Lena Horne

Lena Horne an American singer and actress passed away on Sunday May 9, 2010 at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.http://www.lena-horne.com/biography_lena_horne.htm She was 92 years old at the time of her death. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 30, 1917 her parents named her Lena Mary Calhoun Horne.

Lena Horne was the first African-American actress to have a long-standing contract with a major film studio, MGM. She became the youngest member of the NAACP at the age of two. A photograph of her appeared in the NAACP Branch Bulletin the October 1919 issue.

In 1937, she married Louis J. Jones and exactly eleven months later, Gail, her daughter was born. Lena appeared on Broadway in 1939 in the musical revue "Leslie's Blackbirds of 1939". Horne gave birth to her second child, a son, in February 1940. Her marriage to Louis Jones ended by the end of 1940 and she returned to New York after the marriage breakup. Lena became a vocalist with Charlie Barnet's band. It is recognized that this was a white band but Lena toured and created some of her first recordings with them. http://www.lena-horne.com/biography_lena_horne.htm

• 1938: Ethel Andrews in The Duke Is Tops
• 1943: Georgia Brown in Cabin in the Sky
• 1943: Selina Rogers in Stormy Weather'
• 1944: Fernway de la Fer in Broadway Rhythm
• 1969: Claire Quintana in Death of a Gunfighter
• 1978: Glinda the Good in The Wiz

In 1940, Lena started working at the Cafe Society Nightclub. Lena met Billie Holiday backstage at the Kelly's Stable Nightclub and they became friends. Additionally, Lena was dating Joe Louis, the boxing legend. In 1941, she also met her mentor and best friend, Billy Strayhorn. In 1942, Lena moved to Hollywood and signed a seven year contract with MGM Studios. At the time, she was the highest paid African American actor. Lena's career grew with her fantastic appearance at the Savoy Plaza Hotel nightclub engagement in New York City. Lena was also featured as an exciting new singing star. In 1943, within the first six months, Lena had three movies released: Swing Fever, Stormy Weather and Cabin in the Sky. Additionally, she was featured in magazines such as Life, Newsweek and Time. The title song from the movie "Stormy Weather" later became one of her signature songs. She also was the pin-up girl for African American G.I.s.http://www.lena-horne.com/biography_lena_horne.htm

In October 1944, Lena Horne was the first African American to appear on the cover of Motion Picture Magazine. In 1946, Lena hired a white manager, Ralph Harris and he guides her career towards more live performing. She made fantastic debuts in Paris and London and she married her conductor and mentor at MGM, Lennie Hayton. Back in 1946, it was illegal for white people and African American people to marry, so they married while they were in Europe. The marriage was a secret until 1950 from everyone but their families. In 1956, Lena signs with RCA Victor and in 1957, one of her finest and best selling live albums, "At the Waldorf" was released. In 1957, Lena also began working at the Sands, in Las Vegas and she also starred in the play Jamaica on Broadway. Lena was doing the TV circuit on shows such as What's My Line, the Tonight Show with Steve Allen and the Perry Como Show.http://www.lena-horne.com/biography_lena_horne.htm

In 1963, Lena retired temporarily from performing and started getting involved in the Civil Rights Movement. She took part in the March on Washington and worked at rallies all through the United States for the National Council for Negro Women. In 1969, Lena starred in Monsanto Night Presents Lena Horne, her first U.S. Special. In 1970-1971, Lena's father passes away, Lennie dies from a heart attack and her son Teddy dies at age 29 from kidney failure-all within twelve months of each other.http://www.lena-horne.com/biography_lena_horne.htm

In 1970, Lena and Harry Belafonte perform a TV Special at a show at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Then in 1973, she does another TV Special with Tony Bennett and then tours with Bennett in 1974 and 1975. All through the 1970s. Lena did many TV appearances, concerts and Las Vegas tours with Vic Damone. Then Lena released "A New Album" on RCA which was considered one of her best albums. Lena returned to the silver screen as Glinda, the Good Witch in "The Wiz". This was her last big screen appearance. In 1980, Lena announced that she was retiring from show business and then performs in a three month Farewell Tour that was sponsored by Delta Sigma Theta. In 1981, Lena reconsiders retirement and appears in a one woman Broadway autobiographical show called Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music. The show was a glorious Broadway hit. The show ran for a year and closed on Lena's 65th birthday on June 30, 1982. Then the show toured Canada, the UK and the US throughout 1984. Later in that year, she received a special Tony Award and a Grammy Award.http://www.lena-horne.com/biography_lena_horne.htm

In 1984, Lena was honored at the Kennedy Center. Then in 1988, Lena sings an album called "The Men in my Life." She performs duets with Joe Williams and Sammy Davis Jr. In 1993, Lena signs with the Blue Notes label and records numerous albums that include We'll Be Together Again (1993), Being Myself (1998),Seasons of a Life (2006). Lena also gave a fantastic live performance at the Lincoln Center in New York in a tribute to her friend composer Billy Strayhorn. In 1995, Lena appears in an A & E special named "The Supper Club and the CD wins a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal. Then in 1999, Lena made her final major public appearance at an all-star salute in her honor at the New York's Avery Fisher Hall. In 2000, Lena is the hostess of the documentary called "Then I'll Be Free to Travel Home". In 2005, Lena was named one of Oprah Winfrey's legends, however, Lean was unable to attend the three day event.http://www.lena-horne.com/biography_lena_horne.htm

On May 9, 2010, Lena Horne passed away at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center at the age of 92.http://www.lena-horne.com/biography_lena_horne.htm

• Note: The IMDb links in this timeline have pop-ups.

• 1917: Born on June 30 in Brooklyn, New York

• 1938: The Duke is Tops (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1942: Panama Hattie (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1943: Cabin in the Sky (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1943: Stormy Weather (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1946: Ziegfeld Follies (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1946: Till the Clouds Roll By (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1950: Duchess of Idaho (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1956: Meet Me in Las Vegas (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1957: Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria (Music Album) - allmusic

• 1969: Death of a Gunfighter (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1978: The Wiz (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1981: Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music (Music Album) - allmusic

• 1988: The Men in My Life (Music Album) - allmusic

• 1994: That's Entertainment! III (Film) - IMDb Listing | Rotten Tomatoes Reviews

• 1994: We'll Be Together Again (Music Album) - allmusic

• 1998: Being Myself (Music Album) - allmusic