Martha Raye

Biography: A comedic actress with a notably wide, elastic mouth, Raye was born Margaret Teresa Yvonne O'Reed. She first appeared in her parents' vaudeville act at age three. At 13 she was a speciality singer with a band, and she gained much experience onstage and in nightclubs during her teens. She broke into films in 1934, at first appearing in short subjects. She went on to play zany comedic roles in many films, mostly minor productions. She took several years off from the screen in the early '40s to entertain troops in World War II; later in her life she did the same during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. After a prominent role in Chaplin's Monsieur Verdoux (1947), her screen work became infrequent. She continued performing in nightclubs and burlesque shows, and in the mid '50s she hosted "The Martha Raye Show" on TV. Her later work on Broadway included major roles in Hello Dolly and No No Nanette. In 1969 she received a special Academy Award for her work as an entertainer ofA comedic actress with a notably wide, elastic mouth, Raye was born Margaret Teresa Yvonne O'Reed. She first appeared in her parents' vaudeville act at age three. At 13 she was a speciality singer with a band, and she gained much experience onstage and in nightclubs during her teens. She broke into films in 1934, at first appearing in short subjects. She went on to play zany comedic roles in many films, mostly minor productions. She took several years off from the screen in the early '40s to entertain troops in World War II; later in her life she did the same during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. After a prominent role in Chaplin's Monsieur Verdoux (1947), her screen work became infrequent. She continued performing in nightclubs and burlesque shows, and in the mid '50s she hosted "The Martha Raye Show" on TV. Her later work on Broadway included major roles in Hello Dolly and No No Nanette. In 1969 she received a special Academy Award for her work as an entertainer of Vietnam War troops. In the '70s she costarred on the TV series McMillan and Wife. In the '80s, she had a supporting role on the series "Alice." For many years she was featured in commercials for a denture toothpaste, and most of her considerable wealth derived from that source. Confined to a wheelchair, she was the subject of some controversy over the intentions of a young fan who married her and took care of her. In 1991 she sued the producers of the film For the Boys, claiming that it was based on her own life; she lost the suit. She was married six times.… Expand