Dorothy Shay
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Shay was an American
popular comedic recording artist in the late 1940s and early 1950s, who later became a character actress. She was known as the "Park Avenue
Hillbillie."
. When she began her career as a 'straight' singer, she took vocal lessons to lose her Southern accent. She sang for the USO during World War II
. Dorothy changed her name to "Shay" in order to not be confused with Ginny Simms
, another performer of the day, choosing "Shay" to honor her mentor Betty Shay (Betty Shay later became Betty Corday
when she married Ted Corday
, producer of Days of our Lives
). While performing with Morton Gould
and his orchestra, she performed an encore, "Uncle Fud," a hayseed novelty number that became very popular and launched her solo singing career.
and recorded a series of hit records. Her biggest hit was "Feudin' And Fightin'" in 1947. In her singing engagements, she performed dressed as a sophisticated urbanite while talking like a rural Southerner. She was popular in clubs, radio and television. She also played a nightclub singer, also named Dorothy, in the 1951 Abbott and Costello
movie Comin' Round The Mountain
. She performed at Dwight D. Eisenhower
's Inaugural Ball in 1953. She also recorded for Capitol Records
and Imperial Records
where she recorded a rockabilly
song titled "Hunky Dory".
. She died of a heart attack
on October 22, 1978 in Santa Monica, California
. Upon her death, the writers of The Waltons wrote her character off, with the mention that she sold the Dew Drop Inn and moved to California.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
popular comedic recording artist in the late 1940s and early 1950s, who later became a character actress. She was known as the "Park Avenue
Park Avenue (Manhattan)
Park Avenue is a wide boulevard that carries north and southbound traffic in New York City borough of Manhattan. Through most of its length, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east....
Hillbillie."
Early life
Shay was born Dorothy Sims in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. When she began her career as a 'straight' singer, she took vocal lessons to lose her Southern accent. She sang for the USO during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Dorothy changed her name to "Shay" in order to not be confused with Ginny Simms
Ginny Simms
Ginny Simms was an American Popular Singer and film actress. She labeled with Dinah Shore, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Jo Stafford and others. Born in San Antonio, Texas, she sang with big bands and worked as MGM contract player film actress.She appeared in 11 movies from 1939 to 1951, when she...
, another performer of the day, choosing "Shay" to honor her mentor Betty Shay (Betty Shay later became Betty Corday
Betty Corday
Betty Corday was a broadway dramatic actress and long-time American television producer. She co-created and executive produced the long running NBC drama "Days of our Lives from 1966 until her death in 1987.Becoming executive producer after the death of her husband, Ted Corday Betty Corday (née...
when she married Ted Corday
Ted Corday
Theodore "Ted" Corday was a producer, director and creator of many American serials.Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Corday graduated from the University of Alberta and studied law before moving to the United States in 1934...
, producer of Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives
Days of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
). While performing with Morton Gould
Morton Gould
Morton Gould was an American composer, conductor, arranger, and pianist.Born in Richmond Hill, New York, Gould was recognized early as a child prodigy with abilities in improvisation and composition. His first composition was published at age six...
and his orchestra, she performed an encore, "Uncle Fud," a hayseed novelty number that became very popular and launched her solo singing career.
"The Park Avenue Hillbillie"
She signed with Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and recorded a series of hit records. Her biggest hit was "Feudin' And Fightin'" in 1947. In her singing engagements, she performed dressed as a sophisticated urbanite while talking like a rural Southerner. She was popular in clubs, radio and television. She also played a nightclub singer, also named Dorothy, in the 1951 Abbott and Costello
Abbott and Costello
William "Bud" Abbott and Lou Costello performed together as Abbott and Costello, an American comedy duo whose work on stage, radio, film and television made them the most popular comedy team during the 1940s and 1950s...
movie Comin' Round The Mountain
Comin' Round the Mountain
Comin' Round The Mountain is a 1951 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello.-Plot:Theatrical agent Al Stewart has successfully booked his client, Dorothy McCoy , "The Manhattan Hillbilly", at a New York nightclub. Unfortunately, he has also booked an inept escape artist, The Great...
. She performed at Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
's Inaugural Ball in 1953. She also recorded for Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
and Imperial Records
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :...
where she recorded a rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
song titled "Hunky Dory".
Later years
She was married briefly to Dick Looman in 1958. After a period of inactivity in the 1960s, she returned to show business as a character actress in the 1970s. She had a recurring role as Thelma, first owner of the Dew Drop Inn, in the TV series The WaltonsThe Waltons
The Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name. The show centered on a family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and World War II. The series pilot was a television...
. She died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
on October 22, 1978 in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. Upon her death, the writers of The Waltons wrote her character off, with the mention that she sold the Dew Drop Inn and moved to California.
External links
- The Dorothy Shay Fan Pages, a tribute website from her niece.
- Big Bands and Big Names: Dorothy Shay
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0790114/Dorothy Shay at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
.] - http://www.tv.com/dorothy-shay/person/6722/summary.htmlDorothy Shay at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...
.] - Find photos, music, and more at Dorothy Shay's iLike page
- American Songwriter Bob Merrill started his career writing songs for Dorothy Shay