- Born
- Died
- Birth nameAda Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Virginia Smith
- Bricktop was born on August 14, 1894 in Alderson, West Virginia, USA. She was an actress, known for Zelig (1983), Honeybaby, Honeybaby (1974) and Chasing a Rainbow: The Life of Josephine Baker (1986). She was married to Peter DuConge. She died on January 30, 1984 in New York City, New York, USA.
- SpousePeter DuConge(December 1929 - 193?) (separated)
- Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 102-104. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
- In 1924 she was invited to Paris to star at Eugene Bullard's Le Grand Duc.
- After performing at clubs in Los Angeles and San Francisco from 1919 to 1922 she relocated to New York where he sang at Barron DeWare Wilkins' hot spot Barron's Exclusive Club. Her fellow performer their included comedian Frankie Fay, singer Al Jolson and chorus girl Lucille LeSueur, soon to be known as Joan Crawford.
- At the age of 16 she began performing in Chicago's chicest clubs. Her big break came when she was hired to perform at the Cabaret de Champion owned by boxer Jack Johnson.
- Worked with Bill "Mr Bojangles" Robinson on Chicago stages.
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