Bessie McCoy (1888 – August 16, 1931) was an Irish-American Vaudeville star best known for her 1908 hit song and dance routine "The Yama Yama Man", for which she became known as "The Yama Yama Girl". She married war correspondent Richard Harding Davis.[1]
Bessie McCoy as Yama Yama Man, a comical bogeyman who is "ready to spring out at you unaware"
McCoy was born in Ireland as Elizabeth Genevieve McEvoy.[2][1] Her mother and father were a vaudeville act known as McCoy and McEvoy, they were Irish clog dancers. Bessie, along with her sister, entered stage in their teens as chorus girls.[1] She appeared in a number of Broadway musicals and made a breakthrough in the play "The Echo". She was given the "Yama Yama Man" song in the 1908 revue Three Twins.
She became famous for her lazy, husky singing while performing unusual acrobatic dance routines while dressed in a clowns pajama suit with a fools cap topped by a puff ball.[1]
She met Harding Davis at this time, and they were married in 1912 when she was 24 years old. After Harding's early death in 1916 from a heart-attack, McCoy retired from stage work and lived in the Davis' Connecticut estate.
In 1931, while in France with her 16-year-old daughter Hope, she died suddenly after an emergency intestinal operation.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcde. Chicago Daily Tribune. August 19, 1931. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2017. Scroll down the blank grey page to reach the highlighted article.
^. Time. August 31, 1931. Archived from the original on 2008-12-15. Retrieved March 30, 2017. Additional archives: December 15, 2008.
External linksedit
Media related to Bessie McCoy at Wikimedia Commons
bessie, mccoy, 1888, august, 1931, irish, american, vaudeville, star, best, known, 1908, song, dance, routine, yama, yama, which, became, known, yama, yama, girl, married, correspondent, richard, harding, davis, yama, yama, comical, bogeyman, ready, spring, un. Bessie McCoy 1888 August 16 1931 was an Irish American Vaudeville star best known for her 1908 hit song and dance routine The Yama Yama Man for which she became known as The Yama Yama Girl She married war correspondent Richard Harding Davis 1 Bessie McCoy as Yama Yama Man a comical bogeyman who is ready to spring out at you unaware Bessie McCoyBessie McCoy in her Yama Yama Man outfit 1908 BornElizabeth Genevieve McEvoy1888IrelandDiedAugust 16 1931 aged 43 Bayonne FranceOccupation s Singer actressSpouseRichard Harding Davis m 1912 died 1916 wbr Children1Bessie McCoy and daughter Hope Davis ca 1917McCoy was born in Ireland as Elizabeth Genevieve McEvoy 2 1 Her mother and father were a vaudeville act known as McCoy and McEvoy they were Irish clog dancers Bessie along with her sister entered stage in their teens as chorus girls 1 She appeared in a number of Broadway musicals and made a breakthrough in the play The Echo She was given the Yama Yama Man song in the 1908 revue Three Twins She became famous for her lazy husky singing while performing unusual acrobatic dance routines while dressed in a clowns pajama suit with a fools cap topped by a puff ball 1 She met Harding Davis at this time and they were married in 1912 when she was 24 years old After Harding s early death in 1916 from a heart attack McCoy retired from stage work and lived in the Davis Connecticut estate In 1931 while in France with her 16 year old daughter Hope she died suddenly after an emergency intestinal operation 1 References edit a b c d e Bessie McCoy Yama Yama Girl Dies in France Chicago Daily Tribune August 19 1931 Archived from the original on December 14 2019 Retrieved March 30 2017 Scroll down the blank grey page to reach the highlighted article Two Widows Time August 31 1931 Archived from the original on 2008 12 15 Retrieved March 30 2017 Additional archives December 15 2008 External links edit nbsp Media related to Bessie McCoy at Wikimedia Commons Bessie McCoy at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp Bessie McCoy at Playbill Vault nbsp David S Shields Bessie McCoy Davis University of South Carolina Archived from the original on 2014 08 10 Stars of Vaudeville 362 Bessie McCoy at the Wayback Machine archived 2011 11 07 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bessie McCoy amp oldid 1164015763, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
