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Ann Pennington (Ziegfeld star)
Encyclopedia
This article is about Ann Pennington, the stage actress. For the Playboy model of the same name, go to Ann Pennington (model)
.
Ann Pennington (December 23, 1893–November 4, 1971) was an actress, dancer, and singer who starred on Broadway
in the 1910s and 1920s, notably in the Ziegfeld Follies
and George White's Scandals
.
She became famous for what was, at the time, called a “Shake and Quiver Dancer,” and was noted for her variation of the “Black Bottom
”. She was also noted as an accomplished tap dancer. Ray Henderson wrote the extant version of "Black Bottom" for Ann - she had already been performing the popular version of the dance for some time. Some years prior to this, she had also topped the bill on Broadway in her performance of the musically similar "Charleston".
Pennington also achieved fame as a star of both silent and sound motion pictures.
on December 23, 1893 and reputedly moved with her family to Camden, New Jersey
around 1900. Her father worked for the Victor music company, they were Quakers, and she had at least one sibling, Nellie.She learned to dance with the Professor Wroe dance school, and her first performances in New York were as part of "Wroe's Buds".She wanted to be a classical actress,but her diminutive stature and talent as a dancer conspired against this ambition.
She began her career on Broadway as a member of the chorus in The Red Widow (1911) starring Raymond Hitchcock
. Her debut in the Ziegfeld Follies
was in 1913, where she quickly established herself as one Ziegfeld's top attractions.
With dimpled knees and long dark red hair, the petite, pretty, charming, and often scantly-clad Pennington stood a mere 4' 10" tall and wore only a size 1½ shoe. Because of her diminutive stature, she was referred to as “Penny” by her friends and colleagues. Her nickname for herself was “Tiny”.
During her years in the Ziegfeld Follies she appeared alongside the likes of Bert Williams
, Eddie Cantor
, Will Rogers
, Fanny Brice
(who became her closest friend), Marilyn Miller
, and W. C. Fields
. She switched back and forth between George White's Scandals
and the Follies more than once, earning a salary of $1000 per week well before the 1920's, and continued to moonlight in the early New York film industry. She also frequented Harlem in its jazz heyday. She was until the late 1920s chaperoned at performances by her mother. She was noted for a quick and witty personality, but was said to be shy off stage and easily embarrassed, and in her latter years was loath to discuss her early life.
George Gershwin
was her rehearsal pianist and wrote several songs for her. Cole Porter
, Ray Henderson
, Joe Burke, Oscar Levant and Edward Ward all wrote for her shows, The New Yorkers (1931) being her last great show for Porter. She could sing as well as dance, as evinced by her recording of "Believe Me" (1930). No films of her signature dance routines have been preserved, with the possible exception of the "Snake-Hips" number which occurs in Happy Days (1929). Her key dances in Gold Diggers on Broadway (1929) remain lost. Some of her scenes from Tanned Legs still survive, but her role in The Great Ziegfeld
, while still listed in some inventories, was in fact cut before release. She was also listed as a star in the 1929 Warner Brothers showcase movie "Show of Shows" but her routines were never filmed, perhaps because her main song and dance number "Believe Me" was commandeered by one of Warners' rising stars Irene Bordoni. Ann did however get to perform "Believe Me" in the 1930 movie "Hello Baby!", which is still in print, and sang and danced "You're responsible" in "Tanned Legs" (for which movie she features in uncredited cartoon form on the posters and sheet music).
The New York Times
(November 5, 1971) noted:
Pennington was romantically linked to several men during her lifetime, and at one time or another was allegedly engaged to boxer Jack Dempsey
, theatrical producer and early dance partner George White
, actor Buster West, and musician Brooke Johns. None of these romances lasted and Pennington never married. She never spoke on record about any of her engagements, whether to confirm or deny them.
Ann Pennington never settled in one place for very long. She lived mostly in hotels in New York apart from some years in California as the constant companion of Fanny Brice, whom she had helped out at least once with loans and gifts of jewellery. Ann was noted for her generosity and many of her loans were never repaid; however most of her huge earnings were wiped out over the years by betting at the racetrack, decades of hotel bills, and gifts to charities and churches.
After her years on stage and screen ended, Pennington toured in vaudeville. She retired from performing in the 1940s. She last appeared on stage in a benefit show for the armed forces in 1946. She had a committed work ethic, and worked wherever the opportunity arose, although as she aged and tastes changed, she ended her stage days in shabby theaters with low ranked dance companies. Home movie footage of her "Snake Hips" dance at the 1939 World's Fair survive, but is more memorable for her enthusiasm than her star quality in her fading years.
Ann Pennington died of a stroke in New York City
on November 4, 1971, aged 77. She had lived alone on welfare for many years in New York hotels overlooking 42nd Street.She was badly affected by arthritis. She was sometimes recognised shuffling along Broadway as a faded superstar of a world long past- but she was also mugged in her old age on her daily walk to a diner. She is buried in the Valhallia Cemetery in New York. No family were known to have attended her funeral, which was paid for by the Actors Benevolent guild.
A few years before her death, she was asked what had been the greatest reward from her years of stardom, and her reply was "in living, honey".
She was portrayed by actress Michelle Nicastro in the "Scandals of 1920" episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
, which dramatizes her role as the star of George White's Scandals
of 1920.
.
Ann Pennington (December 23, 1893–November 4, 1971) was an actress, dancer, and singer who starred on Broadway
in the 1910s and 1920s, notably in the Ziegfeld Follies
and George White's Scandals
.
She became famous for what was, at the time, called a “Shake and Quiver Dancer,” and was noted for her variation of the “Black Bottom
”. She was also noted as an accomplished tap dancer. Ray Henderson wrote the extant version of "Black Bottom" for Ann - she had already been performing the popular version of the dance for some time. Some years prior to this, she had also topped the bill on Broadway in her performance of the musically similar "Charleston".
