Rags Ragland

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Rags Ragland
Los Angeles, California
, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian
Years active1935–1946
Spouse
Sabina E. Vanover
​
(div. 1926)​
Children1

Rags Ragland (born John Lee Morgan Beauregard Ragland, August 23, 1905 – August 20, 1946) was an American comedian and character actor.

Personal life

Ragland was born on August 23, 1905, in Louisville, Kentucky, to parents Adam Joseph Ragland and Stella Petty.

As a youth, he worked as a truck driver, boxer, and movie projectionist in Kentucky. He was briefly married to Sabina Elizabeth Vanover and they had one child, a son named John Griffin Ragland (1925–1990), before they divorced in 1926. The following year, at the age of 22, Ragland moved to Los Angeles.

Career

Arthur Treacher, Pat Harrington, Ethel Merman, Frank Hyers and Rags Ragland in the original Broadway production of Panama Hattie (1940)
Ragland (right) with Ben Blue, Red Skelton and Ann Sothern in the film Panama Hattie (1942)
Armed Forces Radio program Mail Call
(1943)

Ragland made his show business reputation in burlesque. He quickly became known for his wild ad-libs, unpredictable intrusions into other comics' acts, and a "healthy off-stage libido". Eventually he worked his way up to "top banana" at Minsky's, the dominant burlesque house.[1]

Minsky striptease star Georgia Sothern remembered him fondly in her 1971 memoir, saying she considered Ragland a close friend and the funniest comedian the Minskys had ever produced.[2] His longtime performing partner Phil Silvers referred to Ragland in his autobiography as "my favorite comic".[3]

After burlesque in its classic style died, Ragland made his way to Broadway theatre and films. He usually played good-natured oafs with a knack for fracturing the English language. He became a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) contract player beginning with 1942's Panama Hattie, reprising a role he played on Broadway. Ragland appeared in around two dozen MGM light comedies and musicals. He gained popularity as Red Skelton's cohort in the "Whistling" movies (Whistling in the Dark, Whistling in Dixie, and Whistling in Brooklyn). His final film appearance was in the drama The Hoodlum Saint (1946).

Death

After returning from an alcoholic bender with

Hollywood celebrities attended Ragland's funeral – Sinatra sang at the service and Silvers delivered the eulogy.[4]

In a gesture of friendship and respect, Sinatra left the set of his movie

USO tours. The performance rocked the house. As it came to a close, Silvers cried and said, "May I take a bow for Rags." While crying in remembrance of Ragland, the audience was silent.[5]

Complete filmography

References

  1. ^ Rags Ragland biography. New York Times archive. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  2. ^ Sothern, G. Georgia: My Life in Burlesque. New American Library (1972), p. 62. ASIN: B000JI9BB2.
  3. ISBN 0139191003
  4. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  5. ^ Silvers (1973), p. 142.

External links

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