergency opportunity to visit her, but she did not make it. While Harlem was home to African-Americans facing the challenges of the Great Depression, it also became a destination for pleasure-seekers who Wilson says were eager to let loose of their bourgeois attitudes. Gladys Bentley - Performer (1907-1960) At the height of her career during the 1920s and 1930s, Gladys Bentley was the most well-known and financially successful black women in the United States. Cookie Settings, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies: Performance, Race, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance, Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States, Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Otherand the Birds Loved It, Balto's DNA Provides a New Look at the Intrepid Sled Dog, The Science of California's 'Super Bloom,' Visible From Space, What We're Still Learning About Rosalind Franklins Unheralded Brilliance. [26], In 2019, The New York Times newspaper began a series called "Overlooked No More," in which the editorial staff aims to correct a perceived bias in reporting by republishing obituaries for historical minorities and women. 0 references. . She headlined in the early 1930s at Harlem's Ubangi Club, where she was backed up by a chorus line of drag queens. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Theyd seen talent before, but theyd never seen talent like this. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. In the summer of 1952, while married to Gipson, Bentley penned an article for Ebony magazine looking back on her stardom and her personal life. Gladys Bentley, a luminary of the Harlem Renaissance, began her blues career singing at rent parties (held to raise rent money by charging attendees) and underground establishments in Harlem, New York. Significant Dates. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. She was larger in size and preferred to wear her brother's suits instead of dresses or blouses. Her career skyrocketed when she appeared at Harry Hansberry's Clam House, a well-known gay speakeasy in New York in the 1920s, as a black, lesbian, cross-dressing performer. Resend Activation Email. Let it play in the background as you study and immerse yourself in this topic! Looking back, this might have been a bad omen. And then Mrs West returned to education - working towards a PhD . On Thursday, Charlie Monk, music publisher and family friend of the country singer-songwriter, confirmed to The Tennessean that Weatherly died on Wednesday. Heck no. By the late 1930s, the Harlem Renaissance and Gladys Bentley, had lost their allure. Terms of Use Years before Gladys Bentley performed in midtown Manhattan, she arrived in Harlem around 1925. Lila Gladys Young was a Canadian woman who operated The Ideal Maternity Home, a discreet residence for unwed pregnant mothers in Nova Scotia between 1928 and 1947. . Gladys Knight Death Hoax Dismissed Since Singer Is 'Alive And Well'. This service only issues certified copies of microfilmed death certificates for deaths that occurred in Louisiana between 1911-1972. When word got around that the great Gladys Bentley was no longer with us, her old friends and fans must have been shocked and looking for answers. Michael Bekoev. When she got up on stage every night in her top hat and tails, she sang loud and proud about sissies and bulldaggers, and her lyrics often illustrated her lesbian affairs in very explicit terms. By the 1950s, Gladys Bentley was making some even more rash decisions. Bentley moved to California, where she continued recording music, touring and performing in upscale supper clubs and bars, but Wilson says her act was a toned down version of what it was at the height of her fame in New York. ", Gladys Bentley performing "Them There Eyes" with Groucho Marx on, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Gladys Bentley, Gender-Bending Blues Performer and '20s Harlem Royalty", "The Great Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke All the Rules", "A Spectacle in Color: The Lesbian and Gay Subculture of Jazz Age Harlem", National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gladys Bentley, more than a liberated singer, "Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke Ground with Marriage to a Woman in 1931", "shirlette celebrates Gladys Bentley in PBS American Masters Series, UNLADYLIKE2020", Collection of newspaper clippings and recording information about Gladys Bentley, from Queer Music Heritage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gladys_Bentley&oldid=1147239415, The