Pennington also achieved fame as a star of both silent and sound motion pictures.
on December 23, 1893 and reputedly moved with her family to Camden, New Jersey
around 1900. Her father worked for the Victor music company, they were Quakers, and she had at least one sibling, Nellie.She learned to dance with the Professor Wroe dance school, and her first performances in New York were as part of "Wroe's Buds".She wanted to be a classical actress,but her diminutive stature and talent as a dancer conspired against this ambition.
She began her career on Broadway as a member of the chorus in The Red Widow (1911) starring Raymond Hitchcock
. Her debut in the Ziegfeld Follies
was in 1913, where she quickly established herself as one Ziegfeld's top attractions.
With dimpled knees and long dark red hair, the petite, pretty, charming, and often scantly-clad Pennington stood a mere 4' 10" tall and wore only a size 1½ shoe. Because of her diminutive stature, she was referred to as “Penny” by her friends and colleagues. Her nickname for herself was “Tiny”.
During her years in the Ziegfeld Follies she appeared alongside the likes of Bert Williams
, Eddie Cantor
, Will Rogers
, Fanny Brice
(who became her closest friend), Marilyn Miller
, and W. C. Fields
. She switched back and forth between George White's Scandals
and the Follies more than once, earning a salary of $1000 per week well before the 1920's, and continued to moonlight in the early New York film industry. She also frequented Harlem in its jazz heyday. She was until the late 1920s chaperoned at performances by her mother. She was noted for a quick and witty personality, but was said to be shy off stage and easily embarrassed, and in her latter years was loath to discuss her early life.
George Gershwin
was her rehearsal pianist and wrote several songs for her. Cole Porter
, Ray Henderson
, Joe Burke, Oscar Levant and Edward Ward all wrote for her shows, The New Yorkers (1931) being her last great show for Porter. She could sing as well as dance, as evinced by her recording of "Believe Me" (1930). No films of her signature dance routines have been preserved, with the possible exception of the "Snake-Hips" number which occurs in Happy Days (1929). Her key dances in Gold Diggers on Broadway (1929) remain lost. Some of her scenes from Tanned Legs still survive, but her role in The Great Ziegfeld
, while still listed in some inventories, was in fact cut before release. She was also listed as a star in the 1929 Warner Brothers showcase movie "Show of Shows" but her routines were never filmed, perhaps because her main song and dance number "Believe Me" was commandeered by one of Warners' rising stars Irene Bordoni. Ann did however get to perform "Believe Me" in the 1930 movie "Hello Baby!", which is still in print, and sang and danced "You're responsible" in "Tanned Legs" (for which movie she features in uncredited cartoon form on the posters and sheet music).
The New York Times
(November 5, 1971) noted:
Pennington was romantically linked to several men during her lifetime, and at one time or another was allegedly engaged to boxer Jack Dempsey
, theatrical producer and early dance partner George White
, actor Buster West, and musician Brooke Johns. None of these romances lasted and Pennington never married. She never spoke on record about any of her engagements, whether to confirm or deny them.
Ann Pennington never settled in one place for very long. She lived mostly in hotels in New York apart from some years in California as the constant companion of Fanny Brice, whom she had helped out at least once with loans and gifts of jewellery. Ann was noted for her generosity and many of her loans were never repaid; however most of her huge earnings were wiped out over the years by betting at the racetrack, decades of hotel bills, and gifts to charities and churches.
After her years on stage and screen ended, Pennington toured in vaudeville. She retired from performing in the 1940s. She last appeared on stage in a benefit show for the armed forces in 1946. She had a committed work ethic, and worked wherever the opportunity arose, although as she aged and tastes changed, she ended her stage days in shabby theaters with low ranked dance companies. Home movie footage of her "Snake Hips" dance at the 1939 World's Fair survive, but is more memorable for her enthusiasm than her star quality in her fading years.
Ann Pennington died of a stroke in New York City
on November 4, 1971, aged 77. She had lived alone on welfare for many years in New York hotels overlooking 42nd Street.She was badly affected by arthritis. She was sometimes recognised shuffling along Broadway as a faded superstar of a world long past- but she was also mugged in her old age on her daily walk to a diner. She is buried in the Valhallia Cemetery in New York. No family were known to have attended her funeral, which was paid for by the Actors Benevolent guild.
A few years before her death, she was asked what had been the greatest reward from her years of stardom, and her reply was "in living, honey".
She was portrayed by actress Michelle Nicastro in the "Scandals of 1920" episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
, which dramatizes her role as the star of George White's Scandals
of 1920.
.
Ann Pennington (December 23, 1893–November 4, 1971) was an actress, dancer, and singer who starred on Broadway
in the 1910s and 1920s, notably in the Ziegfeld Follies
and George White's Scandals
.
She became famous for what was, at the time, called a “Shake and Quiver Dancer,” and was noted for her variation of the “Black Bottom
”. She was also noted as an accomplished tap dancer. Ray Henderson wrote the extant version of "Black Bottom" for Ann - she had already been performing the popular version of the dance for some time. Some years prior to this, she had also topped the bill on Broadway in her performance of the musically similar "Charleston".
Pennington also achieved fame as a star of both silent and sound motion pictures.
on December 23, 1893 and reputedly moved with her family to Camden, New Jersey
around 1900. Her father worked for the Victor music company, they were Quakers, and she had at least one sibling, Nellie.She learned to dance with the Professor Wroe dance school, and her first performances in New York were as part of "Wroe's Buds".She wanted to be a classical actress,but her diminutive stature and talent as a dancer conspired against this ambition.
She began her career on Broadway as a member of the chorus in The Red Widow (1911) starring Raymond Hitchcock
. Her debut in the Ziegfeld Follies
was in 1913, where she quickly established herself as one Ziegfeld's top attractions.
