Martha Raye

Raye returned to acting with performances in films such as Pin Up Girl (1944) and Charlie Chaplin's Monsieur Verdoux (1947). In the 1950s, Raye continued to occasionally perform in stage productions, as well as hosting her own television show, The Martha Raye Show. Ray also had a recurring guest role on the sitcom Alice (1979–1984), playing Carrie Sharples. She made her final feature film appearance in The Concorde.. Airport '79 (1979). She was honored in 1969 at the Academy Awards as the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award recipient for her volunteer efforts and services to the troops.

Martha Raye studied at Professional Children's School. The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is film, singing and acting. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are pop. Distinctions recorded are Presidential Medal of Freedom, Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

• Name — Martha Raye • Birth Name — Margy Reed • Born — 27 August 1916 • Birthplace — Butte, Montana, U.S. • Died — 19 October 1994 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, U.S. • Resting Place — Main Post Cemetery, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S. • Other Names — The Big Mouth • Occupation — * Actress • singer • comedian • Children — 1 • Years Active — 1934–1989

Raye was born Margy Reed on August 27, 1916 at St. James Hospital in Butte, Montana, the eldest of three children born to vaudeville performers Maybelle Hazel (Hooper) and Peter F. Reed Jr.. Her father was an Irish immigrant, while her mother, a native of Great Falls, Montana, was of English heritage. At the time of her birth, Raye's parents were performing in local vaudeville theatre, billed as "Reed and Hooper." Raye had a peripatetic childhood, and began performing at age three as part of her parents' touring stage act. Her younger brother, Douglas "Buddy" Reed, was born shortly before her second birthday, while the family was performing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The siblings eventually became a regular part of their family's stage act. While the family was living in Chicago, Raye's parents welcomed a third child, daughter Melodye. Raye's parents had a tumultuous relationship, as her father struggled with alcoholism. Due to the family's frequent relocations, she received little formal education, though she did attend the Professional Children's School in New York City for a period.

As a teenager in the early 1930s, Raye began her career as a vocalist with the Paul Ash and Boris Morros orchestras. She made her first film appearance in a band short titled A Nite in the Nite Club (1934). In 1936, she was signed for comic roles by Paramount Pictures; her first feature film was Rhythm on the Range with Bing Crosby and Frances Farmer. She made her Broadway debut in the Harry Akst musical Calling All Stars in 1934. From 1936 to 1939, she was a featured cast member in 39 episodes of Al Jolson's weekly CBS radio show, The Lifebuoy Program, also called Cafe Trocadero. In addition to comedy, Raye sang both solos and duets with Jolson. Raye starred in an ensemble cast alongside Bob Burns in The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936). This was followed by a lead role opposite Burns and Bing Crosby in the musical comedy film Waikiki Wedding (1937). Raye was paired again with Burns the same year in Mountain Music, and with Crosby in Double or Nothing. The following year, she starred in the musical comedy Give Me a Sailor opposite Bob Hope and Betty Grable. Raye next appeared opposite Hope in the romantic comedy Never Say Die (1939), directed by Elliott Nugent. She returned to Broadway in a starring role in Yip Harburg's Hold On to Your Hats (1940), and starred in the comedy film The Farmer's Daughter the same year. In 1941, she starred opposite comedy duo Abbott and Costello in the Arthur Lubin-directed comedy Keep 'Em Flying, and opposite Ann Sheridan and Jack Oakie in Navy Blues. • Illustration — Raye performing for troops in Africa, 1943 In 1942, Raye joined the United Service Organizations (USO), soon after the US entered World War II, and became a regular international performer for American troops over the following two years. In 1944, Raye appeared in supporting roles in two films for 20th Century Fox: Four Jills in a Jeep and Pin Up Girl. In 1947, she was cast in a supporting role in Monsieur Verdoux, a dark comedy directed by and co-starring Charlie Chaplin.

Raye was a television star very early in its history. She starred in The Martha Raye Show (1954–1956), opposite retired middleweight boxer Rocky Graziano, who played her boyfriend. The writer and producer was future The Phil Silvers Show creator Nat Hiken. The series ran for three seasons. Some of the guest stars on the series included Zsa Zsa Gabor, Cesar Romero, and Broadway dancer Wayne Lamb. She also appeared on other TV shows in the 1950s, such as What's My Line? She had a lead role in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962), co-starring with Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, and Jimmy Durante. Raye returned to theater with lead role on Broadway in Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! (1967), and later in Vincent Youmans's No, No, Nanette (1972).

In 1970, she portrayed Boss Witch, the "Queen of all Witchdom", in the feature film Pufnstuf for Sid and Marty Krofft. This role led to her being cast as villainess Benita Bizarre in the series The Bugaloos (1970), which the Kroffts produced the same year. She often appeared as a guest on other programs, particularly those which often featured older performers as guest stars, such as The Love Boat, and on variety programs, including the short-lived The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show. She appeared from the third to the ninth seasons as Carrie Sharples, Mel's mother on Alice, making two or three appearances per season. She made guest appearances or did cameos in series such as Murder, She Wrote, The Andy Williams Show, and McMillan & Wife. She appeared again as Agatha for the six-episode run of the retooled McMillan, taking over for Nancy Walker, who had left the series. Her last film appearance was as an airline passenger in the disaster film The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979).