Mad House, 133rd Street, Harlem, New York City, New York, Harry Hansberry's Clam House ("Gladys' Clam House"), 133rd Street, Harlem, Harlem, New York City, New York, Ubangi Club, Harlem, New York City, New York, Connie's Inn ("Jungle Alley"), 2221 Seventh Street, Harlem, New York City, New York, "Worried Blues" / "Ground Hog Blues" (August 1928) #8610, "Wild Geese Blues" / "How Much Can I Stand" (November 1928, with piano, not released), "Wild Geese Blues" / "How Much Can I Stand" (November 1928, with guitar) #8643, "Red Beans and Rice" / "Big Gorilla Man" (March 1929) #8707, "Washboards Get Together" / "Kazoo Moan", #38127, scatting vocal on A-side only (title often listed as "Washboard Get Together"), with the Washboard Serenaders, recorded March 1930; reissued twice, as Bluebird B-5790 (circa 1934) and B-6633 (circa 1936), "Boogie'n My Woogie" / "Thrill Me Till I Get My Fill", #164, "Red Beans & Rice Blues" / "Find Out What He Likes (and How He Likes It)" #165/166, "Big Gorilla Blues" / "Lay It on the Line", #166/165, "Notoriety Papa" / "It Went to the Girl Next Door", #169, "July Boogie" / "Gladys Could Play", #337, as Fatso Bentley, July 4, 1953, "Easter Mardi Gras" / "Before Midnight", Flame 1001, Cincinnati, early 1950s, label misspells name as Gladys Bently; mentioned in her August 1952 article in, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 17:37. place of burial. In truth, Gladys Bentley has been a mystery for decades. Bentley died of pneumonia unexpectedly at her home in Los Angeles on January 18, 1960, aged 52. In her music, she called out men and openly sang about sexual relationships which was seen as risqu behavior at the time. James T. Wilson, Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies: Performance, Race, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010); Irene Monroe, Honoring Notorious Gladys, The Huffington Post Blog (February 12, 2010), http://www.huffingtonpost.com/irene-monroe/honoring-notorious-gladys_b_459929.html; http://www.queerculturalcenter.org/Pages/Bentley/BentleyBio.html. Tragic Facts About Bessie Smith, The Empress Of The Blues, Eleanor Of Aquitaine Was Englands Fiercest QueenUntil Her Brutal End, Lawyers Reveal Their Most Jaw-Dropping Court Cases, Truth Hurts: Binge-Worthy Stories About The Biggest Liars Of All Time, These Mega Embarrassing Moments Still Made Us Burst Out Laughing, Catherine The Great Was a Mighty EmpressUntil Her Brutal Downfall. She was one of the most well-known and financially successful black women in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. Okeh Race Records released eight singles of her music between 1928 and 1929. Places would bill her as a male impersonator or even an actual male performer, thanks to her dapper styling and masculine energy. And in the end, shed have to grab that fame back with both hands. On Thursday (April 27) the singer's reps officially confirmed that Gladys Knight is not dead. She knew what was popular, what she could do, and what people would pay to see, he says. It's up there with being a communist, Wilson says. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. According to Elvis History Blog, Gladys Presley, the mother of Elvis Presley, died "of a heart attack" at the age of 46, the cause of death given in an Associated press story from the time.. That one had to hurt. A cause of death wasn't. Gladys was diagnosed with hepatitis shortly after, and her symptoms worsened significantly after that. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Nevertheless, losing Jesse still affected the King deeply. "Biblical Gender Bending in Harlem: The Queer Performance of Nugent's Salome. Cara Williams, the actress known for her Oscar-nominated turn in The Defiant Ones, her Emmy-nominated performance in CBS' sitcom Pete and Gladys and more, died on December 9. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Names. Heck no. It's a woman, Wilson says. According to Bentley herself, her dysfunctional relationship with her mother shaped the rest of her life in intense ways. "Vernon Presley said he was aroused at 3 a.m. by his wife, Gladys, 'suffering for breath.' Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA. [9] She toured the country, some destinations being Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Hollywood, where she was well liked by Cesar Romero, Hugh Herbert, Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck, and other celebrities.
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