Pictures of gracie fields biography

The British Army in France F Namespaces Category Discussion. Views View Edit History. Main page Welcome Community portal Village pump Help center. Upload file Recent changes Latest files Random file Contact us. Wikidata item. Upload media. A live show of music and entertainment, it was compered by Fields, who also performed, together with local talents.

The tour commenced in Gracie's hometown of Rochdale. Like many BBC shows at the time, this show transferred to Radio Luxembourg inwhere it was sponsored by Wisk soap powder. Billy Ternent and his Orchestra accompanied her. InFields took part in the cabaret which closed the Festival of Britain celebrations.

Pictures of gracie fields biography: Dame Gracie Fields (born Jan. 9,

She continued recording, but made no more films, moving more towards light classical music as popular tastes changed, often adopting a religious theme. She continued into the new medium of LP recordsand recorded new versions of her old favourite songs, as well as contemporary tracks, to 'liven things up a bit'. Her husband, Monty Banks, died on 8 January [ 22 ] of a heart attack, while travelling on the Orient Express.

She proposed on Christmas Day in front of friends and family. She lived on her beloved Isle of Capri for the remainder of her life, at her home La Canzone Del Mare The Song of the Seawhere her home overlooked the swimming and restaurant complex. Fields began to work less, but still toured the UK under the management of Harold Fielding manager of top artists of the day such as Tommy Steele and Max Bygraves.

Her UK tours proved popular, and in the mids she gave farewell tours in Australia, Canada and America; the last performance was recorded and released years later. Inher single " Around the World " peaked at No. This followed on from her popularity on Stars on Sundaya religious programme on Britain's ITVin which well-known performers sang hymns or read extracts from the Bible.

Fields was the most requested artist on the show. Inher album The Golden Years reached No. Fields appeared in ten Royal Variety Performances from onwards, her last being in at the age of 80, when she appeared as a surprise guest in the finale and sang her theme song, "Sally". Fields's health declined in Julywhen she contracted pneumonia after performing an open-air concert on the Royal Yachtwhich was docked in Capri 's harbour.

Pictures of gracie fields biography: Dame Gracie Fields was

The press reported she died holding her husband's hand, but in reality he was at their Anacapri home at the time, while Gracie was home with the housekeeper, Irena. She is buried in Capri's Protestant Cemetery, in a white marble tomb. Her coffin was carried by staff from her restaurant. In Februaryshe was invested as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire [ 34 ] seven months before her death at her home on Capri, aged Fields was the mystery guest on the 1 May edition of What's My Line?

After Bennett Cerf asked about one of her songs, Dorothy Kilgallen correctly guessed it was her. Fields was granted the Freedom of Rochdale. In earlyan episode of the BBC television series Halls of Fame, which presented a nostalgic look at various famous regional theatres, included a medley of Fields' songs at the Palace Theatre, Manchestersung by Marti Webb.

It covers her career before the Second World War and the decline in her popularity during the war. Fields had two ships named after her.

Pictures of gracie fields biography: Dame Gracie Fields DBE OStJ

She was seriously damaged by aircraft bomb during the evacuation of Dunkirk and sank in Ina passenger ship was also named the Gracie Fields. The local theatre in Rochdale, the Gracie Fields Theatre, was opened by, and named after, her in On 3 Octoberthe final train to run on the Oldham Loop before it closed to be converted to a Manchester Metrolink tramway, a Classwas named in her honour.

In Septembera statue of Fields, created by Sean Hedges-Quinn, was unveiled outside Rochdale Town Hallwhich was the first statue of a woman to be erected for over a century in Lancashire. For a number of years, British film exhibitors voted her among the top ten stars in Britain at the box office via an annual poll in the Motion Picture Herald. Contents move to sidebar hide.

Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item. British actress, singer and comedian — She met director Monte Banks while making Queen of Hearts and they soon hit it off. Her marriage to Pitt was failing and after the divorce she married Banks in Unfortunately, Banks was still an Italian citizen and would have been interned when Italy entered the war.

The couple went to Canada to raise funds for war charities and the press went wild. They accused Gracie of fleeing the country out of fear and taking her wealth with her. She denied this, though much of her family had moved to America "for health reasons". It was some time before she was forgiven for her apparent desertion, but her wartime efforts had their effect and her hit, 'Wish Me Luck', became a wartime rallying song.

She was made a DBE inand died the same year in Capri. Autobiography: Sing As We Go Fields, Gracie