Georgie Price

George Edwards "Georgie" Price (January 5, 1901 – May 10, 1964) was an American vaudeville singer and comic who performed in Vitaphone shorts in the 1920s and 1930s.

Georgie Price
Price in 1945
Born	George Edwards Price (1901-01-05)January 5, 1901 New York City, New York, US
Died	May 10, 1964(1964-05-10) (aged 63) New York City, New York, US
Occupation(s)	Stage/Film Singer/Comic; Financial Broker
Years active	1929–1954
Spouse(s)	Catherine Alexandra Marshall (1942–1963) (divorced) (2 children) Berenice Page (1921–1927) (divorced)[1]

Early life, family and education

Price was born on the Lower East Side^[1] of Manhattan, New York City, New York. Price began performing as a child in public places such as barrooms and streetcars, before winning amateur competitions. At six years old, he so impressed opera singer Enrico Caruso that he performed with Caruso in a benefit concert for a deceased police officer's family.

Career

As a vaudeville child star, Price introduced the Edwards-Madden song "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" in Gus Edwards' revue School Boys and Girls in 1909.^[2][3] As a boy he performed on Broadway with another child Lila Lee (later a well-known film actress). He was a contemporary on vaudeville with George Jessel, Walter Winchell and Eddie Cantor.^[1]

As an adult professional, he drew comparisons to Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor.^[4] His theme song was "Bye Bye Blackbird".^[1]

A bitter dispute with Shubert theatre magnate, Jacob J. Shubert, caused Price by the late 1920s to give up show business to work as a Wall Street stockbroker. He bought a seat on the New York Stock Exchange.^[1] Shubert had originally hired Price with the promise to turn him into a major headliner but then reneged and in turn refused to fulfill the financial obligations on Price's contract.^[5]

Georgie Price appeared in the stage show at the Mastbaum Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Barto and Mann and Maria Gambarelli (Gamby) in March 1932.^[6]

Personal life and demise

Price was married three times. He was married to Berenice Page from 1921 to 1927; they divorced.^[1] Price's third marriage was to Catherine Alexandra Marshall from 1942 to 1963 when they divorced. They had two children.^[1] In all, Price had four offspring: sons Peter and George Marshall, and daughters Lisa and Mrs. John W. Larsen.^[1]

Price died in New York, aged 63.^[1]

References

1. "GEORGE E. PRICE, COMIC, 64, IS DEAD; Star in Vaudeville Became Successful Stockbroker". The New York Times. 11 May 1964. p. 31.
2. Tyler, Don (2007). Hit songs, 1900-1955: American popular music of the pre-rock era. MacFarland. p. 47. ISBN 978-0786429462.
3. Jasen, David A. (2003). Tin Pan Alley: An Encyclopedia of the Golden Age of American Song. Routledge. p. 122. ISBN 0-415-93877-5.
4. Hamberlin, Larry (2011). Tin Pan Opera: Operatic Novelty Songs in the Ragtime Era. Oxford University Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-19-533892-8.
5. Hirsch, Foster (1998). The Boys from Syracuse: The Shuberts' Theatrical Empire. Cooper Square Press. p. 149. ISBN 0-8154-1103-0.
6. Newspaper display ad.

External links

• Georgie Price at IMDb