Georgette Harvey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgette Harvey
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Harvey as Maria in Porgy (1927)
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| Born | December 31, 1884 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
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| Died | February 17, 1952 (aged 67) New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1902–1939 |
Georgette Harvey (born December 31, 1884 – died February 17, 1952) was an American singer and actress. She is best known for her roles in the original Broadway play Porgy (1927) and the 1935 Broadway opera Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin. In these shows, she created the famous role of Maria.
About Georgette Harvey
Georgette Harvey was born in St. Louis, Missouri. When she was 18, she moved to New York City. There, she formed a singing group called the Creole Belles. This group performed for a short time in the U.S. before traveling to Europe.
After some years, the Creole Belles group broke up. However, Georgette stayed in Europe. She performed as a singer in nightclubs and cabarets. She lived and performed in Russia for 16 years. She left Russia when the Russian Revolution began.
After leaving Russia, she briefly performed in Japan. Then, she returned to the United States. In the U.S., she became a successful character actress and singer on the Broadway stage. A character actress is someone who plays unusual or interesting characters, rather than the main hero or heroine.
Her famous Broadway shows include Porgy, Stevedore, Porgy and Bess, Mamba's Daughters, and Anna Lucasta.
Georgette Harvey also tried out for a movie role. She did a screen test for the part of Mammy in the famous film Gone With the Wind (1939). However, Hattie McDaniel won the role. Georgette Harvey's screen test still exists today. You can see a part of it in the documentary film The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind (1988).
Georgette Harvey passed away on February 17, 1952, at the age of 67.
Film Roles
Georgette Harvey appeared in a few films during her career:
- Social Register (1934)
- Chloe, Love Is Calling You (1934)
- Back Door to Heaven (1939)
- The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair (1939)