With dimpled knees and long dark red hair, the petite, pretty, charming, and often scantly-clad Pennington stood a mere 4' 10" tall and wore only a size 1½ shoe. Because of her diminutive stature, she was referred to as “Penny” by her friends and colleagues. Her nickname for herself was “Tiny”.
During her years in the Ziegfeld Follies she appeared alongside the likes of Bert Williams
, Eddie Cantor
, Will Rogers
, Fanny Brice
(who became her closest friend), Marilyn Miller
, and W. C. Fields
. She switched back and forth between George White's Scandals
and the Follies more than once, earning a salary of $1000 per week well before the 1920's, and continued to moonlight in the early New York film industry. She also frequented Harlem in its jazz heyday. She was until the late 1920s chaperoned at performances by her mother. She was noted for a quick and witty personality, but was said to be shy off stage and easily embarrassed, and in her latter years was loath to discuss her early life.
George Gershwin
was her rehearsal pianist and wrote several songs for her. Cole Porter
, Ray Henderson
, Joe Burke, Oscar Levant and Edward Ward all wrote for her shows, The New Yorkers (1931) being her last great show for Porter. She could sing as well as dance, as evinced by her recording of "Believe Me" (1930). No films of her signature dance routines have been preserved, with the possible exception of the "Snake-Hips" number which occurs in Happy Days (1929). Her key dances in Gold Diggers on Broadway (1929) remain lost. Some of her scenes from Tanned Legs still survive, but her role in The Great Ziegfeld
, while still listed in some inventories, was in fact cut before release. She was also listed as a star in the 1929 Warner Brothers showcase movie "Show of Shows" but her routines were never filmed, perhaps because her main song and dance number "Believe Me" was commandeered by one of Warners' rising stars Irene Bordoni. Ann did however get to perform "Believe Me" in the 1930 movie "Hello Baby!", which is still in print, and sang and danced "You're responsible" in "Tanned Legs" (for which movie she features in uncredited cartoon form on the posters and sheet music).
The New York Times
(November 5, 1971) noted:
Pennington was romantically linked to several men during her lifetime, and at one time or another was allegedly engaged to boxer Jack Dempsey
, theatrical producer and early dance partner George White
, actor Buster West, and musician Brooke Johns. None of these romances lasted and Pennington never married. She never spoke on record about any of her engagements, whether to confirm or deny them.
Ann Pennington never settled in one place for very long. She lived mostly in hotels in New York apart from some years in California as the constant companion of Fanny Brice, whom she had helped out at least once with loans and gifts of jewellery. Ann was noted for her generosity and many of her loans were never repaid; however most of her huge earnings were wiped out over the years by betting at the racetrack, decades of hotel bills, and gifts to charities and churches.
After her years on stage and screen ended, Pennington toured in vaudeville. She retired from performing in the 1940s. She last appeared on stage in a benefit show for the armed forces in 1946. She had a committed work ethic, and worked wherever the opportunity arose, although as she aged and tastes changed, she ended her stage days in shabby theaters with low ranked dance companies. Home movie footage of her "Snake Hips" dance at the 1939 World's Fair survive, but is more memorable for her enthusiasm than her star quality in her fading years.
Ann Pennington died of a stroke in New York City
on November 4, 1971, aged 77. She had lived alone on welfare for many years in New York hotels overlooking 42nd Street.She was badly affected by arthritis. She was sometimes recognised shuffling along Broadway as a faded superstar of a world long past- but she was also mugged in her old age on her daily walk to a diner. She is buried in the Valhallia Cemetery in New York. No family were known to have attended her funeral, which was paid for by the Actors Benevolent guild.
A few years before her death, she was asked what had been the greatest reward from her years of stardom, and her reply was "in living, honey".
She was portrayed by actress Michelle Nicastro in the "Scandals of 1920" episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
, which dramatizes her role as the star of George White's Scandals
of 1920.
The following list includes Ann Pennington's major stage credits:
Ann Pennington (model)
Ann Victoria Pennington is an American model and actress. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its March 1976 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Pompeo Posar and Phillip Dixon....
.
Ann Pennington (December 23, 1893–November 4, 1971) was an actress, dancer, and singer who starred on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in the 1910s and 1920s, notably in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
and George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
.
She became famous for what was, at the time, called a “Shake and Quiver Dancer,” and was noted for her variation of the “Black Bottom
Black Bottom (dance)
Black Bottom refers to a dance. which became popular in the 1920s, during the period known as the Flapper era.The dance originated in New Orleans in the 1900s. The theatrical show Dinah brought the Black Bottom dance to New York in 1924, and the George White's Scandals featured it at the Apollo...
”. She was also noted as an accomplished tap dancer. Ray Henderson wrote the extant version of "Black Bottom" for Ann - she had already been performing the popular version of the dance for some time. Some years prior to this, she had also topped the bill on Broadway in her performance of the musically similar "Charleston".
Pennington also achieved fame as a star of both silent and sound motion pictures.
Biography
Anna Pennington was born in Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
on December 23, 1893 and reputedly moved with her family to Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
around 1900. Her father worked for the Victor music company, they were Quakers, and she had at least one sibling, Nellie.She learned to dance with the Professor Wroe dance school, and her first performances in New York were as part of "Wroe's Buds".She wanted to be a classical actress,but her diminutive stature and talent as a dancer conspired against this ambition.
She began her career on Broadway as a member of the chorus in The Red Widow (1911) starring Raymond Hitchcock
Raymond Hitchcock (actor)
Raymond Hitchcock was a silent film actor, stage actor, and stage producer, who appeared in or produced 30 plays on Broadway from 1898 to 1928, and who became famous in silent films of the 1920s.-Biography:...
. Her debut in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
was in 1913, where she quickly established herself as one Ziegfeld's top attractions.
With dimpled knees and long dark red hair, the petite, pretty, charming, and often scantly-clad Pennington stood a mere 4' 10" tall and wore only a size 1½ shoe. Because of her diminutive stature, she was referred to as “Penny” by her friends and colleagues. Her nickname for herself was “Tiny”.
