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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZMARTIN, Mary(b 1 Dec. '13, Weatherford TX; d 3 Nov. '90, Rancho Mirage CA) One of the all-time great ladies of the Broadway theatre. Sang in night clubs, signed to secondary role in Leave It To Me '38, brought down the house with 'My Heart Belongs To Daddy', had top ten hit with it early '39 backed by Eddy Duchin. She sang on radio and in films; work with Bing Crosby incl. duets on Decca, also 'The Waiter And The Porter And The Upstairs Maid', a hit '41 with Crosby and Jack Teagarden (song from film Birth Of The Blues). Top ten hit 'I'll Walk Alone' '44; records with Guy Lombardo incl. hit 'Almost Like Being In Love' (from show Brigadoon) '47; she starred on Broadway in One Touch Of Venus '43, Lute Song '46, toured in road show of Annie Get Your Gun; became immortal in role of Nellie in South Pacific '49, one of the biggest Broadway hits (and one of the first and biggest-selling original cast albums) of all time. Legendary TV special with Ethel Merman '53; on stage in Peter Pan '54, on TV '55; starred in Sound Of Music '59; Jennie '63 flopped (songs by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz not among their best). Co-starred with Robert Preston in I Do, I Do '66. She recorded duets with Arthur Godfrey (top ten 'Go To Sleep' '50) and with her son Larry ('Get Out Those Old Records' c'51) who grew up to become J. R. Ewing in TV's Dallas. She lived in Brazil c'60. |