Raye's personal life was complex and emotionally tumultuous, marked by alcoholism as well as a cocaine addiction. Following the demise of her TV variety show, the breakup of her fifth marriage, and a series of other personal and health problems, Raye attempted suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills on August 14, 1956. Following her suicide attempt, well-wishers and fans gifted her a St. Christopher's medal, a St. Genesius medal, and a Star of David. After her recovery, she wore these amulets faithfully, though she was neither Catholic nor Jewish. At the conclusion of each episode of her TV show, she would thank the nuns at the Sisters of St. Francis Hospital in Miami, Florida, where she had recovered. She always said "Goodnight, Sisters" as a sign of appreciation and gratitude. Raye was a devout Methodist who regularly attended church, read the Bible daily, and also taught Sunday school. Politically, Raye was Republican, commenting: "I believe in the constitution, strength in national defense, limited government, individual freedom, and personal responsibility. [Republicans] reinforce the resolve that the United States is the greatest country in the world, and we can all be eternally grateful to our founding fathers for the beautiful legacy they left us."

Raye was married seven times. Her engagement to orchestra leader Johnny Torrence was announced in June 1936. Less than two months later she commented, "They tell me I've gone Hollywood already because I got engaged to Johnny Torrence one day and broke it off the next." She was married to make-up artist Hamilton "Buddy" Westmore from May 30, 1937, until September 1937, filing for divorce on the basis of extreme cruelty; to composer-conductor David Rose from October 8, 1938, to May 19, 1941; and to Neal Lang from May 25, 1941, to February 3, 1944. Raye was married to Nick Condos from February 22, 1944, to June 17, 1953. She had one child—a daughter, Melodye, born in July 1944—with Condos. Melodye was named after Raye's recently-deceased younger sister. She was later married to Edward T. Begley from April 21, 1954, to October 6, 1956; and to Robert O'Shea from November 7, 1956, to December 1, 1960. Mark Harris Raye married her seventh and final husband, Mark Harris, on September 25, 1991, three weeks after they first met. Though Raye was a Methodist, the couple were married by a rabbi, as Harris was Jewish. Harris, who was openly bisexual, later claimed after her death that Raye herself was also bisexual.

Raye suffered ill health in her final years, living with Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease, the latter of which resulted in a major stroke in 1990. Complications from the stroke eventually resulted in her having her left leg amputated in October 1993, followed by her right leg in February 1994. Raye also suffered from liver disease stemming from decades of alcohol abuse. She died of pneumonia at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on October 19, 1994, aged 78. In the period leading up to Raye's death, her estranged daughter, Melodye, sued her for conservatorship over her estate, claiming Raye was unable to manage her financial affairs or resist "fraud and undue influence." Prior to her death, Raye revised her will, leaving her husband Harris their home, and the remainder of her $2 million estate. In a final gesture, Raye had bequeathed $50,000 to her daughter in exchange for dropping any contest to the will.

• Year — Title — Role(s) — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 1951–1953 — Four Star Revue — Herself — Host • 1954–1956 — The — Herself • 1955 — What's My Line? — Herself — Mystery guest • 1958 — Club Oasis — Herself • 1962 — The — Herself — Episode: "Circus" • 1963 — The — Herself • 1964 — The — Herself • 1965 — Password — Herself — 1 episode • 1966 — The — Herself — 1 episode • 1967–1970 — The — Herself — 3 episodes • 1970–1972 — The — Benita Bizarre • 1976–1977 — McMillan — Agatha • 1977 — Twas the Night Before Christmas — Nellie's mother — Television special • 1979–1984 — Alice — Carrie Sharples • 1985 — Murder, She Wrote — Sadie Winthrope

• Year — Title — Role(s) — Notes — Ref. Reference(s) • 1934 — Calling All Stars — Performer — Hollywood Theatre • 1940 — Hold On to Your Hats — Mamie — Shubert Theatre • 1951 — Annie Get Your Gun — Annie — New York City Center • 1958 — Anything Goes — Reno Sweeney — Televised production • 1962 — Wildcat — Wildcat Jackson — Touring production • 1963 — Call Me Madam — Cosmo Constantine — Touring production • 1964 — The — Regional production • 1967 — Hello Dolly! — Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi — 46th Street Theatre • 1968 — Goodbye Charlie • 1969 — Hello, Sucker! — Closed on the road • 1970 — Everybody Loves Opal • 1972 — No, No, Nanette — Pauline — 46th Street Theatre • 1981 — Pippin • 1982 — 4 Girls 4 • 1983 — Annie (1983) — Miss Hannigan — Regional tour • 1988 — Everybody Loves Opal

Martha Raye is recorded as actress, singer and comedian.