During her years in the Ziegfeld Follies she appeared alongside the likes of Bert Williams
Bert Williams
Egbert Austin "Bert" Williams was one of the preeminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He was by far the best-selling black recording artist before 1920...
, Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor was an American "illustrated song" performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter...
, Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
, Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice was a popular and influential American illustrated song "model," comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress, who made many stage, radio and film appearances and is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series, The Baby Snooks Show...
(who became her closest friend), Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller was one of the most popular Broadway musical stars of the 1920s and early 1930s. She was an accomplished tap dancer, singer and actress, but it was the combination of these talents that endeared her to audiences. On stage she usually played rags-to-riches Cinderella characters who...
, and W. C. Fields
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield , better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler and writer...
. She switched back and forth between George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
and the Follies more than once, earning a salary of $1000 per week well before the 1920's, and continued to moonlight in the early New York film industry. She also frequented Harlem in its jazz heyday. She was until the late 1920s chaperoned at performances by her mother. She was noted for a quick and witty personality, but was said to be shy off stage and easily embarrassed, and in her latter years was loath to discuss her early life.
George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
was her rehearsal pianist and wrote several songs for her. Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
, Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson , was an American songwriter.Born Raymond Brost in Buffalo, New York, Henderson moved to New York City and became a popular composer in Tin Pan Alley...
, Joe Burke, Oscar Levant and Edward Ward all wrote for her shows, The New Yorkers (1931) being her last great show for Porter. She could sing as well as dance, as evinced by her recording of "Believe Me" (1930). No films of her signature dance routines have been preserved, with the possible exception of the "Snake-Hips" number which occurs in Happy Days (1929). Her key dances in Gold Diggers on Broadway (1929) remain lost. Some of her scenes from Tanned Legs still survive, but her role in The Great Ziegfeld
The Great Ziegfeld
The Great Ziegfeld is a 1936 musical film produced by MGM. A fictionalized biography of Florenz Ziegfeld from his show business beginnings to his death, it showcases a series of spectacular musical productions. The film includes original music by Walter Donaldson and Irving Berlin...
, while still listed in some inventories, was in fact cut before release. She was also listed as a star in the 1929 Warner Brothers showcase movie "Show of Shows" but her routines were never filmed, perhaps because her main song and dance number "Believe Me" was commandeered by one of Warners' rising stars Irene Bordoni. Ann did however get to perform "Believe Me" in the 1930 movie "Hello Baby!", which is still in print, and sang and danced "You're responsible" in "Tanned Legs" (for which movie she features in uncredited cartoon form on the posters and sheet music).
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
(November 5, 1971) noted:
Pennington was romantically linked to several men during her lifetime, and at one time or another was allegedly engaged to boxer Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
, theatrical producer and early dance partner George White
George White
George White may refer to:*George A. White Maj.-Gen., U.S. Army*George E. White , U.S. Congressman from Illinois*George Henry White , Republican Congressman from North Carolina...
, actor Buster West, and musician Brooke Johns. None of these romances lasted and Pennington never married. She never spoke on record about any of her engagements, whether to confirm or deny them.
Ann Pennington never settled in one place for very long. She lived mostly in hotels in New York apart from some years in California as the constant companion of Fanny Brice, whom she had helped out at least once with loans and gifts of jewellery. Ann was noted for her generosity and many of her loans were never repaid; however most of her huge earnings were wiped out over the years by betting at the racetrack, decades of hotel bills, and gifts to charities and churches.
After her years on stage and screen ended, Pennington toured in vaudeville. She retired from performing in the 1940s. She last appeared on stage in a benefit show for the armed forces in 1946. She had a committed work ethic, and worked wherever the opportunity arose, although as she aged and tastes changed, she ended her stage days in shabby theaters with low ranked dance companies. Home movie footage of her "Snake Hips" dance at the 1939 World's Fair survive, but is more memorable for her enthusiasm than her star quality in her fading years.
Ann Pennington died of a stroke in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on November 4, 1971, aged 77. She had lived alone on welfare for many years in New York hotels overlooking 42nd Street.She was badly affected by arthritis. She was sometimes recognised shuffling along Broadway as a faded superstar of a world long past- but she was also mugged in her old age on her daily walk to a diner. She is buried in the Valhallia Cemetery in New York. No family were known to have attended her funeral, which was paid for by the Actors Benevolent guild.
A few years before her death, she was asked what had been the greatest reward from her years of stardom, and her reply was "in living, honey".
She was portrayed by actress Michelle Nicastro in the "Scandals of 1920" episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4, 1992, to July 24, 1993. The series explores the childhood and youth of the fictional character Indiana Jones and primarily stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier as the title character, with...
, which dramatizes her role as the star of George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
of 1920.
Review
Of Ann Pennington’s official film debut in Susie Snowflake, the New York Times stated on June 26, 1916:Stage Credits
This article is about Ann Pennington, the stage actress. For the Playboy model of the same name, go to Ann Pennington (model)Ann Pennington (model)
Ann Victoria Pennington is an American model and actress. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its March 1976 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Pompeo Posar and Phillip Dixon....
.
Ann Pennington (December 23, 1893–November 4, 1971) was an actress, dancer, and singer who starred on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in the 1910s and 1920s, notably in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
and George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
.
She became famous for what was, at the time, called a “Shake and Quiver Dancer,” and was noted for her variation of the “Black Bottom
Black Bottom (dance)
Black Bottom refers to a dance. which became popular in the 1920s, during the period known as the Flapper era.The dance originated in New Orleans in the 1900s. The theatrical show Dinah brought the Black Bottom dance to New York in 1924, and the George White's Scandals featured it at the Apollo...
