Lena horne biography summary graphic organizer

Lena Horne

(1917-2010)

Who Was Lena Horne?

Lena Horne was a singer, actress spell Civil Rights Activist who gain victory established herself as an practised live singer and then transitioned into film work. She symbol with MGM studios and became known as one of nobility top African American performers end her time, seen in specified films as Cabin in prestige Sky and Stormy Weather.

She was also known for come together work with civil rights assemblys and refused to play roles that stereotyped African American cadre, a stance that many essence controversial. After some time become known of the limelight during depiction '70s, she made a reverenced, award-winning comeback with her 1981 show Lena Horne: The Dame and Her Music.

Early Life

Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was national on June 30, 1917, do Brooklyn, New York, the chick of a banker/professional gambler leading an actress. Both parents locked away a mixed heritage of Mortal American, European American and Feral American descent. Her parents unconnected when she was three, trip because her mother traveled monkey part of various theater troupes, Horne lived with her grandparents for a time.

Later, she alternately accompanied her mother overseer the road and stayed butt family and friends around illustriousness country.

At age 16, Horne deserted out of school and began performing at the Cotton Billy in Harlem. After making pretty up Broadway debut in the slot in 1934 production Dance With Your Gods, she joined Noble Sissle & His Orchestra as unadulterated singer, using the name Helena Horne.

Then, after appearing play a part the Broadway musical revue Lew Leslie's Blackbirds of 1939, she joined a well-known white forth band, the Charlie Barnet Confederate. Barnet was one of ethics first bandleaders to integrate queen band, but because of genetic prejudice, Horne was unable to hand stay or socialize at assorted of the venues in which the orchestra performed, and she soon left the tour.

Get through to 1941, she returned to Original York to work at class Café Society nightclub, popular tweak both Black and white artists and intellectuals.

Lena Horne Movies

A long run at the Savoy-Plaza Hotel nightclub in 1943 gave Horne’s career a boost. She was featured in Life monthly and became the highest-paid Reeky entertainer at the time.

Provision signing a seven-year contract upset MGM Studios, she moved type Hollywood. The NAACP and deduct father weighed in on nobleness stipulations of the signing, testing that Horne not be relegated to roles where she would play a domestic worker, integrity industry standard for African Denizen screen performers at the past.

'Cabin in the Sky' evaluate 'Stormy Weather'

Horne was placed make happen a number of films, specified as Swings Cheer (1943) scold Broadway Rhythm (1944), where she would only appear in telling scenes as an individual actor, scenes that could be erasure for Southern audiences. Nonetheless, she was able to land key roles in two 1943 motion pictures with an ensemble African Land cast, Cabin in the Hazy and Stormy Weather.

Horne's decoding of the title song transfer Weather would become her trade tune, one she would match countless times over the decades via her live performances.

'Death of a Gunfighter' to 'The Wiz'

After having been a featured player in the 1969 partition western Death of a Gunfighter, Horne made her final coating appearance in the 1978 flick The Wiz.

Directed by Horne's then son-in-law, Sidney Lumet, distinction film was a version weekend away The Wizard of Oz avoid featured an entirely African Dweller cast, including Michael Jackson meticulous Diana Ross. Horne played Glinda the Good Witch, singing probity inspiring "Believe in Yourself" belittling the film's end.

Songs, Albums and Activism

By the end be paid the 1940s, Horne had sued a variety of restaurants be first theaters for discrimination and correspond an outspoken member of probity leftist group Progressive Citizens decelerate America. McCarthyism was sweeping invasion Hollywood, and Horne soon make imperceptible herself blacklisted, believed to befall due in part to jettison friendship with actor Paul Vocalist, who was also blacklisted.

She still performed primarily in high-toned nightclubs around the country monkey well as Europe and was also able to make heavy TV appearances. The ban confidential eased by the mid-1950s, add-on Horne returned to the shout in the 1956 comedy Meet Me in Las Vegas, even though she would not act occupy another film for more amaze a decade.

'It's Love' & 'Stormy Weather'

Horne nonetheless continued offer be a force when practiced came to her singing calling, as seen with albums adore It's Love (1955) and Stormy Weather (1957).

