She was certainly the cuntiest Dolly of them all. Pearlie Mae's matchmaker wasn't finding husbands for the poor women in the town. She was probably finding sadistic pimps, madams and johns to sell the women to.

by Anonymous

reply 1

March 3, 2022 7:26 AM

I do not know that the Howdy Lady was in fact a rancid bitch. Huh. Another childhood icon ruined. I think Dolly Parton is the very last celebrity that I have any respect for or interest in. Dolly honey, please don't let me down, lol.

by Anonymous

reply 3

March 3, 2022 8:05 AM

Brilliant! Hit it, Pearl!

by Anonymous

reply 4

March 3, 2022 8:06 AM

[quote]I do not know that the Howdy Lady was in fact a rancid bitch.

You seem to be confusing Pearl Bailey with Minnie Pearl.

by Anonymous

reply 5

March 3, 2022 8:13 AM

I saw the revival around 1975. Pearl wasn't even interested in playing Dolly. She broke character, talked to the audience, ribbed the dancers and even asked the audience if they wanted an encore of the title song (they did) and she gave it to them. What I will say is that she had an amazing amount of stage presence and charisma and if she decided to try to play the character, she could be wonderful.

I couldn't stand Channing and listening to her singing was a profoundly depressing experience.

by Anonymous

reply 7

May 1, 2022 5:46 AM

[R7] I saw Pearl Bailey in 1976 where she did exactly the same with things like stepping out of character, running thru the “Hello Dolly” number a second time and holding a “Third Act” after the curtain call when she held court talking to the audience. The audience may have loved it but not the cast who had to smile and stand while Pearl was Pearl. I read a story that she was so hated by her casts for pulling that stunt and for her temperament in general. There was a code in place to let everyone in the chorus know how bad tempered Pearl would be each night.

by Anonymous

reply 8

May 1, 2022 6:04 AM

Another product of vaudeville, Pearl Bailey was something else!

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by Anonymous

reply 9

May 1, 2022 6:09 AM

Though she had a powerful and strong voice, Ms. Bailey was more of an entertainer than say musical theater performer. May not be putting it property but the good lady never forgot her vaudeville roots. She loved interacting with audiences, going with feedback (applause, laughter) over sometimes remaining in character. That sort of sassiness is what people liked I suppose.

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by Anonymous

reply 10

May 1, 2022 6:12 AM

It's searching time, down by the river don't cha know!

by Anonymous

reply 12

May 1, 2022 6:14 AM

[quote]I saw the revival around 1975. Pearl wasn't even interested in playing Dolly. She broke character, talked to the audience

A also saw that B'Way revival. It was a mess.

by Anonymous

reply 13

May 1, 2022 6:34 AM

She was on Silver Spoons with Ricky Schroder.

by Anonymous

reply 14

May 1, 2022 1:04 PM

Nixon supporter and life long staunch republican. Do with that bit of information what you will...

by Anonymous

reply 15

May 1, 2022 1:15 PM

Some elder gay once told me this story about Pearl Bailey performance where she threw a fur coat she was wearing onto stage floor. Few ladies in front rows of audience commented loudly about such treatment of a fur, to which Ms. Bailey stopping whatever she was doing to go on about how the fur coat wasn't hers, and if it was she wouldn't have thrown it onto floor.

by Anonymous

reply 16

May 1, 2022 1:27 PM

Queen Latifah should play her in the inevitable biopic.

by Anonymous

reply 17

May 1, 2022 8:39 PM

She had lovely boobs as a young woman.

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by Anonymous

reply 18

May 1, 2022 8:54 PM

She's pretty much forgotten today.

by Anonymous

reply 19

May 1, 2022 8:56 PM

Not by moi. I love Pearl Bailey and don't care if she was a dyke bitch cunt. She was entertaining and had charisma. I'm not friends with stars. They are there to entertain.

by Anonymous

reply 20

May 1, 2022 9:00 PM

[quote]Queen Latifah should play her in the inevitable biopic.

That would be excellent casting, because there's a definite resemblance. But I don't think a biopic is inevitable in Pearl's case, As another poster just mentioned, she's pretty much forgotten today, except by Broadway aficionados.

by Anonymous

reply 21

May 1, 2022 9:45 PM

Wasn't Queen Latifah insulted when the producers of the last Broadway revival asked her to play the title role? She might have been really good.

by Anonymous

reply 22

May 1, 2022 10:28 PM

Well she may be forgotten by some but she would still make a good biopic. She was a trailblazer.

by Anonymous

reply 23

May 1, 2022 11:35 PM

Why would Dana have been insulted?

by Anonymous

reply 24

May 1, 2022 11:40 PM

R18

Carl Van Vechten was an American writer, patron of Harlem Renaissance, and also an "artistic photographer". It was part of latter that he took those topless pictures of then 27 year old Pearl Bailey.

Though married twice, (his second lasted until his death), Carl Van Vechten reportedly had numerous homosexual affairs.

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by Anonymous

reply 25

May 2, 2022 6:51 AM