[Dixielandjazz] Ethel Waters on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

[Robert Ringwald]

Ethel Waters on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Give Ethel Waters a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
by Michael Musto
Village Voice blog, May 6, 2011
Who?
Oh, hush, I'm going to tell you.
By the end of it, you'll be as certain that Ethel Waters deserves a star on the Walk
of Fame as you are that Rin Tin Tin didn't.
Here are her credentials, as lovingly forwarded to me by her band of supporters [
http://www.ethelwatersstar.com/
 ]:
* First to sing "Stormy Weather" into history on the radio in 1933
* First African-American to star in a Broadway play ("Mamba's Daughters," 1939)
* First African-American actress to star in a television series ("Beulah," 1950)
* First African-American nominated for an Emmy Award ("Route 66" in 1962)
* Second African-American nominated for an Oscar ("Pinky")
* First international hit song by an African-American: "Dinah"
* First woman to scat. Ethel began scatting before it was called scat! (And I don't
want to hear any scat jokes, please.)
* Stage credits included "Stormy Weather," "As Thousands Cheer," and "Cabin in the
Sky."
* Films include "Member of the Wedding" and "The Sound and the Fury."
Oh, and let me personally add that she was reportedly mean to younger, prettier African-Americans
in some of her movies. Doesn't that certify her diva status as much as anything?


--Bob Ringwald
www.ringwald.com
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