Gogo DeLys explained

Birth Name:Marie Gabrielle Belanger
Birth Date:August 17, 1908[1]
Birth Place:Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Death Date:February 19, 2003 (aged 94)
Death Place:Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Nationality:American
Occupation:Singer
Spouse:Robert Redd
Children:1

Gogo DeLys (born Marie Gabrielle Belanger; August 17, 1908 – February 19, 2003)[2] [3] was an American singer in vaudeville and with the Jimmy Grier Band and on old-time radio. Her last name was also sometimes transcribed as Delys.

Early years

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, DeLys performed in a talent show while she was a law student at USC. A talent scout saw her and turned her career plans from law to singing.

Career

Dubbed "the Canadian Canary" by newspaper columnist Walter Winchell, DeLys was active professionally from the 1920s into the 1940s. In 1928, she performed in vaudeville shows headed by Eddie Peabody[4] and Paul Ash.[5]

Prior to January 1931, DeLys had moved from Vancouver to Los Angeles, singing on radio station KHJ, where Radio Digest magazine said, "she promptly became an instantaneous hit".[6] By June 1931, DeLys had become the female vocalist with Georgie Stoll and his orchestra.[7] The following year she sang with Jimmy Grier's orchestra.[8] On October 29, 1932, she recorded "Second Hand Heart (for sale)" with Grier and his orchestra on the Victor label.[9]

On radio, DeLys sang with Jerry Joyce's Boys.[10] She also sang on Little Ol' Hollywood,[11] and on Your Hit Parade, and Carefree Carnival.[12]

In 1936, she had her own twice-weekly program on CBS,[13] and, in 1937, she was featured with The Norsemen, James Melton, and Don Voorhees' orchestra in a series of transcribed programs sponsored by Rexall.[14]

In July 1937, Mid-Summer Night's Serenade debuted on CBS with DeLys as its star. A review in the trade publication Radio Daily described the program as "a well-balanced 15 minutes of evening music ..."[15]

Death

On February 19, 2003, DeLys died of natural causes in St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, at age 94.[16]

Personal life

DeLys retired after marrying Robert Redd. The couple had one child, actress Mary-Robin Redd.[3]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.gregpoppletonmusic.com/gogo-delys-phantom-dancer-30-november-2021/#:~:text=Gogo%20DeLys%20was%20born%20on,and%20Television%20Highlights%20(1936). Biography
  2. https://www.gregpoppletonmusic.com/gogo-delys-phantom-dancer-30-november-2021/#:~:text=Gogo%20DeLys%20was%20born%20on,and%20Television%20Highlights%20(1936). Biography
  3. Book: Lent . Harris M. III . Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2003: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture . 2008 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-5208-8 . 102 . November 25, 2019 . en.
  4. News: Peabody gets in some extra banjo strings . November 25, 2019 . Los Angeles Evening Express . July 2, 1928 . California, Los Angeles . 9. Newspapers.com.
  5. News: (Oriental theater advertisement) . November 25, 2019 . Chicago Tribune . October 1, 1928 . Illinois, Chicago . 34. Newspapers.com.
  6. Gogo Delys . Radio Digest . January 1931 . XXVI . 3 . 43 . March 24, 2020.
  7. News: Stoll music wins favor . November 25, 2019 . Los Angeles Evening Express . June 3, 1931 . California, Los Angeles . 15. Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Burns 'Em Up! . November 26, 2019 . The Marshall News Messenger . November 16, 1932 . Texas, Marshall . 5. Newspapers.com.
  9. Web site: Gogo De Lys (vocalist) . Discography of American Historical Recordings . Regents of the University of California . March 24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200324021840/https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/talent/detail/97526/De_Lys_Gogo_vocalist . March 24, 2020.
  10. News: KFWB, Hollywood . November 25, 2019 . The Fresno Morning Republican . June 16, 1931 . California, Fresno . 10. Newspapers.com.
  11. Book: Terrace. Vincent. Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. 1999. McFarland & Company, Inc.. 978-0-7864-4513-4. 202.
  12. Book: Dunning . John . On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio . 1998 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-984045-8 . 139 . March 24, 2020 . en.
  13. (photo caption) . Radio Mirror . February 1936 . 5 . 4 . 35 . March 24, 2020.
  14. News: 200 stations to get Rexall spring spots . March 24, 2020 . Radio Daily . March 10, 1937 . 1.
  15. News: 'Mid-Summer Night's Serenade' . March 24, 2020 . Radio Daily . July 16, 1937 . 5.
  16. News: Horwitch . Lauren . Gogo DeLys . November 25, 2019 . Variety . March 6, 2003 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191125023657/https://variety.com/2003/scene/people-news/gogo-delys-2-1117881816/ . November 25, 2019.

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