Georgie Price

Georgie Price
Price in 1945
Born	George Edwards Price (1901-01-05)January 5, 1901 New York City, New York, US
Died	May 10, 1964(1964-05-10) (aged 63) New York City, New York, US
Occupation(s)	Stage/Film Singer/Comic; Financial Broker
Years active	1929–1954
Spouse(s)	Catherine Alexandra Marshall (1942–1963) (divorced) (2 children) Berenice Page (1921–1927) (divorced)[1]

George Edwards "Georgie" Price (January 5, 1901 – May 10, 1964) was an American vaudeville singer and comic who performed in Vitaphone shorts in the 1920s and 1930s.

Early life, family and education

Price was born on the Lower East Side[1] of Manhattan, New York City, New York. Price began performing as a child in public places such as barrooms and streetcars, before winning amateur competitions. At six years old, he so impressed opera singer Enrico Caruso that he performed with Caruso in a benefit concert for a deceased police officer's family.

Career

As a vaudeville child star, Price introduced the Edwards-Madden song "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" in Gus Edwards' revue School Boys and Girls in 1909.[2][3] As a boy he performed on Broadway with another child Lila Lee (later a well-known film actress). He was a contemporary on vaudeville with George Jessel, Walter Winchell and Eddie Cantor.[1]

As an adult professional, he drew comparisons to Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor.[4] His theme song was "Bye Bye Blackbird".[1]

A bitter dispute with Shubert theatre magnate, Jacob J. Shubert, caused Price by the late 1920s to give up show business to work as a Wall Street stockbroker. He bought a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.[1] Shubert had originally hired Price with the promise to turn him into a major headliner but then reneged and in turn refused to fulfill the financial obligations on Price's contract.[5]

Georgie Price appeared in the stage show at the Mastbaum Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Barto and Mann and Maria Gambarelli (Gamby) in March 1932.[6]

Personal life and demise

Price was married three times. He was married to Berenice Page from 1921 to 1927; they divorced.[1] Price's third marriage was to Catherine Alexandra Marshall from 1942 to 1963 when they divorced. They had two children.[1] In all, Price had four offspring: sons Peter and George Marshall, and daughters Lisa and Mrs. John W. Larsen.[1]

Price died in New York, aged 63.[1]

References

1. "GEORGE E. PRICE, COMIC, 64, IS DEAD; Star in Vaudeville Became Successful Stockbroker". The New York Times. 11 May 1964. p. 31.
2. Tyler, Don (2007). Hit songs, 1900-1955: American popular music of the pre-rock era. MacFarland. p. 47. ISBN 978-0786429462.
3. Jasen, David A. (2003). Tin Pan Alley: An Encyclopedia of the Golden Age of American Song. Routledge. p. 122. ISBN 0-415-93877-5.
4. Hamberlin, Larry (2011). Tin Pan Opera: Operatic Novelty Songs in the Ragtime Era. Oxford University Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-19-533892-8.
5. Hirsch, Foster (1998). The Boys from Syracuse: The Shuberts' Theatrical Empire. Cooper Square Press. p. 149. ISBN 0-8154-1103-0.
6. Newspaper display ad.

External links

• Georgie Price at IMDb