Lola Falana facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lola Falana
Falana circa 1972
Born	Loletha Elayne Falana or Loletha Elaine Falana (1942-09-11) September 11, 1942 (age 82) Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer dancer
Years active	1961–1997
Spouse(s)	Feliciano Tavares Jr. ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1975)​

Lola Falana (born Loletha Elayne Falana on September 11, 1942) is a talented American singer, dancer, and actress. She became well-known for her amazing performances on stage and television. In 1975, she was even nominated for a Tony Award for her role in the musical Doctor Jazz.

Early Life and Dreams

Lola Falana was born in Camden, New Jersey. She was the third of six children. Her father, Bennett, was a welder from Cuba who served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Her mother, Cleo, was a seamstress.

Lola started dancing when she was just three years old. By age five, she was singing in her church choir. In 1952, her family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Even in junior high, Lola was dancing in nightclubs, always with her mother by her side. She loved music so much that she left high school early to move to New York City and chase her dreams.

A Star's Journey

Starting Her Career

Lola Falana got her first dancing job at age 16 in 1958. She performed during a Dinah Washington nightclub show in Philadelphia. Dinah Washington, known as the "Queen of Blues," helped Lola at the start of her career.

Later, while dancing in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Lola was discovered by the famous entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.. He gave her an important role in his 1964 Broadway musical, Golden Boy.

Music and Movies

After Golden Boy, Lola started her music career in 1964. Her first song, "My Baby," was released in 1965. She later recorded music for Frank Sinatra's record label. Sammy Davis Jr. continued to guide her career in the late 1960s.

In 1966, Sammy Davis Jr. cast Lola in her first movie, A Man Called Adam. She starred alongside him, Ossie Davis, and Cicely Tyson. Lola also became a big star in Italy, learning to speak Italian fluently. She made three movies there, including Lola Colt, which was a Western film. She also sang and danced on the Italian TV show Sabato sera. People in Italy called her the "Black Venus."

Lola toured with Sammy Davis Jr. as a singer and dancer. She also performed in the London revival of Golden Boy. In 1969, Lola decided to work independently from Sammy Davis Jr., but they remained good friends. She wanted to be known for her own talents.

American TV and Las Vegas

In 1970, Lola made her first American movie, The Liberation of L.B. Jones. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her performance. She also became the first Black woman to model for the Fabergé "Tigress" perfume ads.

American TV audiences saw a lot of Lola Falana in the early 1970s. She often appeared on shows like The Joey Bishop Show and The Hollywood Palace. She showed off her skills in music, dance, and comedy. These appearances led to more opportunities.

On her 30th birthday, September 11, 1972, Lola joined the cast of The New Bill Cosby Show. She had met Bill Cosby when she was a teenager dancing in Philadelphia. Throughout the mid-1970s, Lola was a guest on many popular TV shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Muppet Show, and The Flip Wilson Show. She also had her own TV specials.

In 1975, Lola's disco song There's A Man Out There Somewhere was popular. That same year, she returned to Broadway in the musical Doctor Jazz. Even though the show had a short run, Lola was nominated for a Tony Award and won the 1975 Theater World Award.

With help from Sammy Davis Jr., Lola brought her act to Las Vegas. She became a huge success there, known as the "Queen of Las Vegas" by the late 1970s. She performed for sold-out crowds at famous hotels like The Sands and the MGM Grand. The Aladdin hotel even offered her $100,000 per week to perform, making her the highest-paid female performer in Las Vegas at the time. Her show ran for 20 weeks a year and was a major attraction.

While performing in Las Vegas, Lola also looked for other TV roles. She joined the cast of the CBS soap opera Capitol as Charity Blake, a powerful entertainment leader.

Later Career and Life

In 1995, Lola Falana recorded the song "Don't Cry, Mary." She stopped performing professionally in 1997. Now, she travels the country sharing messages of hope and spirituality. When she is not touring, she lives a quiet life in Las Vegas. She works with The Lambs of God Ministry, a group she started. This ministry helps children who have lost their parents in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Personal Life

Marriage

In 1970, Lola Falana married Feliciano "Butch" Tavares Jr. He was one of the brothers from the popular R&B and soul band Tavares. They divorced in 1975.

Health Challenges

In June 1987, Lola Falana faced a serious health challenge when she had a severe relapse of multiple sclerosis. This condition affected her body, causing her left side to become paralyzed. She also had partial blindness and problems with her voice and hearing.

Her recovery took a year and a half. During this time, she spent most of her time praying. Lola believes her recovery was a spiritual experience. She converted to Catholicism in 1988. Even though she performed again in Las Vegas in 1987, her faith became the most important part of her life. After another health issue in 1996, Lola returned to Philadelphia to live with her parents for a short time.

Film and Television Work

Film Appearances

Television Shows

• Sabato sera (1967) – Italy
• The Flip Wilson Show, season 1, episode 8 (1970)
• Teatro Dieci (1971) – Italy
• The New Bill Cosby Show (1972–1973)
• Hai visto mai? (1973) – Italy
• The Streets of San Francisco, episode "A String of Puppets" (February 7, 1974)
• Ben Vereen... Comin' at Ya (1975)
• Lola (1975)
• The Lola Falana Show, four variety specials on ABC (January – March 1976)
• The Love Boat, season 2, episodes 1 and 2 (1978)
• Liberace: Valentine's Day Special (1979)
• The Muppet Show, season 4, episode 11 (1979)
• Fantasy Island, "Spending Spree", season 2, episode 19 (1979)
• Lola, Lola y Lollo (1982)
• Made in Italy (1982) – Italy
• Capitol (1984–1986)

Images for kids

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  Lola Falana with Gino Bramieri on the Italian TV show Hai visto mai?, 1973.

See also

In Spanish: Lola Falana para niños