”. She was also noted as an accomplished tap dancer. Ray Henderson wrote the extant version of "Black Bottom" for Ann - she had already been performing the popular version of the dance for some time. Some years prior to this, she had also topped the bill on Broadway in her performance of the musically similar "Charleston".
Pennington also achieved fame as a star of both silent and sound motion pictures.
Biography
Anna Pennington was born in Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
on December 23, 1893 and reputedly moved with her family to Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
around 1900. Her father worked for the Victor music company, they were Quakers, and she had at least one sibling, Nellie.She learned to dance with the Professor Wroe dance school, and her first performances in New York were as part of "Wroe's Buds".She wanted to be a classical actress,but her diminutive stature and talent as a dancer conspired against this ambition.
She began her career on Broadway as a member of the chorus in The Red Widow (1911) starring Raymond Hitchcock
Raymond Hitchcock (actor)
Raymond Hitchcock was a silent film actor, stage actor, and stage producer, who appeared in or produced 30 plays on Broadway from 1898 to 1928, and who became famous in silent films of the 1920s.-Biography:...
. Her debut in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
was in 1913, where she quickly established herself as one Ziegfeld's top attractions.
With dimpled knees and long dark red hair, the petite, pretty, charming, and often scantly-clad Pennington stood a mere 4' 10" tall and wore only a size 1½ shoe. Because of her diminutive stature, she was referred to as “Penny” by her friends and colleagues. Her nickname for herself was “Tiny”.
During her years in the Ziegfeld Follies she appeared alongside the likes of Bert Williams
Bert Williams
Egbert Austin "Bert" Williams was one of the preeminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He was by far the best-selling black recording artist before 1920...
, Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor was an American "illustrated song" performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter...
, Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
, Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice was a popular and influential American illustrated song "model," comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress, who made many stage, radio and film appearances and is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series, The Baby Snooks Show...
(who became her closest friend), Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller was one of the most popular Broadway musical stars of the 1920s and early 1930s. She was an accomplished tap dancer, singer and actress, but it was the combination of these talents that endeared her to audiences. On stage she usually played rags-to-riches Cinderella characters who...
, and W. C. Fields
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield , better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler and writer...
. She switched back and forth between George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
and the Follies more than once, earning a salary of $1000 per week well before the 1920's, and continued to moonlight in the early New York film industry. She also frequented Harlem in its jazz heyday. She was until the late 1920s chaperoned at performances by her mother. She was noted for a quick and witty personality, but was said to be shy off stage and easily embarrassed, and in her latter years was loath to discuss her early life.
George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
was her rehearsal pianist and wrote several songs for her. Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
, Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson , was an American songwriter.Born Raymond Brost in Buffalo, New York, Henderson moved to New York City and became a popular composer in Tin Pan Alley...
, Joe Burke, Oscar Levant and Edward Ward all wrote for her shows, The New Yorkers (1931) being her last great show for Porter. She could sing as well as dance, as evinced by her recording of "Believe Me" (1930). No films of her signature dance routines have been preserved, with the possible exception of the "Snake-Hips" number which occurs in Happy Days (1929). Her key dances in Gold Diggers on Broadway (1929) remain lost. Some of her scenes from Tanned Legs still survive, but her role in The Great Ziegfeld
The Great Ziegfeld
The Great Ziegfeld is a 1936 musical film produced by MGM. A fictionalized biography of Florenz Ziegfeld from his show business beginnings to his death, it showcases a series of spectacular musical productions. The film includes original music by Walter Donaldson and Irving Berlin...
, while still listed in some inventories, was in fact cut before release. She was also listed as a star in the 1929 Warner Brothers showcase movie "Show of Shows" but her routines were never filmed, perhaps because her main song and dance number "Believe Me" was commandeered by one of Warners' rising stars Irene Bordoni. Ann did however get to perform "Believe Me" in the 1930 movie "Hello Baby!", which is still in print, and sang and danced "You're responsible" in "Tanned Legs" (for which movie she features in uncredited cartoon form on the posters and sheet music).
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
(November 5, 1971) noted:
Pennington was romantically linked to several men during her lifetime, and at one time or another was allegedly engaged to boxer Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
, theatrical producer and early dance partner George White
George White
George White may refer to:*George A. White Maj.-Gen., U.S. Army*George E. White , U.S. Congressman from Illinois*George Henry White , Republican Congressman from North Carolina...
, actor Buster West, and musician Brooke Johns. None of these romances lasted and Pennington never married. She never spoke on record about any of her engagements, whether to confirm or deny them.
Ann Pennington never settled in one place for very long. She lived mostly in hotels in New York apart from some years in California as the constant companion of Fanny Brice, whom she had helped out at least once with loans and gifts of jewellery. Ann was noted for her generosity and many of her loans were never repaid; however most of her huge earnings were wiped out over the years by betting at the racetrack, decades of hotel bills, and gifts to charities and churches.
After her years on stage and screen ended, Pennington toured in vaudeville. She retired from performing in the 1940s. She last appeared on stage in a benefit show for the armed forces in 1946. She had a committed work ethic, and worked wherever the opportunity arose, although as she aged and tastes changed, she ended her stage days in shabby theaters with low ranked dance companies. Home movie footage of her "Snake Hips" dance at the 1939 World's Fair survive, but is more memorable for her enthusiasm than her star quality in her fading years.
Ann Pennington died of a stroke in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on November 4, 1971, aged 77. She had lived alone on welfare for many years in New York hotels overlooking 42nd Street.She was badly affected by arthritis. She was sometimes recognised shuffling along Broadway as a faded superstar of a world long past- but she was also mugged in her old age on her daily walk to a diner. She is buried in the Valhallia Cemetery in New York. No family were known to have attended her funeral, which was paid for by the Actors Benevolent guild.
A few years before her death, she was asked what had been the greatest reward from her years of stardom, and her reply was "in living, honey".
