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behind for his next project. She retreated from the relationship, and her fame declined. She spent much of the next decade hospitalized for mental illness. In 1960, she returned to
California, where her parents still lived. There she supported her son with the help of her parents and by working at
447:
review of her recital would have been painful, as it found her good enough for
Broadway but insufficient for the classical repertoire. That review, signed only with the initials "N.S.," praised her "expert showmanship … which captivated the large and highly responsive audience" and her "enviable
448:
poise and an ability to project a song in a way to hold the attention not commonly encountered among newcomers on the concert stage." The reviewer, however, faulted her for bringing an "
212:. She was the second of his eight wives, and the only one not to come from a wealthy, socially well-placed family. The marriage lasted two years. Lerner left her six months after
398:. It was suggested that she audition. She traveled to New York City to do so, and there met Lerner for the first time. Bell won the role of Fiona. The reviewer
369:, which was completed in 1944 and considered her screen debut. Her MGM contract delayed her Broadway debut by preventing her from accepting a role in the Lerner-
1017:
336:. In the stateroom scene, she pushes through the crowd to call "Aunt Minnie." In 1944, it was announced that she was to star in the screen operetta
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series. A review of mixed opinion signed "R.P." said that Bell "acted sincerely and sang appealingly." She sang on the RCA Victor recording of
179:(November 16, 1919 – December 14, 1997) was an American singer and musical theatre performer best known for her role in the Broadway musical
521:, which ran for 581 shows over 18 months, was the extent of her Broadway career, although she was floated as the possible female lead for
673:
415:
205:. She had three sisters, Evelyn, Ruth, and Veronica. The family moved to California, and were established there by the time she was 15.
225:
Bell was known for her "striking" appearance, and was described as "raven" haired, "big-bosomed and sexy," and "handsome to the eye."
443:
was enjoying its successful run, she gave a recital featuring the
European art music she preferred. Lees conjectures that the
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closed its first
Broadway run. Her third husband was Tom Charlesworth, an actor and singer she met during a production of
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from Lerner, Lees remarked that she was "remarkably free of bitterness," and Bell said she had never stopped loving him.
882:
R.P., "Theatre
Telecast in Opera Debut: NBC Offers 'Down in the Valley,' Sundgaard's Folk Work as First of 4 Programs,"
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type of singing" to the challenging pieces she programmed, which included works in six languages. The program included
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during tryouts in Boston and intimated that she regarded the
Broadway musical as a lesser artform than opera. While
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signing her to a film contract. Accounts of her discovery as a potential film star vary: her obituaries in the
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in 1948. She appeared in the telecast production that aired
January 1950 as the first show of the
535:, but continued working contrary to her doctor's orders. Her hepatitis recurred during the run of
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and Africa campaigns who were recovering at the hospital in Waco, Texas. There she contracted
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The News of Radio, "WNY to
Broadcast Concerts for Veterans—MacRae Replaces 'Baby Snooks,'"
679:
Bell spent the last 15 years of her life in Culver City, where she was involved with local
496:. The reviewer found her "most at home" with the song "Somehow I Could Never Believe" from
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and contributed to the mental exhaustion that caused her to withdraw from the show.
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released on four 10-inch disks and featuring songs from several
Broadway musicals.
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350:, this project came to fruition in 1949 without either Bell or Hodiak in the cast.
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In the late 1990s, Bell provided archival film of her Town Hall recital for "
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In an interview, Bell said that Lerner's interest in her waned as he left
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David Finkle, "Television/Radio: A Video
Variety You Won't See on MTV,"
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in San Francisco. She sang in more than 200 concerts during her career.
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In 1947 she was announced as one in a series of female guest singers on
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Bell began her career on local radio by the age of eight, singing with
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noted that a talent scout had noticed her in one of her opera roles.
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242:
222:. That marriage lasted only three months, but the two had a son.
895:
Carter Harmon, "Records: Old Organ Music and Re-Issued Vocals,"
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for the best debut performance by an actress in a musical and a
506:. Bell's accompanist for the recital, which took place at the
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Courtesy of MGM, Bell helped entertain the troops in 1945 at
661:" television, of which she was said to be a regular viewer.
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show, and had a small uncredited role in their 1935 movie
315:, who heard her sing at a party. Musical theatre historian
843:
Screen News, "Metro Gives John Hodiak Lead in Operetta,"
527:. During the war, Bell had entertained troops from the
322:
After signing with MGM at age 15, Bell toured with the
488:; and the first performance of "La Bonne Cuisine" by
765:(University of Nebraska Press, 1990), pp. 29, 49–52.
869:Sam Zolotow, "Bette Davis Likes New Kanin Script,"
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62:
40:
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921:Louis Calta, "Lewises to Close Play for Repairs,"
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951:(September 16, 1949), Associated Press brief.
607:During her mid-career, Bell also sang at the
253:loomed. Back in California, she studied with
8:
725:(December 14, 1997). Retrieved 3 April 2020.
720:Marion Bell, Star of 'Brigadoon,' Dies at 78
683:and community activities. She died in 1997.
