Connie Russell(1923-1990)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Shapely, sultry singer Connie Russell came from show biz parents and
was already performing in her parent's song-and-dance vaudeville act by
age two. The New York-born Connie, whose musical heritage included
well-known vaudevillian and grandmother Marie Russell, traveled both in
the U.S. and Europe during her early days. She turned solo at age 11
and, quite mature for her age, began booking her own shows at popular
London night spots in her mid-teens.
Making her musical film debut in Melody and Romance (1937) while in England, MGM signed her up and she appeared to good advantage in Divorce en musique (1941) in which she sang "Fascinating Rhythm" but, despite her pin-up good looks, did not go on to better things with the studio, appearing in nothing parts in Un Américain pur sang (1942) and the Red Skelton/Eleanor Powell musical Croisière mouvementée (1942). She also dubbed Claire Trevor's singing voice in the film Crossroads (1942).
TV proved to be more viable medium for her when she auditioned for Dave Garroway and became a regular on his Garroway at Large (1949) show. She appeared on a number of variety TV shows for such luminaries as Morey Amsterdam, Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, Milton Berle and Eddie Cantor, and appeared in New York clubs in the early 50s. Returning to Hollywood she earned a strong showing in the musical film Cruisin' Down the River (1953) alongside Dick Haymes and became a prominent Las Vegas headliner. On the musical stage one of her most popular roles was in 1951's "South Pacific" as Nellie Forbush co-starring Richard Eastham," but hopes for the subsequent film role went down the tubes when the role went to Mitzi Gaynor.
A solid recording artist with a jazzy style, her more popular renditions include "That's What a Rainy Day is For" and "You've Changed." Her last films were in Toi mon amour (1954), in which she appeared as herself and sang the title tune, and the femme lead in the film noir thriller Le cauchemar (1956) with Kevin McCarthy and Edward G. Robinson. Marrying agent Mike Zimring, she abandoned her four-decade career after giving birth to her third daughter. She died in 1990 at age 67 of a heart ailment. Eldest daughter Lisa is also a singer.
Making her musical film debut in Melody and Romance (1937) while in England, MGM signed her up and she appeared to good advantage in Divorce en musique (1941) in which she sang "Fascinating Rhythm" but, despite her pin-up good looks, did not go on to better things with the studio, appearing in nothing parts in Un Américain pur sang (1942) and the Red Skelton/Eleanor Powell musical Croisière mouvementée (1942). She also dubbed Claire Trevor's singing voice in the film Crossroads (1942).
TV proved to be more viable medium for her when she auditioned for Dave Garroway and became a regular on his Garroway at Large (1949) show. She appeared on a number of variety TV shows for such luminaries as Morey Amsterdam, Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, Milton Berle and Eddie Cantor, and appeared in New York clubs in the early 50s. Returning to Hollywood she earned a strong showing in the musical film Cruisin' Down the River (1953) alongside Dick Haymes and became a prominent Las Vegas headliner. On the musical stage one of her most popular roles was in 1951's "South Pacific" as Nellie Forbush co-starring Richard Eastham," but hopes for the subsequent film role went down the tubes when the role went to Mitzi Gaynor.
A solid recording artist with a jazzy style, her more popular renditions include "That's What a Rainy Day is For" and "You've Changed." Her last films were in Toi mon amour (1954), in which she appeared as herself and sang the title tune, and the femme lead in the film noir thriller Le cauchemar (1956) with Kevin McCarthy and Edward G. Robinson. Marrying agent Mike Zimring, she abandoned her four-decade career after giving birth to her third daughter. She died in 1990 at age 67 of a heart ailment. Eldest daughter Lisa is also a singer.