She was portrayed by actress Michelle Nicastro in the "Scandals of 1920" episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4, 1992, to July 24, 1993. The series explores the childhood and youth of the fictional character Indiana Jones and primarily stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier as the title character, with...
, which dramatizes her role as the star of George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
of 1920.
Review
Of Ann Pennington’s official film debut in Susie Snowflake, the New York Times stated on June 26, 1916:Stage Credits
This article is about Ann Pennington, the stage actress. For the Playboy model of the same name, go to Ann Pennington (model)Ann Pennington (model)
Ann Victoria Pennington is an American model and actress. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for its March 1976 issue. Her centerfold was photographed by Pompeo Posar and Phillip Dixon....
.
Ann Pennington (December 23, 1893–November 4, 1971) was an actress, dancer, and singer who starred on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in the 1910s and 1920s, notably in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
and George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
.
She became famous for what was, at the time, called a “Shake and Quiver Dancer,” and was noted for her variation of the “Black Bottom
Black Bottom (dance)
Black Bottom refers to a dance. which became popular in the 1920s, during the period known as the Flapper era.The dance originated in New Orleans in the 1900s. The theatrical show Dinah brought the Black Bottom dance to New York in 1924, and the George White's Scandals featured it at the Apollo...
”. She was also noted as an accomplished tap dancer. Ray Henderson wrote the extant version of "Black Bottom" for Ann - she had already been performing the popular version of the dance for some time. Some years prior to this, she had also topped the bill on Broadway in her performance of the musically similar "Charleston".
Pennington also achieved fame as a star of both silent and sound motion pictures.
Biography
Anna Pennington was born in Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
on December 23, 1893 and reputedly moved with her family to Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
around 1900. Her father worked for the Victor music company, they were Quakers, and she had at least one sibling, Nellie.She learned to dance with the Professor Wroe dance school, and her first performances in New York were as part of "Wroe's Buds".She wanted to be a classical actress,but her diminutive stature and talent as a dancer conspired against this ambition.
She began her career on Broadway as a member of the chorus in The Red Widow (1911) starring Raymond Hitchcock
Raymond Hitchcock (actor)
Raymond Hitchcock was a silent film actor, stage actor, and stage producer, who appeared in or produced 30 plays on Broadway from 1898 to 1928, and who became famous in silent films of the 1920s.-Biography:...
. Her debut in the Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
was in 1913, where she quickly established herself as one Ziegfeld's top attractions.
With dimpled knees and long dark red hair, the petite, pretty, charming, and often scantly-clad Pennington stood a mere 4' 10" tall and wore only a size 1½ shoe. Because of her diminutive stature, she was referred to as “Penny” by her friends and colleagues. Her nickname for herself was “Tiny”.
During her years in the Ziegfeld Follies she appeared alongside the likes of Bert Williams
Bert Williams
Egbert Austin "Bert" Williams was one of the preeminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He was by far the best-selling black recording artist before 1920...
, Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor was an American "illustrated song" performer, comedian, dancer, singer, actor and songwriter...
, Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
, Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice
Fanny Brice was a popular and influential American illustrated song "model," comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress, who made many stage, radio and film appearances and is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series, The Baby Snooks Show...
(who became her closest friend), Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller was one of the most popular Broadway musical stars of the 1920s and early 1930s. She was an accomplished tap dancer, singer and actress, but it was the combination of these talents that endeared her to audiences. On stage she usually played rags-to-riches Cinderella characters who...
, and W. C. Fields
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield , better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler and writer...
. She switched back and forth between George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
and the Follies more than once, earning a salary of $1000 per week well before the 1920's, and continued to moonlight in the early New York film industry. She also frequented Harlem in its jazz heyday. She was until the late 1920s chaperoned at performances by her mother. She was noted for a quick and witty personality, but was said to be shy off stage and easily embarrassed, and in her latter years was loath to discuss her early life.
George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
was her rehearsal pianist and wrote several songs for her. Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
, Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson , was an American songwriter.Born Raymond Brost in Buffalo, New York, Henderson moved to New York City and became a popular composer in Tin Pan Alley...
, Joe Burke, Oscar Levant and Edward Ward all wrote for her shows, The New Yorkers (1931) being her last great show for Porter. She could sing as well as dance, as evinced by her recording of "Believe Me" (1930). No films of her signature dance routines have been preserved, with the possible exception of the "Snake-Hips" number which occurs in Happy Days (1929). Her key dances in Gold Diggers on Broadway (1929) remain lost. Some of her scenes from Tanned Legs still survive, but her role in The Great Ziegfeld
The Great Ziegfeld
The Great Ziegfeld is a 1936 musical film produced by MGM. A fictionalized biography of Florenz Ziegfeld from his show business beginnings to his death, it showcases a series of spectacular musical productions. The film includes original music by Walter Donaldson and Irving Berlin...
, while still listed in some inventories, was in fact cut before release. She was also listed as a star in the 1929 Warner Brothers showcase movie "Show of Shows" but her routines were never filmed, perhaps because her main song and dance number "Believe Me" was commandeered by one of Warners' rising stars Irene Bordoni. Ann did however get to perform "Believe Me" in the 1930 movie "Hello Baby!", which is still in print, and sang and danced "You're responsible" in "Tanned Legs" (for which movie she features in uncredited cartoon form on the posters and sheet music).
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
(November 5, 1971) noted:
Pennington was romantically linked to several men during her lifetime, and at one time or another was allegedly engaged to boxer Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
, theatrical producer and early dance partner George White
George White
George White may refer to:*George A. White Maj.-Gen., U.S. Army*George E. White , U.S. Congressman from Illinois*George Henry White , Republican Congressman from North Carolina...
, actor Buster West, and musician Brooke Johns. None of these romances lasted and Pennington never married. She never spoke on record about any of her engagements, whether to confirm or deny them.
