Phyllis Marshall
Phyllis Irene Elizabeth Marshall (1921-1996) was a Canadian singer and actor. She was one of the first Canadian television stars, described by Encyclopedia of Music in Canada as a "pioneer among black Canadian performers".
Early life
Marshall was born as Phyllis Irene Elizabeth Marshall in Barrie, Ontario on the 4th November 1921.[1][2]
As a child she studied piano and was a track athlete.[3]
Career
At the age of 15 years, Marshall made her singing debut on Toronto radio station CRCT, and later performed on CBC Radio with Percy Faith.[1]
She performed in the Silver Slipper nightclub in Toronto in September 1938.[3]
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s she sung jazz, both with Cab Calloway Orchestra touring through the US and on stage in Toronto.[3] Starting in 1949 and through until 1952, she was a regular performed on the CBC Radio show initially called Blues for Friday later Starlight Moods.[1] In 1959 she appeared on a BBC television show The Phyllis Marshall Special.[1]
Her acting career started in 1956 when she first performed at the Crest Theatre in Toronto. She appeared in a CBC production of The Amen Corner, as well as the CBC television show Paul Bernard, Psychiatrist and the CBS/CTV show Night Heat.[1]
She was one of the first Canadian television stars, described by Encyclopedia of Music in Canada as a "pioneer among black Canadian performers".[1]
Views
In a CBC interview in 1960 she stated that she had never experienced racial prejudice in her career.[4]
Death
Marhsall died on 2 February 1996 aged 74[1] in Toronto.[2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Phyllis Marshall on prejudice". CBC Digital Archives. 2018-03-03. Archived from the original on 25 Sep 2016. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=/|archive-url=timestamp mismatch; 3 March 2018 suggested (help) - ^ a b "Phyllis Marshall | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
- ^ a b c "Phyllis Marshall | Ontario Jewish Archives". search.ontariojewisharchives.org. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
- ^ Lee, K. (2020). Limelight: Canadian Women and the Rise of Celebrity Autobiography. Canada: Wilfrid Laurier University Press.