Alice Faye: The Captivating Voice of Old-Time Radio

Alice Jeanne Leppert was born on May 5, 1915, in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. She was the daughter of Alice (née Moffit), who worked for the Mirror Chocolate Company, and Charles Leppert, a police officer. Faye had an older brother, also named Charles. Raised in the Episcopalian faith, Faye's entertainment career began at a young age as a chorus girl in vaudeville.

Despite her early start, Faye's path to stardom was not without its challenges. She failed an audition for the prestigious Earl Carroll Vanities when she was found to be too young. Undeterred, Faye moved to Broadway and secured a featured role in the 1931 edition of George White's Scandals. It was during this time that Faye adopted her stage name and first reached a radio audience on Rudy Vallée's popular The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour.

Breakthrough in Hollywood

Faye's big break in film came in 1934 when she was cast as the female lead in the movie adaptation of George White's Scandals, replacing the originally slated Lilian Harvey. Faye's performance caught the eye of Darryl F. Zanuck, the head of production at 20th Century Fox, who quickly made her his protégée.

Under Zanuck's guidance, Faye's image underwent a transformation from a wisecracking showgirl to a more wholesome, motherly figure. This change was evident in her roles in several Shirley Temple films, where Faye played the supportive, nurturing adult figure. Faye's natural beauty and vocal talents also shone through in musicals like 1938's Alexander's Ragtime Band, which showcased over 20 Irving Berlin songs and became one of the most successful musicals of the decade.

Becoming a Musical Superstar

Throughout the 1930s and into the early 1940s, Alice Faye established herself as a true musical superstar. Her rich, honeyed contralto voice and impeccable timing made her a favorite among audiences and songwriters alike. Legendary composers like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and Cole Porter all praised Faye as the "best female singer in Hollywood" in 1937.

During this period, Faye appeared in a string of successful musicals that highlighted her versatility as both a dramatic and comedic actress. Films like In Old Chicago (1938), That Night in Rio (1941), and Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943) allowed Faye to showcase her singing prowess while also tackling more complex emotional arcs. The latter film, released during World War II, became one of Faye's highest-grossing pictures, and the song "You'll Never Know" from the film won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1943.

The Radio Years and Personal Life

As Faye's film career began to wane in the mid-1940s, she found a new outlet for her talents on the radio. In 1946, she teamed up with her husband, bandleader Phil Harris, to host a variety show on NBC. The show was later revamped into a sitcom, The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show, which ran for eight seasons on NBC radio until 1954.

On the show, Faye and Harris played a fictionalized version of themselves, raising two precocious daughters (played by Jeanine Roose and Anne Whitfield) and dealing with the antics of Harris' band members and sponsor representatives. Faye's honeyed vocals and knack for witty one-liners were a perfect complement to Harris' comic timing and jive-talking persona.

Faye's marriage to Phil Harris, which lasted 54 years until his death in 1995, was one of the most successful in Hollywood. The couple's radio show provided Faye the perfect balance between her show business career and family life, as the radio format allowed her to spend most of her time at home with her daughters.

Legacy and Enduring Popularity

Despite retiring from films in 1945, Alice Faye remained a beloved figure, particularly in her adopted home of Great Britain. Her reissued films continued to draw audiences, and when she returned to the screen for the 1962 musical State Fair, the film broke box office records in the UK.

Faye's distinctive voice and warm screen presence left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. Composers like Irving Berlin and George Gershwin considered her the ideal interpreter of their songs, and she introduced an impressive 23 tunes to the Hit Parade during her heyday. The New York Times described her voice as "inviting," and she was widely regarded as one of the best female singers in Hollywood.

After Phil Harris' death in 1995, Faye lived for three more years before passing away from cancer on May 9, 1998, just four days after her 83rd birthday. She was laid to rest beside her husband at the Forest Lawn Cemetery mausoleum near Palm Springs, California. Faye's enduring legacy as a captivating radio and screen personality continues to resonate with fans and scholars of old-time entertainment.

Works and Appearances

Radio

The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour (1932-1934) - Guest performer
The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show (1946-1954) - Co-host, lead actress

Film

George White's Scandals (1934) - Female lead
In Old Chicago (1938) - Lead actress
Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) - Lead actress
That Night in Rio (1941) - Lead actress
Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943) - Lead actress
State Fair (1962) - Lead actress

Television

The Hollywood Palace (1964-1965) - Guest performer

Theater

George White's Scandals (1931) - Featured performer
Good News (1974 revival) - Lead actress

Publications

The Alice Faye Movie Book (1980) - Featured subject

Alice Faye: The Honey-Voiced Songstress of Old-Time Radio

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