Ann Pennington never settled in one place for very long. She lived mostly in hotels in New York apart from some years in California as the constant companion of Fanny Brice, whom she had helped out at least once with loans and gifts of jewellery. Ann was noted for her generosity and many of her loans were never repaid; however most of her huge earnings were wiped out over the years by betting at the racetrack, decades of hotel bills, and gifts to charities and churches.
After her years on stage and screen ended, Pennington toured in vaudeville. She retired from performing in the 1940s. She last appeared on stage in a benefit show for the armed forces in 1946. She had a committed work ethic, and worked wherever the opportunity arose, although as she aged and tastes changed, she ended her stage days in shabby theaters with low ranked dance companies. Home movie footage of her "Snake Hips" dance at the 1939 World's Fair survive, but is more memorable for her enthusiasm than her star quality in her fading years.
Ann Pennington died of a stroke in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on November 4, 1971, aged 77. She had lived alone on welfare for many years in New York hotels overlooking 42nd Street.She was badly affected by arthritis. She was sometimes recognised shuffling along Broadway as a faded superstar of a world long past- but she was also mugged in her old age on her daily walk to a diner. She is buried in the Valhallia Cemetery in New York. No family were known to have attended her funeral, which was paid for by the Actors Benevolent guild.
A few years before her death, she was asked what had been the greatest reward from her years of stardom, and her reply was "in living, honey".
She was portrayed by actress Michelle Nicastro in the "Scandals of 1920" episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4, 1992, to July 24, 1993. The series explores the childhood and youth of the fictional character Indiana Jones and primarily stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Corey Carrier as the title character, with...
, which dramatizes her role as the star of George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals
George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ...
of 1920.
Review
Of Ann Pennington’s official film debut in Susie Snowflake, the New York Times stated on June 26, 1916:Stage Credits
 |
 |
The following list includes Ann Pennington's major stage credits:
| # | Title | Type | Role | Theatrical Run | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Red Widow | Musical | Member of the Chorus | June 22, 1911-Feb 24, 1912 | |
| 2 | Ziegfeld Follies of 1913 | Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 16, 1913 - Sep 6, 1913 | |
| 3 | Ziegfeld Follies of 1914 | Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 1, 1914 - Sep 5, 1914 | Appeared in the "Tango Palace" scene. |
| 4 | Ziegfeld Follies of 1915 | Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 21, 1915 - Sep 18, 1915 | Performed the "Flirtation Melody Dance" with George White George White George White may refer to:*George A. White Maj.-Gen., U.S. Army*George E. White , U.S. Congressman from Illinois*George Henry White , Republican Congressman from North Carolina... . |
| 5 | Ziegfeld Follies of 1916 | Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 12, 1916 - Sep 16, 1916 | |
| 6 | Miss 1917 Miss 1917 Miss 1917 is a musical revue with a book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, music by Victor Herbert, Jerome Kern and others, and lyrics by Harry B. Smith, Otto Harbach, Henry Blossom and others... |
Musical Revue | Herself | Nov 5, 1917 - Jan 5, 1918 | |
| 7 | Ziegfeld Follies of 1918 | Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 18, 1918 - Sep 11, 1918 | |
| 8 | George White's Scandals George White's Scandals George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, ... (1919) |
Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 2, 1919 - Sep 1919 | |
| 9 | Midnight Frolic | Musical Revue | Herself | April 24, 1918- May 12, 1918 | Performed "A Syncopated Frolic". |
| 10 | George White's Scandals (1920) | Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 7, 1920 - Oct 2, 1920 | |
| 11 | George White's Scandals (1921) | Musical Revue | Herself | Jul 11, 1921 - Oct 1, 1921 | |
| 12 | Jack and Jill | Musical Comedy | Gloria Wayne | Mar 22, 1923 - Jun 9, 1923 | |
| 13 | Ziegfeld Follies of 1924 | Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 24, 1924 - Mar 7, 1925 | |
| 14 | George White's Scandals (1926) | Musical Revue | Herself | Jun 14, 1926 - Jun 1927 | Performed "The Black Bottom". |
| 15 | George White's Scandals (1928) | Musical Revue | Herself | Jul 2, 1928 - Jan 1929 | |
| 16 | The New Yorkers The New Yorkers The New Yorkers is a musical written by Cole Porter and Herbert Fields . The musical premiered on Broadway in 1930. It is based on a story by cartoonist Peter Arno and E. Ray Goetz. The musical satirizes New York types, from high society matrons to con men, bootleggers, thieves and prostitutes... |
Musical Revue (Satire) | Lola McGee | Dec 8, 1930 - May 2, 1931 | |
| 17 | Everybody's Welcome Everybody's Welcome Everybody's Welcome is a musical comedy with a book by Lambert Carroll, lyrics by Irving Kahal, and music by Sammy Fain. The musical has two acts and a prologue. The story is based on "Up Pops the Devil" by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.... |
Musical Comedy | Louella Carroll | Oct 13, 1931 - Feb 13, 1932 | |
| 18 | The Student Prince | Operetta (revival) | Gretchen | Jun 8, 1943 - Oct 2, 1943 | |
Motion Picture Credits
The following list contains all of Ann Pennington's known motion picture appearances.| # | Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Silent Films |
||||
| 1 | [untitled film] | 1916 | Herself | A short film of Ann Pennington that was incorporated into her stage act in The Ziegfeld Follies of 1916. |
| 2 | Susie Snowflake | 1916 | Susie | Ann Pennington’s official film debut. She plays an itinerant stage actress forced to live with her stern aunt. |
| 3 | The Rainbow Princess | 1916 | Hope | Ann Pennington as a circus performer who is pawned off as the long-lost granddaughter of a wealthy judge. In this film she performs a Hula dance. |
| 4 | The Antics of Ann | 1917 | Ann Wharton | Ann Pennington as a hoydenish young lady trying to crash society. |