801:N.S., "Marion Bell Seen in Recital Debut,"
249:, but returned to the United States as the
980:
138: 1947–1949)
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18:
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418:. She sang on the original cast album of
394:was in production, Bell was appearing in
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560:Bell sang in the world premiere of the
783:The Musical Worlds of Lerner and Loewe
763:The Musical Worlds of Lerner and Loewe
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551:, performing with Joseph Sullivan in
311:credited her signing to the director
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208:In 1947, she married the librettist
1018:20th-century American women singers
416:New York Drama Critics Circle Award
281:. She also sang at the now-defunct
517:The year Bell spent performing in
14:
637:Auditorium and then moved to the
619:. In 1951, she was performing in
433:Bell had been interviewed by the
633:, a production tried out at the
575:Indiana University Opera Theatre
484:; "Seven Spanish Folk Songs" by
297:Her return to California led to
257:and sang leading roles with the
947:"'Brigadoon' Author Divorced,"
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664:In 1990, Lees visited Bell in
422:and made other recordings for
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1013:20th-century American singers
613:Los Angeles Civic Light Opera
261:, including the Shepherd in
856:Howard Taubman, "Records,"
554:Naughty Marietta (operetta)
406:had "sung rapturously" on "
259:San Francisco Opera Company
1034:
978:Internet Broadway Database
827:"Marion Bell Dies at 78,"
390:When the Broadway musical
609:St. Louis Municipal Opera
408:Almost Like Being in Love
28:
635:Los Angeles Philharmonic
549:Camp Roberts, California
245:in Rome for a year with
617:Sacramento Music Circus
510:performance venue, was
492:and "A Day Is Born" by
436:New York World-Telegram
428:Smash Hits of Broadway,
283:St. Louis Opera Company
74:Culver City, California
622:Three Wishes for Jamie
271:and the young girl in
659:Classic Arts Showcase
376:The Day Before Spring
353:She sang a duet from
219:The Chocolate Soldier
100:Jack Charles Hollimon
873:(September 3, 1948).
533:infectious hepatitis
386:and New York recital
333:A Night at the Opera
229:Early singing career
938:(December 1, 2002).
886:(January 16, 1950).
847:(December 2, 1944).
805:(October 11, 1948).
674:grounds for divorce
583:Down in the Valley,
472:; Russian songs by
402:said that Bell and
299:Metro Goldwyn Mayer
274:Love of Three Kings
197:. Her father was a
148:Thomas Charlesworth
925:(August 21, 1951).
831:(January 3, 1998).
596:'s summer series,
585:released on three
566:Down in the Valley
543:Other performances
494:Albert Hay Malotte
339:The Kissing Bandit
55:St Louis, Missouri
1008:American sopranos
579:NBC Opera Theatre
490:Leonard Bernstein
313:Robert Z. Leonard
193:Bell was born in
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82:Years active
66:December 14, 1997
51:November 16, 1919
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366:Ziegfeld Follies
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251:Second World War
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412:Donaldson Award
400:Brooks Atkinson
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247:Mario Marafioti
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210:Alan Jay Lerner
203:Wabash Railroad
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177:Marion Lee Bell
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158: 1951)
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654:various jobs.
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639:Curran Theatre
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512:Edwin McArthur
445:New York Times
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404:David Brooks
396:summer stock
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235:Ted Straeter
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68:(1997-12-14)
35:Bell in 1935
1003:1997 deaths
998:1919 births
974:Marion Bell
965:Marion Bell
761:Gene Lees,
681:light opera
666:Culver City
482:Tchaikovsky
356:La Traviata
344:John Hodiak
293:Film career
23:Marion Bell
992:Categories
687:References
645:Later life
627:John Raitt
615:, and the
562:folk opera
504:Kurt Weill
424:RCA Victor
328:vaudeville
279:Montemezzi
268:Tannhäuser
47:1919-11-16
785:, p. 332.
651:Brigadoon
602:CBS Radio
537:Brigadoon
519:Brigadoon
508:Town Hall
441:Brigadoon
420:Brigadoon
392:Brigadoon
384:Brigadoon
379:in 1945.
326:in their
317:Gene Lees
214:Brigadoon
195:St. Louis
182:Brigadoon
85:1935–1949
573:for the
529:Normandy
486:de Falla
450:operetta
426:such as
373:musical
285:and the
167:Children
976:at the
829:Variety
589:disks.
466:Purcell
308:Variety
239:soprano
201:on the
160:
152:
140:
132:
128:
115:
107:
103:
90:Spouses
781:Lees,
611:, the
587:45 rpm
470:Mozart
458:Handel
263:Wagner
76:, U.S.
57:, U.S.
625:with
454:arias
371:Loewe
359:with
342:with
243:opera
154:(
150:
134:(
130:
109:(
105:
969:IMDb
629:and
480:and
468:and
462:Bach
305:and
63:Died
41:Born
967:at
600:on
502:by
456:by
363:in
277:by
265:’s
994::
836:^
810:^
790:^
770:^
730:^
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604:.
557:.
514:.
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460:,
185:.
156:m.
136:m.
111:m.
170:1
49:)
45:(
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