Thelma Carpenter

Thelma Carpenter

Deceased · Born: Jan 15, 1922 · Died: May 14, 1997

Personal Details

BornJan 15, 1922 Brooklyn, New York, USA
Parents
  • Mary Carpenter
  • Fred Carpenter

Biography

Thelma Carpenter, the sole offspring of Mary and Fred Carpenter, entered this world on January 15, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York, and embarked on a seven-decade-long career.

As a mere five-year-old, she was already performing on radio programs such as Jack Darrell's "Kiddies Hour" and the "Horn and Hardart Children's Hour." By the time she was 11, she had her own show on WNYC.

Following her victory at the Apollo Theatre amateur night in 1938, she became the headliner at Kelly's Stable on legendary 52nd Street while still a teenager. She caught the attention of John Hammond, who subsequently placed her with Teddy Wilson's band, where she appeared at the Famous Door and made her first recordings for Brunswick in 1939.

Thelma then joined Coleman Hawkins' orchestra in 1940, recording "He's Funny That Way" for RCA Bluebird. In 1943, she replaced Helen Humes in the Count Basie Band, touring for two years and making numerous broadcast recordings, including the Columbia single "I Didn't Know About You."

She made her Broadway debut in "Memphis Bound" alongside Bill "Bojangles" Robinson in 1944 and replaced Dinah Shore as the featured vocalist on the weekly "Eddie Cantor Show" for the 1945-46 season on NBC.

She signed her first solo contract with Majestic Records, releasing a dozen sides, including "My Guy's Come Back," "Can't Help Lovin' That Man," "Hurry Home," and "Harlem on My Mind," as well as a swing version of "Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho," backed by the Ames Brothers in their recording debut.

Thelma later recorded two sides with pianist Herman Chittison for Musicraft and four sides for Columbia. In 1947, she returned to Broadway in the hit revue "Inside U.S.A." with Beatrice Lillie, followed by a revival of "Shuffle Along" in 1952 and the musical "Ankles Aweigh" in 1955.

She also did extensive nightclub work and headlined stage shows at such theaters as Loew's State, the Capitol, and the Palace. She made early TV appearances with Duke Ellington, Jackie Gleason, and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

She signed with Coral Records in 1961 and had a hit single answering Elvis Presley with "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight" and recorded the album "Thinking of You Tonight," released in 1963.

In 1968, she was hired as a stand-in for Pearl Bailey in "Hello, Dolly!" and soon took over the matinees, playing more than 100 performances.

She created the role of Irene Paige in "Bubbling Brown Sugar" and was signed by Bob Fosse to play the Irene Ryan role of Berthe in the national tour of "Pippin."

She co-starred as the mother in a TV sitcom version of Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" and in 1978 made her major film debut as Miss One in Sidney Lumet's production of "The Wiz" with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

She played the mother of Gregory and Maurice Hines in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Cotton Club" and had TV acting roles on "The Love Boat," "The Paul Lynde Show," and "Cosby," as well as the movies "Call Her Mom" with Connie Stevens and "The Devil's Daughter" with Shelley Winters.

Her last major singing performance was on the 1993 all-star NBC special "Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame." She passed away from a heart attack in 1997.

Career

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1989
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1984
The Cotton Club
The Cotton Club as Norma Williams
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1978
The Wiz
The Wiz as Miss One
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1973
The Devil's Daughter
The Devil's Daughter as Margaret Poole
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1972
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1943
Crazy House
Crazy House as Thelma