{"product_id":"helen-morgan-the-original-torch-singer-and-ziegfelds-last-star-paperback","title":"Helen Morgan: The Original Torch Singer and Ziegfeld's Last Star - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eChristopher S. Connelly\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn emotive soprano voice, heartrending melodies about unrequited love, and a draped-over-the-piano persona made Helen Morgan (1902-1941) the original torch singer, but she was so much more. The versatile actress appeared on Broadway, in film, and on radio. In a number of stage revues, she danced, sang, and excelled in sketch comedy. She played Julie in Kern and Hammerstein's Broadway musical \u003ci\u003eShow Boat \u003c\/i\u003e(1927) and also starred in the duo's \u003ci\u003eSweet Adeline\u003c\/i\u003e in 1929. That same year, Morgan appeared in Rouben Mamoulian's classic film \u003ci\u003eApplause\u003c\/i\u003e. When the Great Depression made theater roles scarce, she headed the CBS radio program \u003ci\u003eBroadway Melodies \u003c\/i\u003eand worked in the emerging medium of television.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYet Morgan's life was one of extremes. She earned a million dollars throughout her career but remained in constant debt. She was one of the most universally beloved people in her profession, but a stable romantic relationship eluded her until the very end of her life. She was a protofeminist who aided women facing unplanned pregnancies, yet she also sought respite in a man whose financial support would allow her to retire from the stage. Through it all, she battled alcoholism; brandy would eventually extinguish her flame in 1941.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003ci\u003eHelen Morgan: The Original Torch Singer and Ziegfeld's Last Star \u003c\/i\u003eis the first biography of the gifted performer since 1974. Author Christopher Connelly utilizes interviews, newspaper articles, and family scrapbooks to present an honest and unflinching look at Morgan's life. Connelly's meticulous research addresses Morgan's troubled childhood, including her mother's six marriages, and the trauma of her stepfather's arrest and conviction for manslaughter in 1913. Also revealed are details regarding her early career in vaudeville and silent film, insights into the speakeasy and supper-club culture that served as a backdrop to Morgan's career, and accounts of her outstanding accomplishments, philanthropic actions, and enduring popularity. This gripping narrative presents the brief but brilliant life of a complex, talented, and iconic entertainer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eChristopher S. Connelly \u003c\/b\u003eis a film and theater historian. His work has appeared in \u003ci\u003eEtcetera \u003c\/i\u003emagazine\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eand the Kino Lorber DVD release of Mamoulian's\u003ci\u003e Applause\u003c\/i\u003e. He is also an actor, Roman Catholic cantor, and chorister for the Atlanta Opera. When he is not writing or performing, he works IT for the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 394\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.1 x 8.9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 03, 2024\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49377156989080,"sku":"9781985900592","price":63.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/8830\/4024\/files\/BuOsEDR2ER9781985900592.webp?v=1783029416","url":"https:\/\/thepinkflamingobooks.myshopify.com\/products\/helen-morgan-the-original-torch-singer-and-ziegfelds-last-star-paperback","provider":"The Pink Flamingo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}