Dinah Shore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dinah Shore
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Publicity photo, 1951
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| Born |
Frances ‘Fanny’ Rose Shore
February 29, 1916 Winchester, Tennessee, U.S.
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| Died | February 24, 1994 (aged 77) |
| Resting place | Hillside Memorial Park |
| Education | Hume-Fogg High School |
| Alma mater | Vanderbilt University |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1939–1994 |
| Known for | The Dinah Shore Show (radio program) The Dinah Shore Show Dinah Shore Chevy Show Dinah! |
| Spouse(s) |
George Montgomery
(m. 1943; div. 1963)Maurice F. Smith
(m. 1963; div. 1964) |
| Partner(s) | Burt Reynolds (1970-1975) |
| Children | 2 |
Dinah Shore (born Frances ‘Fanny’ Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was a famous American singer, actress, and TV star. She was the top female singer of the 1940s. Dinah became well-known during the Big Band music era. Later, she became even more successful on television. She hosted many popular variety shows, especially for the Chevrolet car company.
Dinah Shore tried out for several big bands but didn't get picked. So, she decided to sing on her own. She became one of the first singers of her time to become a huge solo star. She had 80 popular songs that made it onto the music charts between 1940 and 1957. After appearing in a few movies, she had a TV career that lasted 40 years! She starred in her own music and variety shows from 1951 to 1963. She also hosted two talk shows in the 1970s. TV Guide magazine even named her one of the top 50 TV stars of all time.
Contents
Early Life and Challenges
Frances "Fanny" Rose Shore was born on February 29, 1916, in Winchester, Tennessee. Her parents, Anna and Solomon Shore, were shopkeepers who had moved from Russia. Fanny had an older sister named Elizabeth.
When Fanny was just 18 months old, she got sick with polio. This disease can affect the body's movement. At that time, there was no vaccine for polio. Her mother took great care of her, giving her massages and special exercises. Fanny got better, but she had a foot that was a bit different and a slight limp. Even as a small child, Fanny loved to sing. Her mother, who also loved to sing, encouraged her. Her father often took her to his store, where she would sing for the customers.
In 1924, Fanny's family moved to McMinnville, Tennessee, and later to Nashville. Even though she was shy because of her limp, she was active in school. She was a cheerleader at Nashville's Hume-Fogg High School.
When Dinah was 16, her mother passed away suddenly. Dinah went to Vanderbilt University and studied sociology. She also took part in many activities there. While in Nashville, she visited the famous Grand Ole Opry and sang on a local radio station.
After college, Dinah decided to chase her dream of singing. She moved to New York City to try out for bands and radio stations. In many of her auditions, she sang a popular song called "Dinah". A radio DJ named Martin Block couldn't remember her name, so he called her the "Dinah girl." Soon, that name stuck, and she became known as Dinah Shore. She eventually got a job singing at a radio station and later signed a record deal with RCA Victor Records in 1940.
Becoming a Star Singer
Dinah Shore first sang on national radio in 1939. In 1940, she became a featured singer on a popular NBC Radio show. Her singing caught the attention of famous entertainer Eddie Cantor. He hired her to be a regular on his radio show. Dinah said Eddie taught her how to be confident and connect with an audience.
During World War II, Dinah became a favorite singer for the troops. She had many hit songs, including "Blues in the Night" and "I'll Walk Alone", which was her first number-one hit. "Blues in the Night" sold over a million copies!
In 1946, Dinah switched to Columbia Records. Here, she had even more success. Her song "Buttons and Bows" was the most popular song of 1948, staying at number one for ten weeks. Other big hits included "The Gypsy" and "The Anniversary Song". She even got her own radio show called Call for Music. One of her most loved songs was the holiday classic "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Buddy Clark in 1949.
Dinah also appeared in several movies. She sang in films like Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) and Follow the Boys (1944). She also lent her voice to two Disney movies: Make Mine Music (1946) and Fun and Fancy Free (1947).
Queen of Television
In the 1950s, Dinah Shore became a huge star on television. She started hosting her own program, The Dinah Shore Show, in 1951.
In 1956, she began hosting special hour-long shows for NBC, which were broadcast in full color. These shows were so popular that they were renamed The Dinah Shore Chevy Show. Dinah became the main host, appearing three out of four weeks each month. This variety show was very popular in the 1950s and early 1960s. Many famous stars appeared on her show, including Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Barbra Streisand. Dinah always ended her TV shows by blowing a big kiss to the camera and saying "MWAH!" to her audience.
After The Dinah Shore Chevy Show ended in 1961, Dinah hosted other monthly shows. Over 12 seasons, from 1951 to 1963, Dinah made hundreds of TV shows.
Later TV Shows
From 1970 to 1980, Dinah hosted two popular daytime talk shows: Dinah's Place and Dinah!. On Dinah's Place, she would often have guests show off unexpected skills. For example, Frank Sinatra shared his spaghetti sauce recipe, and Vice-President Spiro Agnew played the keyboard.
Dinah! was a longer daily talk show that focused on top guest stars and entertainment. Famous people like Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, and James Stewart were frequent guests. Even rock stars like Tina Turner and David Bowie appeared on her show! Dinah was known for her friendly Southern accent and polite way. She even made fun of this image when she played a character named Melody in a funny parody of Gone with the Wind on The Carol Burnett Show.
Dinah finished her TV career hosting A Conversation with Dinah from 1989 to 1992. On this show, she had one-on-one interviews with celebrities, comedians, and even former presidents like Gerald Ford and his wife, Betty Ford. She also got the first interview with former First Lady Nancy Reagan after she left the White House. Dinah Shore won nine Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her television work. She also wrote cookbooks, like Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah.
Personal Life and Family
Dinah Shore was married to actor George Montgomery from 1943 to 1962. They had a daughter named Melissa Ann, and they also adopted a son, John David. Melissa later became an actress herself.
In the early 1970s, Dinah had a well-known relationship with actor Burt Reynolds. She was 20 years older than him, and their relationship was often talked about.
Dinah Shore loved playing golf and was a big supporter of women's professional golf. In 1972, she helped start the Colgate Dinah Shore Golf Tournament. Today, it's called the Chevron Championship and is one of the biggest golf tournaments for women on the LPGA Tour. It's held every spring near Dinah's former home in Rancho Mirage, California.
Because of her important contributions to golf, Dinah was made an honorary member of the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1994. She also became a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1998.
Death and Tributes
In the spring of 1993, Dinah Shore was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She passed away from complications of the disease at her home in Beverly Hills, California, on February 24, 1994. She was just five days shy of her 78th birthday.
Dinah Shore is remembered in many ways. Streets in Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage, California are named after her. Her hometown of Winchester, Tennessee, has a Dinah Shore Boulevard. In 1991, she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. In 1996, she received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.
Images for kids
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Publicity photo, 1951
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Shore (left) and Gail Patrick in the CBS Radio studio at a rehearsal for The Screen Guild Theater (1945)
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U.S. President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan with Dinah Shore (center) and other stars, 1982
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Shore in 1990
See also
In Spanish: Dinah Shore para niños
