Zamah Cunningham Explained

Birth Date:29 November 1892
Birth Place:Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Death Place:New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1924–1965

Zamah Cunningham (November 29, 1892 – June 2, 1967) was an American stage, film, and television actress.[1] She began her career appearing in uncredited bit parts for D. W. Griffith, making her film debut in his 1924 silent feature, America. She later had an extensive career on Broadway, making her stage debut there in 1933's Give Us This Day. Cunningham went on to appear in numerous stage plays over the following several decades, though she publicly commented that most of her plays were "flops."

In her later career, she appeared in several films, including Dream Girl (1948), Here Come the Girls (1953), and Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965). Beginning in 1956, she made several guest appearances as Angelina Manciotti, neighbor of the Kramdens on the sitcom The Honeymooners. Cunningham died at Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan in June 1967, aged 74.

Life and career

Cunningham was born in 1892 in Portland, Oregon. At age two, she relocated with her family to Carthage, Missouri.[2] She began her career as a singer before relocating to New York City to study acting.[2] After appearing in local stage productions, she was secured a working contract with D. W. Griffith, appearing in uncredited bit parts in his films.[2] In 1924, she made her film debut in Germany,[3] appearing in Griffith's America.[4] She subsequently studied music in Paris, and was given opportunity to appear in productions at the Opera Comique. She later returned to the United States, where she joined the Chicago Playhouse and appeared in regional productions.

Cunningham made her Broadway debut in 1933's Give Us This Day.[5] She went on to appear in over 20 Broadway productions over the following two decades, including On the Town (1944) and The Shadow of a Gunman (1958). Reflecting on her stage career in 1944, she commented: "In the past 20 years I've been in fifty plays—mostly flops."[2]

Later film roles included Dream Girl (1948), Key to the City (1950), and Here Come the Girls (1953).[6] She made her final film appearance in Baby the Rain Must Fall (1965).[6]

Cunningham spent her later life living at the Park Royal Hotel on 23 West 73rd Street in Manhattan's Upper West Side.[1] In her early seventies, she suffered a stroke.[7]

Death

Cunningham died at Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan on June 2, 1967.[1] She was interred at Avilla Cemetery in Avilla, Missouri.[8]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1924America
1948Dream GirlMme. Kimmelhoff
1950Key to the CityMrs. Butler
1950Menasha the MagnificentMrs. DavisShort
1953Here Come the GirlsEmily Snodgrass
1965Baby the Rain Must FallMrs. T.V. Smith(final film role)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1952The Ed Sullivan ShowBakery CustomerSegment: "Pour Soul Ketch"
1953–1956Studio One in HollywoodMrs. Lagerloff / Aunt Madge / Lusadia3 episodes
1953–1957The Jackie Gleason ShowAngelina Manciotti; Various13 episodes
1956The HoneymoonersAngelina Manciotti3 episodes
1959Playhouse 90Mrs. GrossEpisode: "The Silver Whistle"
1961General Electric TheaterEvaEpisode: " Sis Bowls 'Em Over"

Select stage credits

YearTitleRoleNotes
1931Apron StringsChicago Playhouse[9]
1931data-sort-value="Vagabond"The Vagabond KingKatherine de VaucellesNorthrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota [10]
1933Give Us This DayAnne StrongBooth Theatre
[11]
1934GentlewomanMrs. StoneleighCort Theatre
1934Are You DecentPeggy WitherspoonAmbassador Theatre
49th Street Theatre
1935RepriseMadameVanderbilt Theatre
1935TriumphMrs. GiordanaFulton Theatre
1935data-sort-value="Season"The Season ChangesRita GlennBooth Theatre
1935Ah, Wilderness!Mildred MillerAlvin Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota[12]
1936Hallowe'enEdithVanderbilt Theatre
1936–1937Around the CornerSarah Clark48th Street Theatre
1937In CloverElecta HornblowerVanderbilt Theatre
1937SiegeMrs. PerezLongacre Theatre
1938RoostyMrs. AdamsLyceum Theatre
1938Run Sheep RunMrs. HoppleWindsor Theatre
1938Young Couple WantedMrs. DalyMaxine Elliott's Theatre
1940Medicine ShowMrs. YoungNew Yorker Theatre
1940Horse FeverMrs. DrumMansfield Theatre
1941Tanyard StreetMrs. McMornaLittle Theatre
1941The Trojan WomenMartaCort Theatre
1943Feathers in a GaleLucy AbnerMusic Box Theatre
1944Robin HoodDame DurdenAdelphi Theatre
1944On the TownMadame Maude P. DillyAdelphi Theatre, 44th Street Theatre, Martin Beck Theatre
1948Jenny Kissed MeMrs. DeazyShubert Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut[13]
1957data-sort-value="Glass"The Glass MenageriePlaymakers Theatre, Long Branch, New Jersey
1958–1959data-sort-value="Shadow"The Shadow of a GunmanMrs. HendersonBijou Theatre
1965Minor MiracleMrs. FullerHenry Miller's Theatre

Notes and References

  1. News: The New York Times. New York City, New York. Zamah Cunningham, Actress, Dies at 74. June 4, 1967. live. https://archive.today/20200129011149/https://www.nytimes.com/1967/06/04/archives/zamah-cunningham-actress-dies-at-74.html. January 29, 2020.
  2. News: She Was Afraid of 'Tropical' St. Louis. Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. Clanton. Helen. July 25, 1944. 21. Newspapers.com.
  3. News: Comedy, Drama, She Can Do It. The Daily Record. Long Branch, New Jersey. September 7, 1957. 7. Newspapers.com.
  4. News: The Baytown Sun. Baytown, Texas. Public's Taste In Showgirls Is Where It Was Years Ago. Jones. Clement D.. November 17, 1953. 3. Newspapers.com.
  5. Web site: Internet Broadway Database. Zamah Cunningham. live. https://archive.today/20200129002207/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/zamah-cunningham-36880. January 29, 2020.
  6. Web site: Zamah Cunningham Filmography. AllMovie. live. https://archive.today/20200129010808/https://www.allmovie.com/artist/zamah-cunningham-p16208/filmography. January 29, 2020.
  7. News: The Anniston Star. Anniston, Alabama. I'm Looking Forward to My Second 50 Years!. Wilson. Sloan. September 27, 1970. 50. Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Carthage Press. Carthage, Missouri. Deaths. June 7, 1967. 8. Newspaper Archive.
  9. News: Zamah Cunningham. May 24, 1931. Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. 20. Newspapers.com.
  10. News: June 21, 1931. The Minneapolis Star. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 'Vagabond King' Coming Offering of Players at 'U'. Newspapers.com. 49.
  11. Web site: Playbill. Zamah Cunningham. live. January 29, 2020. https://archive.today/20200129010214/http://www.playbill.com/person/zamah-cunningham-vault-0000031680.
  12. News: The Minneapolis Star. November 4, 1935. Newspapers.com. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 7. An Entire Family Gets Together–On the Stage.
  13. Billboard. December 11, 1948. Out-of-Town Openings. 45. 0006-2510.