Julie London facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julie London
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
London in 1948
|
|
| Born |
Julie Peck
September 26, 1926 Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
|
| Died | October 18, 2000 (aged 74) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
|
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1944–1981 |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 5 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Labels |
|
Julie London (born Julie Peck; September 26, 1926 – October 18, 2000) was an American singer and actress. Her career lasted over 40 years. She was known for her deep, smooth voice and sang many emotional songs.
Julie London recorded more than thirty albums of pop and jazz music between 1955 and 1969. Her famous song "Cry Me a River" was on her first album. This song received a special award in 2001. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1974. This was for her role as nurse Dixie McCall in the TV show Emergency!.
Julie London was born in Santa Rosa, California. Her parents were stage performers. She was discovered while working an elevator in Los Angeles. She started her career as an actress in 1944. She starred in many western films. She acted with stars like Rock Hudson and Gary Cooper.
In the mid-1950s, she signed a music contract. This started her professional singing career. She released her last album in 1969. Later, she found success playing nurse Dixie McCall in Emergency! (1972–1979). She acted with her husband Bobby Troup on the show. Her ex-husband Jack Webb produced the series.
Contents
Early Life and First Performances
Julie Peck was born on September 26, 1926. She was the only child of Josephine and Jack Peck. Her parents were a song-and-dance team who performed on stage. In 1929, when Julie was three, her family moved to San Bernardino, California. She made her first public singing appearance on her parents' radio show there.
Julie and her mother admired the singer Billie Holiday. Friends and family described Julie as a bit shy. In 1941, her family moved to Hollywood, California. As a teenager, she began singing in local clubs in Los Angeles. She finished school at the Hollywood Professional School in 1945. During high school, she also worked as an elevator operator.
How Julie London Started Her Career
Becoming an Actress and Early Films
In 1943, Julie London met Sue Carol. Sue was a talent agent who helped actors find jobs. She also was married to actor Alan Ladd. Julie was working an elevator at a clothing store when they met. Sue Carol was impressed by Julie's looks. She helped Julie get a try-out for a movie. Julie then signed a contract with her.
Julie also met photographer Henry Waxman. He took pictures of her for Esquire magazine in 1943. These photos made her a popular image during World War II. She made her first film, Nabonga, in 1944. She was still in high school then. Later, she starred in The Red House (1947).
She then signed a contract with Warner Bros. Pictures. She appeared in the war film Task Force (1949). She was also in the Western Return of the Frontiersman (1950). She played the main role in The Fat Man (1951). After this, she turned down a contract with Universal Pictures. She wanted to focus on her marriage to actor Jack Webb.
Success in Films and Music
After divorcing Jack Webb in 1954, Julie London started her career again. She appeared in The Fighting Chance in 1955. Earlier that year, she was singing at a jazz club. Record producer Simon Waronker saw her perform. He was told about her by her friend (and future husband) Bobby Troup.
Even though Julie was shy on stage, Waronker liked her voice. He said her voice was like "a hurt bird." He convinced her to start a singing career. She signed with Liberty Records. Julie London recorded 32 albums. Her first album, Julie Is Her Name, came out in December 1955. Billboard magazine named her the most popular female singer for 1955, 1956, and 1957.
Her most famous song, "Cry Me a River," was written by her high school friend Arthur Hamilton. Bobby Troup produced the song. It sold over a million copies after its release in 1955.
While her music career grew, Julie also kept acting in films. She had main roles in Crime Against Joe (1956). She also appeared as herself in The Girl Can't Help It (1956). In this film, she sang three songs, including "Cry Me a River." The movie was very popular.
Julie London also appeared in TV commercials for Marlboro cigarettes. She sang the "Marlboro Song." She acted in several Western films. In 1957, she was in Drango. She also starred with Gary Cooper in Man of the West. In this film, her character faces many challenges. She also appeared in Saddle the Wind that same year. Critics praised her acting in The New York Times. In 1959, she was in The Wonderful Country.
In 1960, Julie released the album Julie...At Home. This album was recorded at her house in Los Angeles. She released many more albums throughout the 1960s. These included Whatever Julie Wants (1961) and Love Letters (1962). Her last studio album was Yummy, Yummy, Yummy (1969). After this, she stopped singing professionally.
Julie London's TV Work and Final Recordings
Julie London appeared on many TV shows in the 1960s. These included Rawhide (1960) and I Spy (1965). She and her second husband, Bobby Troup, often appeared on game shows. They were on Tattletales and Hollywood Squares in the 1970s.
In 1972, her ex-husband Jack Webb cast her and Bobby Troup in his TV series Emergency!. Julie played nurse Dixie McCall. Bobby Troup played Dr. Joe Early. They appeared in these roles for 128 episodes. The show was very popular.
Emergency! ended in 1979. Julie London was the only actress to appear in every episode. Jack Webb offered her a job as a producer for future TV projects. However, she decided to retire from TV. She wanted to spend more time with her family. Her last musical recording was "My Funny Valentine" in 1981. It was for the movie Sharky's Machine.
Julie London's Unique Singing Style
Julie London was mainly a singer of emotional songs. Critics described her voice as "intimate." Her recordings often had simple music with just guitar and bass. One BBC show said she sang "as though she's in one room, with you." This made her sound very personal to listeners.
Music journalist Lucy O'Brien noted that Julie London blended different music styles. She combined big band swing, jazz, and early rock and roll. As her career continued into the 1960s, her songs used more instruments. Her voice was then backed by larger groups of musicians.
Julie London's Family Life
In 1947, Julie London married actor and producer Jack Webb. They both loved jazz music. They had two daughters, Stacy and Lisa. Julie and Jack divorced in 1954. Jack Webb passed away in 1982. Sadly, their daughter Stacy died in a car accident in 1996.
In 1959, Julie married jazz musician Bobby Troup. They stayed married until his death in 1999. They had one daughter, Kelly (who passed away in 2002), and twin sons, Jody (who passed away in 2010) and Reese. Julie was also a stepmother to Bobby's daughters from his first marriage.
Julie London was a private person. She rarely gave interviews. She never talked about her divorce from Jack Webb in public.
Later Years and Legacy
Julie London had a stroke in 1995. Her health was poor for the next five years. In late 1999, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She chose not to have treatment because she was already very weak. On October 17, 2000, she was taken to the hospital. She passed away early on October 18, 2000, at age 74. The cause was later determined to be cardiac arrest.
Julie London was cremated. She is buried next to Bobby Troup in Los Angeles. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her song "Cry Me a River" was used in films like Passion of Mind (2000) and V for Vendetta (2006). This song was ranked among the 50 Greatest Jazz Vocals by NPR. It also received a special award in 2001.
Her albums Julie...At Home and Around Midnight were listed in a book called 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die. Many modern artists, like Lana Del Rey and Billie Eilish, have said she influenced them. Music journalist Will Friedwald called her "one of the most influential stylists of the early 20th century."
Discography
Filmography
Images for kids
-
Julie London in 1948
-
Julie London and Bobby Troup in Emergency! (1971)
-
Julie London with John Cassavetes in Saddle the Wind (1958)
-
Julie London and Jack Webb with their daughters Stacey and Lisa, 1953
See also
In Spanish: Julie London para niños
