Martha Raye

Film and Television Clown

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by David C. Tucker

Type

Biographies

Subject

Actress > Martha Raye

Keywords

Martha Raye, actress, humor

Publishing date

2016

Publisher

McFarland & Co

Language

English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 212 pages
6 x 9 inches (15 x 23 cm)

ISBN

978-0-7864-9583-2

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Book Presentation:
On stage from her childhood, Martha Raye (1916–1994) proudly embraced the role of the clown, her gift for slapstick comedy enhanced by a fine singing voice. She became a star with her first feature film, Rhythm on the Range (1936), as the zany, loudmouthed girl looking for love—or chasing it as it ran away. She won popular and critical acclaim with The Martha Raye Show (1954–1956) before it was abruptly cancelled, partly because of her chaotic personal life.

Drawing on new interviews with her colleagues, this retrospective covers the life and career of an enduringly funny lady who influenced a generation of women comedians. Her reign as a top NBC star of the 1950s is covered, along with her appearances on popular variety shows, her roles in fondly remembered series like The Bugaloos, McMillan and Alice, and her film career that teamed her with the likes of Jack Benny, Charlie Chaplin and Doris Day.

About the Author:
David C. Tucker is the author of numerous books about classic film and television history. A retired public library administrator, he lives just outside Atlanta, Georgia.

Press Reviews:
"David C. Tucker is one of McFarland’s very best authors. Not only does he write well, his research skills are impeccable…while this is undoubtedly an appreciation of Miss Raye’s work, it goes much farther by presenting a straight-forward portrait of a complicated woman and performer…the photos are outstanding"—Classic Images.

See the publisher website: McFarland & Co