Samuels was born in Youngstown, Ohio, one of ten children, and began performing on stage as a child, winning an amateur talent contest at the age of 13. She performed in her teens with family members in an act called "Musical Hearts", and was spotted by a talent agent. In about 1905, she was persuaded to become a solo performer.[1]
She settled in Chicago, and established herself on the Orpheum Circuit. In San Francisco in 1907, she met boxing manager and promoter Marty Forkins, who became her manager. On Samuels's recommendation, Forkins then began to act as agent for dancer Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and over the following decades helped to establish Robinson as the best-paid black entertainer in the United States.[1] Official records indicate that Samuels and Forkins married in 1914, though they later claimed to have married in 1911.[2]
Samuels appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1912. An "exuberant" performer, she became one of the most popular and successful stars of the period as a singer and comedienne.[1] She was billed as "The Blue Streak of Vaudeville", the phrase suggesting a liking for "racy" songs as well as highlighting her ability to change styles between one part of her act to another - such as changing from elegant evening wear to rustic character costumes, and "performing zippy character routines, including songs, for each one."[2] She performed in front of a blue backdrop with a lightning bolt. She was described as "a peppy performer... who packed a mixture of dialect songs, novelty numbers and comical anecdotes into a fast-paced act that kept her audience in stitches."[3]
Her songs included Irving Berlin's "Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning", which she introduced in 1918, to acclaim from her military audience. However, she did not record her songs, and they were generally not sheet music hits, because they relied on her personal presentation style in performance.[1] She continued to be a star attraction in vaudeville shows through the 1920s.[4][5] In 1932 she appeared in publicity photographs shortly before the repeal of Prohibition, holding the last bottle of Schlitz beer that had been produced before the legislation came into force.[2] The following year, she appeared in her only movie, The Big Benefit, which starred Bill Robinson and in which Samuels sang one song, "Poppa’s Back With Momma Now".[1]
She continued to make occasional stage appearances until 1935. She lived privately thereafter.[1] Her husband, Marty Forkins, died in 1966. Rae Samuels died in Mahwah, New Jersey, in 1979 at the age of 92.[2]
Referencesedit
^ abcdefFrank Cullen, "Rae Samuels", Vaudeville Old & New: An encyclopedia of variety performers in America, Vol.1, Taylor & Francis, 2007, pp.989-991
^ abcdB.P., "Rae Samuels & The Last Bottle Of Beer", Stuff Nobody Cares About, December 29, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2023
^Trav S.D., "Rae Samuels: The Blue Streak of Vaudeville", Travalanche, September 14, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2023
^""Rae Samuels is Charming Both on and off Stage", Salt Lake Telegram, November 2, 1922, p.8". newspapers.lib.utah.edu. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
^"Rae Samuels, In Vaudeville Since Childhood, Likes Domesticity", The Daily Times, Colorado, September 15, 1926
samuels, rachel, samuels, 1887, october, 1979, american, vaudeville, entertainer, known, blue, streak, vaudeville, 1919, publicity, photobornrachel, samuels, 1887, 1887youngstown, ohio, diedoctober, 1979, 1979, aged, mahwah, jersey, occupationvaudeville, enter. Rachel May Rae Samuels May 3 1887 October 24 1979 was an American vaudeville entertainer known as The Blue Streak of Vaudeville Rae Samuels1919 publicity photoBornRachel May Samuels 1887 05 03 May 3 1887Youngstown Ohio U S DiedOctober 24 1979 1979 10 24 aged 92 Mahwah New Jersey U S OccupationVaudeville entertainerYears activec 1900 1935Life and career editSamuels was born in Youngstown Ohio one of ten children and began performing on stage as a child winning an amateur talent contest at the age of 13 She performed in her teens with family members in an act called Musical Hearts and was spotted by a talent agent In about 1905 she was persuaded to become a solo performer 1 She settled in Chicago and established herself on the Orpheum Circuit In San Francisco in 1907 she met boxing manager and promoter Marty Forkins who became her manager On Samuels s recommendation Forkins then began to act as agent for dancer Bill Bojangles Robinson and over the following decades helped to establish Robinson as the best paid black entertainer in the United States 1 Official records indicate that Samuels and Forkins married in 1914 though they later claimed to have married in 1911 2 Samuels appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1912 An exuberant performer she became one of the most popular and successful stars of the period as a singer and comedienne 1 She was billed as The Blue Streak of Vaudeville the phrase suggesting a liking for racy songs as well as highlighting her ability to change styles between one part of her act to another such as changing from elegant evening wear to rustic character costumes and performing zippy character routines including songs for each one 2 She performed in front of a blue backdrop with a lightning bolt She was described as a peppy performer who packed a mixture of dialect songs novelty numbers and comical anecdotes into a fast paced act that kept her audience in stitches 3 Her songs included Irving Berlin s Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning which she introduced in 1918 to acclaim from her military audience However she did not record her songs and they were generally not sheet music hits because they relied on her personal presentation style in performance 1 She continued to be a star attraction in vaudeville shows through the 1920s 4 5 In 1932 she appeared in publicity photographs shortly before the repeal of Prohibition holding the last bottle of Schlitz beer that had been produced before the legislation came into force 2 The following year she appeared in her only movie The Big Benefit which starred Bill Robinson and in which Samuels sang one song Poppa s Back With Momma Now 1 She continued to make occasional stage appearances until 1935 She lived privately thereafter 1 Her husband Marty Forkins died in 1966 Rae Samuels died in Mahwah New Jersey in 1979 at the age of 92 2 References edit a b c d e f Frank Cullen Rae Samuels Vaudeville Old amp New An encyclopedia of variety performers in America Vol 1 Taylor amp Francis 2007 pp 989 991 a b c d B P Rae Samuels amp The Last Bottle Of Beer Stuff Nobody Cares About December 29 2015 Retrieved November 11 2023 Trav S D Rae Samuels The Blue Streak of Vaudeville Travalanche September 14 2011 Retrieved November 11 2023 Rae Samuels is Charming Both on and off Stage Salt Lake Telegram November 2 1922 p 8 newspapers lib utah edu Retrieved 2024 01 25 Rae Samuels In Vaudeville Since Childhood Likes Domesticity The Daily Times Colorado September 15 1926External links editRae Samuels at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rae Samuels amp oldid 1198915236, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
