Julie Wilson
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Julie Wilson | |
|---|---|
New York, New York, U.S. | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress |
| Years active | 1942–1990 |
| Notable work | Legs Diamond Kiss Me, Kate |
| Children | 2, including Holt McCallany |
Julie May Wilson (October 21, 1924 – April 5, 2015) was an American singer and actress widely regarded as "the queen of cabaret".[1] She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1989 for her performance in Legs Diamond.[2]
Early life
Wilson was born in Omaha, Nebraska, United States,[3] the daughter of Emily (née Wilson[4]), a hairdresser, and Russell Wilson, a coal salesman.[5] She first found a musical outlet with local musical group "Hank's Hepcats" in her teenage years and briefly attended Omaha University. She won the title of Miss Nebraska and would have competed in the Miss America pageant, until it was discovered that she was just under the required minimum age of 18.[6] She headed to New York City during World War II and found work in two of Manhattan's leading nightclubs, the Latin Quarter and the Copacabana.[6] Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, in a 1948 newspaper column, referred to Wilson as "Kay Thompson's discovery," adding that Wilson "is being tested by Arthur Freed at Metro."[7]
Career
She made her
In 1957, Wilson sang with Ray Anthony and his Orchestra, contributing vocals to a number of songs in the soundtrack to the film This Could Be The Night. Wilson also had an acting role in the film, as singer Ivy Corlane. The same year she appeared as Rosebud in The Strange One, opposite Ben Gazzara. Wilson's television credits include regular roles on the American daytime soap opera The Secret Storm. She also appeared in a Hallmark Hall of Fame telecast of Kiss Me, Kate and numerous episodes of The Ed Sullivan Show.
Personal life
On October 18, 1954, Wilson married talent agent Barron Reynolds Polan in
With her third husband, actor/producer Michael McAloney, Wilson had two sons, Holt and Michael, Jr., who attended school in Ireland while their parents worked in New York City. When the marriage failed, Wilson sent the boys to live with her parents in Omaha. When they reached their teen years, she retired and joined them. Holt McAloney is now credited for acting roles as Holt McCallany. Michael McAloney Jr. died in 1991.[6]
In 1983, with her sons grown and her parents deceased, she found her niche and forged her reputation as a cabaret performer, known primarily for her dramatic delivery of
Wilson suffered a stroke on April 5, 2015, in Manhattan and died the same day. She was 90.[6]
References
- ^ "Julie Wilson, Sultry Cabaret Legend and Actress, Dies at 90," The New York Times, 6 April 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
- ^ "Tony Nominee Julie Wilson Passes Away at 90". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- ^ ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
- ^ "Colorado, County Marriage Records and State Index, 1862-2006". Ancestry. 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ William Ruhlmann. "Julie Wilson – Biography – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d Holden, Stephen (April 6, 2015). "Julie Wilson, Sultry Cabaret Legend and Actress, Dies at 90". The New York Times. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- Newspapers.com.
- Newspapers.com.
External links
- Official website
- Julie Wilson at the Internet Broadway Database
- Julie Wilson at IMDb
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