Georgia Carroll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgia Carroll
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Carroll in 1942
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| Background information | |
| Born | November 18, 1919 Blooming Grove, Texas, U.S |
| Died | January 14, 2011 (aged 91) |
| Occupation(s) | Big-band singer |
| Instruments | Singing |
| Years active | 1941–1946 |
Georgia Carroll (born November 18, 1919 – died January 14, 2011) was an American singer, fashion model, and actress. She became well-known for her singing with Kay Kyser's big band orchestra in the mid-1940s. She married Kay Kyser in 1944, and they stayed together until he passed away in 1985.
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Who Was Georgia Carroll?
Georgia Carroll was born in Blooming Grove, Texas. Her father, Mr. Roger Carroll, raised sheep. Later, her family moved to Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas.
From Model to Actress
One of Georgia's first jobs was modeling for a department store in Dallas. She then moved to New York City. There, she worked for a famous modeling agency called John Powers. While modeling, she also took singing lessons.
In 1936, Georgia became famous for a special reason. She was the model for a large statue called "The Spirit of the Centennial." This statue was part of the Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas. The statue can still be seen today.
Georgia also tried acting. In 1941, she appeared in several movies. These included Maisie Was a Lady and Ziegfeld Girl. She also appeared in You're in the Army Now and Navy Blues. In 1942, she played Betsy Ross in the musical Yankee Doodle Dandy, which starred James Cagney. She also modeled for products like Jewelite hairbrushes during this time.
Singing with a Big Band
In 1943, Georgia Carroll joined Kay Kyser's popular band, Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge. She became a featured singer with the band. Because she was very pretty, people gave her the nickname "Gorgeous Georgia Carroll." This was a playful nod to a famous wrestler named Gorgeous George.
As a singer in Kyser's band, Georgia appeared in three more movies. These were Around the World, Carolina Blues, and Thousands Cheer. Thousands Cheer was a special movie made during World War II to boost people's spirits. Fans could see Kyser and his band perform in color in this film. Georgia sang a solo part of the song "Should I?" in the movie.
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Family Life and Retirement
In 1945, Georgia Carroll married Kay Kyser. After their marriage, she stopped making movies. She retired from performing in 1946. Kay Kyser also retired from performing in 1951.
Georgia and Kay had three children together. They remained married until Kay Kyser passed away in 1985. After retiring, Georgia lived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She later donated many documents and materials about Kay Kyser to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