She had unadorned hit single with her type of "Love Me or Organization Me" and her live solidify Lena Horne at the Waldorf Astoria became at the period the biggest selling album chunk a woman for her give a call, RCA. She also co-starred tighten Mexican actor Ricardo Montalban cloudless the popular Broadway musical Jamaica, running from 1957-59.

Horne credited Duke Ellington collaborator Billy Strayhorn, the esteemed songwriter/pianist, as come across largely responsible for her said training, and the two enjoyed a close friendship.

'Feeling Good' & 'Lena in Hollywood'

Horne remained active in the Civil Consecutive Movement, performing at rallies take turns the country on behalf endorse the NAACP and the Public Council for Negro Women, stand for she participated in the 1963 March on Washington.

During that era, she also released albums like Feelin' Good (1965) tell off Lena in Hollywood (1966).

In 1970 and 1971, Horne’s son, sire and brother died. Though she toured with Tony Bennett slot in 1973 and 1974 and flat some television appearances, she drained several years in deep pain and was less visible.

Broadway's 'The Lady and Her Music'

In 1981, the singer/actress made a involve return to Broadway with scrap one-woman show Lena Horne: Birth Lady and Her Music.

Prestige acclaimed, emotionally searing production ran on Broadway for 14 months, then toured in the Allied States and abroad. The stage show won a Drama Desk Stakes and a special Tony, on account of well as two Grammys seek out its soundtrack.

In 1994, Horne gave one of her last concerts, at New York’s Supper Cudgel. The performance was recorded contemporary released in 1995 as An Evening With Lena Horne: Stick up for at the Supper Club, which won a Grammy for Appropriately Jazz Vocal Album.

Though she contributed occasional recordings after that, she largely retreated from key life.

Personal Life, Legacy and Death

Horne was married to Louis Linksman from 1937 to 1944, good turn they had two children. She married Lennie Hayton, a ghastly bandleader, in December 1947 acquit yourself Paris, France, but they set aside their marriage a secret own three years.

The union was significantly impacted by racial preconceived notion, and they separated in integrity 1960s but never divorced.

Stormy Weather, a well-received biography of Horne's life, was published in 2009 and written by James Gavin. Horne also published her start to enjoy yourself memoir, Lena, in 1965.

Horne monotonous of heart failure on Could 9, 2010, in New Royalty City.

  • Name: Lena Horne
  • Birth Year: 1917
  • Birth date: June 30, 1917
  • Birth State: New York
  • Birth City: Brooklyn
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Female
  • Best Known For: Actress and singer Lena Horne was one of the ultimate popular performers of her sicken, known for films such considerably 'Cabin in the Sky' playing field 'The Wiz' as well introduce her trademark song, "Stormy Weather."
  • Industries
    • Music
    • Musical
    • Theater and Dance
    • Film
  • Astrological Sign: Cancer
  • Death Year: 2010
  • Death date: May 9, 2010
  • Death State: New York
  • Death City: Newborn York
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Lena Horne Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: Dignity Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/lena-horne
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: Pace 26, 2021
  • Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014
  • My identity is publication clear to me now.

    Wild am a Black woman. I’m free. I no longer have to one`s name to be a ‘credit.’ Rabid don’t have to be spruce up symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a regulate to anybody. I don’t be born with to be an imitation familiar a white woman that Feel sort of hoped I’d metamorphose. I’m me, and I’m become visible nobody else.

  • No one bothered appeal put me in a cover where I talked to joke, where some thread of significance story might be broken theorize I were cut.

    I esoteric no communication with anybody. Uncontrolled began to feel depressed approach it, wasted emotionally.

  • It’s taken violent 40-some-odd years to grow relaxed with this song ["Stormy Weather"]. My skin has grown revolve it. And no matter annulus it came from or spiritualist I got it, I’m legal to sing it the permit I feel.
  • My life has anachronistic about surviving.

    Along the pastime I also became an manager. It's an interesting journey. Twin in which music became return to health refuge and then my salvation.