Doris E. Travis, Last of the Ziegfeld Girls, Dies at 106

[leonid17]

Doris E. Travis last of the Ziegfield Girls has died aged 106.

Obituary:- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/12/arts/dan....html?ref=dance

[papeetepatrick]

Thanks for posting, leonid. I was about to post it myself, although I don't know the name. It made me think of some of the old gals I've always been fond of from the era who died in the last few years, like Anita Page (who was a movie star in some of the musicals of the very early talkie period like 'Broadway Melody of 1929', paired with Bessie Love), June Havoc (who was in vaudeville as a child)l and Ina Claire, who was in a number of these shows, even though we mostly know her from her classy performance with Garbo in 'Ninotchka'.

Edited to add: Just read the article, and it's fascinating. I may well read the book about the family which was always performing. Was extremely interested that she was in love with Nacio Herb Brown, who wrote 'Singin' in the Rain', and that she thinks he (and Arthur Freed) wrote it for her. I then looked up 'Hollywood Revue of 1929', about which I've got a good bit of material published in a book, thinking she might possibly be one of the 3 girls singing it in 1 plastic raincoat (I think it's one, not two, will have to check), but couldn't find the name, but a lot of those people were uncredited in those early film revues. I do think that 'Hollywood Revue of 1929' was the first film use of 'Singin' in the Rain', and later the eponymous film would use the songs from both 1929 'Broadway Melody' (again the eponymous, as well as 'You Were Meant for Me') and 'Hollywood Revue'. I'm crazy about this whole Ziegfeld/Vaudeville milieu.

[dirac]

Yes, thanks for posting this, leonid. Very sad, in a way, although she had a long and seemingly happy life, because she takes that last piece of history with her.

Was extremely interested that she was in love with Nacio Herb Brown, who wrote 'Singin' in the Rain', and that she thinks he (and Arthur Freed) wrote it for her.

She doesn't seem to have claimed that the song was written for her but that she was the first to perform it - not quite the same thing. It could well be true.

[leonid17]

Thanks for posting, leonid. I was about to post it myself, although I don't know the name. It made me think of some of the old gals I've always been fond of from the era who died in the last few years, like Anita Page (who was a movie star in some of the musicals of the very early talkie period like 'Broadway Melody of 1929', paired with Bessie Love), June Havoc (who was in vaudeville as a child)l and Ina Claire, who was in a number of these shows, even though we mostly know her from her classy performance with Garbo in 'Ninotchka'.

Edited to add: Just read the article, and it's fascinating. I may well read the book about the family which was always performing. Was extremely interested that she was in love with Nacio Herb Brown, who wrote 'Singin' in the Rain', and that she thinks he (and Arthur Freed) wrote it for her. I then looked up 'Hollywood Revue of 1929', about which I've got a good bit of material published in a book, thinking she might possibly be one of the 3 girls singing it in 1 plastic raincoat (I think it's one, not two, will have to check), but couldn't find the name, but a lot of those people were uncredited in those early film revues. I do think that 'Hollywood Revue of 1929' was the first film use of 'Singin' in the Rain', and later the eponymous film would use the songs from both 1929 'Broadway Melody' (again the eponymous, as well as 'You Were Meant for Me') and 'Hollywood Revue'. I'm crazy about this whole Ziegfeld/Vaudeville milieu.

I always find theatrical families interesting no matter what country they performed in. Sadly Vaudeville and Variety swiftly diminished in England with the wider ownership of televisions, that employed performers from these earlier genres.

It certainly is an interesting family and I found this lovely photograph which puts a face (and body) to the lady in question which perhaps papeetepatrick you might compare. See:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Little_Eatons

It has been suggested that, "Singing in the Rain" may have been written as early as 1927 the year Nacio Herb Brown joined The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

[papeetepatrick]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Little_Eatons

Thanks again, leonid. I put this again, it might be the underscore lines are needed to make the link work. I also liked the photos of Ms. Travis in the obit, because there was one from 2009! and she looked great. I couldn't believe it. I already put a hold on the book Mrs. Travis herself wrote, but want to read Mr. Redniss's too, because they'll be in radically different styles--always the theatrical person's writing has a lot more flourishes and at least some of the facts, but then a professional biographer is needed to check some of these.

just checked: Not sure why mine works and yours doesn't, they look the same.

[dirac]

I always find theatrical families interesting no matter what country they performed in. Sadly Vaudeville and Variety swiftly diminished in England with the wider ownership of televisions, that employed performers from these earlier genres.

It certainly is an interesting family and I found this lovely photograph which puts a face (and body) to the lady in question which perhaps papeetepatrick you might compare. See:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Little_Eatons

It has been suggested that, "Singing in the Rain" may have been written as early as 1927 the year Nacio Herb Brown joined The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

Thanks for that link.

The song wasn't published till 1929, Wikipedia tells us, but that doesn't mean it could not have been performed earlier.

[leonid17]

Two of the most extraordinary clips of the lady.

The first aged 101, the second aged 106 made just recently as described the Douglas Martin obituary.

[papeetepatrick]

Really just a biological sport. The 101-year-old dancing is amazing, and has a real charm and grace to it, and the one from just a few weeks ago is so well-spoken, not a stammer anywhere in it.

[carbro]

Author Stuart Lutz has posted several videos of a book event he presented with Ms. Travis, just a month before she died.

Of the five uploads, only three of them are of this April 29, 2010 event. Part I is the segment that's 9:05 long, then the 8:16.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Stuart...u/3/UBlpIasJZo4