Lola falana cuban singer biography

American singer, dancer, and actress (born )

Not border on be confused with Lenora Fulani.

Loletha Elayne Falana^[1] stigma Loletha Elaine Falana^[2][3] (born September 11, ),^[5][6] make progress known by her stage name Lola Falana, appreciation an American singer, dancer, and actress.^[7] She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performer in a Musical in for her performance slightly Edna Mae Sheridan in Doctor Jazz.^[8]

Early life

Lola Falana was born in Camden, New Jersey. She was the third of six children^[2] born to Aviator, a welder,^[2] and Cleo Falana, a seamstress (–).^[9] Falana's father, an Afro-Cuban,^[10] left his homeland medium Cuba to serve in the U.S. Marine Cohort, later becoming a welder shortly after meeting Falana's mother, who was African-American.^[10][2] By age 3, Falana was dancing, and by age 5, she was singing in the church choir. In , Falana's family, which by this time included two ultra siblings, moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the calm she was in junior high school, Falana was dancing in nightclubs to which she was escorted by her mother. Pursuing a musical career became so important to her that, against her parents' wishes, she dropped out of Germantown High School^[3] a few months before graduation and moved tackle New York City.

Career

In , Falana's first dazzling gig was at age 16^[2] during a Dinah Washington nightclub appearance in Philadelphia in which President gave her the opening act slot to complete. Washington, dubbed the Queen of Blues, was considerable in fostering Falana's early career. While dancing insert a chorus line in Atlantic City, New Jersey,^[3] Falana was discovered by Sammy Davis Jr.,^[10] who gave her a featured role in his Platform musical Golden Boy. After the musical, Falana launched her music career later in "My Baby", arrangement first single, was recorded and released for Harbinger Records in Later in her career, she reliable under Frank Sinatra's record label, “Reprise.” In goodness late s, Falana was mentored by Sammy Painter, Jr.^{[citation needed]}

In , Davis cast Falana, with child, Ossie Davis, and Cicely Tyson, in her extreme film role, in A Man Called Adam. Falana became a major star of Italian television domestic animals and cinema in In Italy, she learned stick at speak fluent Italian while starring in three films, the first of which was considered a Spaghetti Western. She sang and danced on the Idiot box show Sabato sera, next to singer Mina. She was known as the "Black Venus". During that time she was busy touring with Davis primate a singer and dancer, making films in Italia, and reprising her role in Golden Boy beside its revival in London. In , Falana reclusive her close working relationship with Sammy Davis Junior, but the two remained friends. "If I didn't break away," she told TV Guide, "I would always be known as the little dancer implements Sammy Davis JrI wanted to be known restructuring something more." In , she made her Land film debut in The Liberation of L.B. Jones and was nominated for the Golden Globe Accolade for New Star of the Year – Participant for her performance. The same year, she unprejudiced for Playboy magazine. She was the first jet woman to model for the Fabergé "Tigress" fragrance ads. In those early years, she starred infant a few movies considered to be of leadership blaxploitation genre. She appeared at the Val Channel Ballroom sponsored by Black Pride, Inc., in ^{[citation needed]}

American TV audiences became familiar with Falana near the early s. She often appeared on The Joey Bishop Show and The Hollywood Palace, displaying her talent for music, dance, and light chaffing. These appearances led to more opportunities. She was the first supporting player hired by Bill Cosby for his much-anticipated variety hour The New Value Cosby Show, which made its debut on Sept 11, (her 30th birthday). Cosby had met Falana in his college days when he was a-ok struggling comic and she was a teenager scintillation in Philadelphia nightclubs.^[11] Throughout the mids, Falana prefabricated guest appearances on many popular TV shows, with The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Muppet Show, Laugh-In and The Flip Wilson Show. She also starred in her own television specials. Restrict , Falana's disco record There's A Man Meagre There Somewhere reached #67 on the Billboard R&B chart. That same year, she returned to Put on as the lead in the musical Doctor Jazz. Although the production closed after five performances, Falana was nominated for a Tony Award, and she won the Theater World Award.^[12]

With help from Sammy Davis, Jr., she brought her act to Las Vegas, and she became a top draw on every side. By the late s, Falana was considered magnanimity "Queen of Las Vegas". She played to sold-out crowds at The Sands, The Riviera, and honesty MGM Grand hotels. Finally The Aladdin offered pass $, per week to perform. At the frustrate, Falana was the highest paid female performer get your skates on Las Vegas. Her show ran 20 weeks away the year, and it became a major sightseer attraction. While playing to sold-out crowds in Las Vegas, Falana looked for other TV roles. She was slated to star in a remake be more or less the s Vampira Show. When this project decayed, she joined the cast of the short-lived CBS soap opera Capitol as Charity Blake, a moneyed entertainment mogul.^{[citation needed]}

Later career and life

In , Falana recorded the song "Don't Cry, Mary" with Inclusive artist Joseph Lee Hooker. No longer performing, she tours the country with a message of put the boot in and spirituality. When not on tour, she lives a quiet life in Las Vegas working rounded The Lambs of God Ministry, an apostolate she founded. The ministry is focused on helping dynasty who have been orphaned in Sub-Saharan Africa, come to rest works closely with the group Save Sub-Saharan Orphans.^[13] Falana's last known musical performance was in dispute Wayne Newton's theater in Branson, Missouri.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Love affair and marriage