| 5 | The Little Boy Scout | 1917 | Justina Howland | Ann Pennington as a young woman who inherits a fortune. Co-stars Owen Moore (who was married to Mary Pickford Mary Pickford Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences... at the time). |
| 6 | Sunshine Nan | 1918 | Nance Molloy | Ann Pennington as a reform school parolee working as a stenographer in a shoe store. Co-stars Richard Barthelmess Richard Barthelmess Richard Semler "Dick" Barthelmess was an Oscar-nominated silent film star.-Early life:Barthelmess was educated at Hudson River Military Academy at Nyack and Trinity College at Hartford, Connecticut... . |
| 7 | Manhandled Manhandled (1924 film) Manhandled is a silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Gloria Swanson. The film was produced by Famous Players-Lasky at their East Coast Astoria Studios facility and distributed by Paramount Pictures... |
1924 | Herself | Stars Gloria Swanson Gloria Swanson Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the... with Ann Pennington in a cameo. |
| 8 | The Golden Strain | 1925 | Lucy Sulter | A Western Western (genre) The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of... with Pennington in a supporting role. |
| 9 | The Lucky Horseshoe | 1925 | Dancer | A Tom Mix Tom Mix Thomas Edwin "Tom" Mix was an American film actor and the star of many early Western movies. He made a reported 336 films between 1910 and 1935, all but nine of which were silent features... Western Western (genre) The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of... with Ann Pennington in a cameo. |
| 10 | A Kiss in the Dark | 1925 | Dancer | A comedy starring Adolphe Menjou Adolphe Menjou Adolphe Jean Menjou was an American actor. His career spanned both silent films and talkies, appearing in such films as The Sheik, A Woman of Paris, Morocco, and A Star is Born... . Pennington has a cameo appearance. |
| 11 | The Mad Dancer | 1925 | Mimi | Pennington stars as a Latin dancer and model. Reputedly she appeared nude in this film.http://www.starpulse.com/Actresses/Pennington,_Ann/Biography/ |
| 12 | Madame Behave Madame Behave Madame Behave is a 1925 silent film comedy starring cross-dressing actor Julian Eltinge. It is based on a play by Jean Arlette and was produced by Al Christie with distribution through Producer's Distributing Corporation... |
1925 | Gwen Townley | A starring film for fermale impersonator Julian Eltinge Julian Eltinge Julian Eltinge , born William Julian Dalton, was an American stage and screen actor and female impersonator. After appearing in the Boston Cadets Revue at the age of ten in feminine garb, Eltinge garnered notice from other producers and made his first appearance on Broadway in 1904... . Ann Pennington plays his girlfriend. |
| 13 | Pretty Ladies Pretty Ladies Pretty Ladies is a silent comedy-drama film starring ZaSu Pitts and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film is a fictional recreation of the famed Ziegfeld Follies. Directed by Monta Bell, the film was written by Alice D.G... |
1925 | Herself | A comedy about a dowdy comedienne (ZaSu Pitts ZaSu Pitts ZaSu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning to comedy sound films.-Early life:ZaSu Pitts was born in Parsons, Kansas to Rulandus and Nellie Pitts; she was the third of four children... ) in the Ziegfeld Follies Ziegfeld Follies The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air.... . Pennington has a cameo. |
Sound Films |
||||
| 14 | Tanned Legs | 1929 | Tootie | Ann Pennington performs the title song and “You’re Responsible”. |
| 15 | Night Parade | 1929 | Herself | A boxing melodrama. |
| 16 | Is Everybody Happy? | 1929 | Lena Schmitt | Co-stars Ted Lewis Ted Lewis (musician) Theodore Leopold Friedman, better known as Ted Lewis , was an American entertainer, bandleader, singer, and musician. He led a band presenting a combination of jazz, hokey comedy, and schmaltzy sentimentality that was a hit with the American public. He was known by the moniker "Mr... . Ann Pennington performs “Samoa”. |
| 17 | Gold Diggers of Broadway | 1929 | Ann Collins | Filmed in Technicolor Technicolor Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952... . One of the big hits of 1929. Pennington dances to “Painting the Clouds With Sunshine” and "The Song of the Gold Diggers (Dig, You Little Diggers, Dig)". |
| 18 | Night Club | 1929 | Herself | A three-reel short in which Ann Pennington appears with Fanny Brice Fanny Brice Fanny Brice was a popular and influential American illustrated song "model," comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress, who made many stage, radio and film appearances and is known as the creator and star of the top-rated radio comedy series, The Baby Snooks Show... . |
| 19 | Hello Baby! | 1930 | Herself | A two-reel Technicolor Technicolor Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952... short. Songs include "Hello Baby", "Believe Me", "I Gotta Have You", "Dance of the Wooden Shoes" and "Huddlin'". |
| 20 | Happy Days Happy Days (1929 film) Happy Days is an 80 minute musical film, notable for being the first feature film shown entirely in widescreen anywhere in the world. Happy Days (1929) is an 80 minute musical film, notable for being the first feature film shown entirely in widescreen anywhere in the world. Happy Days (1929) is an... |
1930 | Herself | An all-star extravaganza filmed in 70mm “Grandeur Process”. Pennington performs "Snake Hips (Do the Wiggle Waggle Woo)". |
| 21 | Texas Terrors | 1940 | Dancer | A Western Western (genre) The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of... starring Don "Red" Barry. Pennington performs "Listen to the Rhythm of the Range". |
| 22 | Unholy Partners | 1941 | Telephone operator | Stars Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo... . |
| 23 | China Girl | 1942 | Sugar Fingers | Stars Gene Tierney Gene Tierney Gene Eliza Tierney was an American film and stage actress. Acclaimed as one of the great beauties of her day, she is best remembered for her performance in the title role of Laura and her Academy Award-nominated performance for Best Actress in Leave Her to Heaven .Other notable roles include... and George Montgomery. |
External links
- Silent Ladies and Gents features pictures of Ann Pennington
- Ann Pennington portrait at NY Public Library Billy Rose Collection