Amanda Randolph facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amanda Randolph
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Randolph in 1953
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Amanda E. Randolph
September 2, 1896 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
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| Died | August 24, 1967 (aged 70) Duarte, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Mandy Randolph |
| Occupation | Actress, singer, pianist |
| Years active | 1919–1967 |
| Spouse(s) | Arthur Sherman (m.1918–?) Harry Hansberry (m.?–1961) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Lillian Randolph (sister) |
Amanda E. Randolph (born September 2, 1896 – died August 24, 1967) was an American actress, singer, and musician. She made history as the first African-American performer to star in a regular TV show on a network. This was on DuMont's The Laytons.
Contents
Early Life
Amanda Randolph was born in Louisville, Kentucky. Her father was a Methodist minister, and her mother was a teacher. Amanda had a younger sister named Lillian, who also became a famous actress.
Career
Music Career
Amanda's family moved often. When she was 14, Amanda started earning money by playing the piano and organ in Cleveland, Ohio.
Around 1919, she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. There, she recorded several piano rolls for the Vocalstyle company. These rolls featured hot jazz and blues music. She was one of the first Black female pianists known to record music. Amanda used the name Mandy Randolph for her work. She even wrote some of the music she recorded.
Amanda also made audio recordings. She recorded six duets with Sammie Lewis. Later, in 1996, these songs were released on an album called Blues & Jazz Obscurities (1923-1931).
In 1924, Amanda was invited to join the musical Shuffle Along in New York. She also performed in Lucky Sambo and The Chocolate Dandies. After that, she worked in musicals at New York's Alhambra Theater. She even performed in Europe and England for a year.
Amanda worked in vaudeville and burlesque shows as a comedian and singer. She took a break from performing in 1932. During this time, she helped her husband run their restaurant in New York. It was called The Clam House and was very popular with people in entertainment.
She later returned to music, playing piano at a club in Greenwich Village. Amanda continued to record songs for Bluebird Records. She sang with her own band, called Amanda Randolph and her Orchestra. Some of her songs can still be heard today on radio stations.
Films, Radio, and Television
Amanda's film career started in 1936 with Black Network. She appeared in several films by Oscar Micheaux. These included Swing, Lying Lips, and The Notorious Elinor Lee. Soon after, she got roles on Broadway.
Around the same time, Amanda started working in radio. She appeared on many radio shows, such as Young Dr. Malone and Big Sister. She became a regular on shows like Abie's Irish Rose and Kitty Foyle. She also performed on Rudy Vallée's radio show.
Amanda continued acting in films until the 1960s. She was one of the first African-American women to become a popular comedian on television. In 1944, she appeared on CBS-TV with a group called The Three Barons. She made history as the first African-American performer to star in a regular network TV show. This was on DuMont's The Laytons in 1948.
Amanda also voiced the character Petunia in the Little Audrey cartoons. Here are some of the cartoons where she was the voice of Petunia:
- Butterscotch and Soda (1948)
- The Lost Dream (1949)
- Song of the Birds (1949)
- Hold the Lion, Please (1951)
- Audrey the Rainmaker (1951)
From 1948 to 1949, Amanda had her own daytime TV show for DuMont called Amanda. This made her the first African-American woman to have her own show on daytime television.
In 1949, Amanda moved to California. She got a role in Sidney Poitier's film No Way Out. She then became a regular on The Amos 'n' Andy Show from 1951 to 1953. She played Ramona Smith, Sapphire's mother. She also played this role on the radio version of the show.
Amanda later worked with her sister, Lillian, on The Beulah Show. Amanda took over the main role of Beulah from Lillian in 1953 and played it until 1954. She also played the folk hero Annie Christmas in a radio show in 1956.
Amanda had a repeating role as Louise the Maid on CBS's The Danny Thomas Show. She even appeared in the show's reunion program in 1967, shortly before she passed away. In 1955, Amanda opened her own restaurant in Los Angeles called "Mama's Place." She did all the cooking there!
Even with all her acting work, Amanda was almost short of the requirements for a Screen Actors Guild pension when she was 70. A special role was written for her so she could get the pension she needed.
Personal Life
Amanda married Harry Hansberry sometime after 1940. Harry owned a restaurant in Harlem, New York City. They had two children together. They were living apart when Harry passed away in 1961.
Death
Amanda Randolph died from a stroke in Duarte, California, on August 24, 1967. She was 70 years old. She was survived by her son, Joseph, and her daughter, Evelyn. She is buried next to her sister, Lillian, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills.
Images for kids
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Randolph in 1953
See also
In Spanish: Amanda Randolph para niños