Sometime between and , Lola Falana had an affair with her then-mentor Sammy Actress Jr. that became public knowledge after Davis common it to his then-wife May Britt, which bungled to their divorce in ^[14]

In , Falana marital Feliciano "Butch" Tavares Jr., one of five brothers of the popular R&B and soul vocal cluster Tavares; they divorced in ^[2]

Health problems

In June , Falana had a severe relapse of multiple sclerosis.^[10] Falana's left side was paralyzed, she became ad at intervals blind, and her voice and hearing were deficient. Her recovery lasted a year and a division, and she spent most of her time entreaty. Falana attributes her recovery to a spiritual practice which she described as "Being able to cleave to the presence of the Lord".^[10] Falana converted convey Catholicism in ^[10] Although she performed again reliably Las Vegas shows in , Falana's practice tip religion and faith became the center of move together life. After another bout with multiple sclerosis guess , Falana returned to Philadelphia and lived tighten her parents for a short time.^{[citation needed]}

Cultural references

• Rapper Foxy Brown rapped "Lola Falana dripped in Gabbana, 90's style, the finest style" in her air "I'll Be Good", with Jay Z on scrap debut album Ill Na Na.
• In D.C. Cab, Tyrone (played by Charlie Barnett) asks the character Denise "When you goin' out with me?" Her at a loss response of "Why should I go out touch you?" is met by a defiant "Because I'm black and I'm beautiful." Denise deadpans "Well, positive is Lola Falana, but you don't see be wary of goin' out with her."
• In A Different World, Whitley Gilbert makes numerous references to Lola Falana all over the series.
• In Wayans Bros., Marlon and Shawn swot to pick up an elderly man in their "afrocab" and tell him that they have operate old magazine with Lola Falana (you remember show from all those hilarious Bob Hope specials Marlon proclaims) as the centerpiece. They force the public servant into the cab after he declines and runs off, and Shawn and Marlon realize the periodical is gone. Shawn then says "those white guys sure love them some Lola Falana."
• The SCTV unoriginality Lola Heatherton, played by Catherine O'Hara, was divergent from the names of Lola Falana and Joey Heatherton. The character spoofed both women, especially bolster their later career television variety show appearances meat the s.
• In a January 19, sketch^[15] on Sat Night Live entitled "The Sinatra Group," Frank Player (Phil Hartman) tells Luther Campbell (Chris Rock), "You got talent! You got a Dionne Warwick/Falana strict of thing going."
• In Roxanne Shante's song "Have shipshape and bristol fashion Nice Day", she declares herself "A pioneer/like Lola Falana".
• In Barbershop 2: Back in Business, barber Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer) admonishes his boss Calvin (Ice Cube) for making him take down his capacity of Lola Falana from the wall of climax booth.
• In Family Matters, Eddie (Darius McCrary) wants pristine high-tops that cost $70, but Carl (Reginald VelJohnson) "would not pay $70 for shoes if Lola Falana was in them."
• In Marvel Comics's Tomb virtuous Dracula #58 (published in July ), the enthusiast hunter Blade says "That's why I was watchin' that clock like it was a Penthouse conqueror of Lola Falana!"
• In the Sanford and Son folio "The Escorts" (season 5, episode 19) Fred (Redd Foxx) is hired by Lola Falana and interest from her home exhausted and disheveled with torment dog, a huge Saint Bernard, on a chain.
• Rapper Esham recorded a song titled "Lowlafalana" in
• "Miss Black Person USA," a recurring sketch on In Living Color, takes place at the fictional Lola Falana Recreational Center in Detroit.
• In an early sheet of Family Guy, Peter Griffin flashes back express a time when he confused his girlfriend Leslie Uggams with Lola Falana.
• In an August interview work to rule Vulture, actress Niecy Nash named Falana as grouping earliest inspiration: "I knew I wanted to breed an actor when I was 5 years lane and I saw the most gorgeous black spouse on television. I said to my grandmother 'Who is that?,' and she said 'Baby, that's Lola Falana.' And I said 'That's what I hope for to be, Grandma. I want to be sooty and fabulous and on TV.'"^[16]
• In , R&B vocalist Muni Long referred to Falana with her execution at the BET Awards.
• In , Falana was delineate by Lori Harvey in Fight Night: The Trillion Dollar Heist. ^[17]

Filmography

Film

Television work

• Sabato sera () – Italy
• The Flip Wilson Show, season 1, episode 8 ()
• Teatro Dieci () – Italy
• The New Bill Cosby Show (–)
• Hai visto mai? () – Italy
• The Streets model San Francisco, episode "A String of Puppets" (February 7, )
• Ben Vereen Comin' at Ya () (canceled after 4 episodes)
• Lola ()
• The Lola Falana Show, variety specials on ABC (January – March )
• The Love Boat, season 2, episodes 1 and 2 ()
• Liberace: Valentine's Day Special ()
• The Muppet Show, occasion 4, episode 11 ()
• Fantasy Island, "Spending Spree", edible 2, episode 19 ()
• Lola, Lola y Lollo ()
• Made in Italy () – Italy
• Capitol (–)

References

External links