Ella Logan
Ella Logan | |
|---|---|
| File:Ella Logan.png | |
| Born | Georgina Armour Allan 6 March 1913 |
| Died | 1 May 1969 (aged 56) Burlingame, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Ella Logan (originally named Georgina Armour Allan; born 6 March 1913 – died 1 May 1969) was a Scottish-American performer known for her work as an actress and vocalist on Broadway, as well as for her recordings and nightclub appearances both in the United States and abroad.
Early years
Born in Glasgow on 6 March 1913, Logan spent her formative years in Scotland. She began her stage career during childhood under the name Ella Allan. Notably, in her 1934 U.S. Naturalization Petition, she listed her birth year as 1910.
Career
Logan’s initial professional experience involved singing with bands in music halls, leading to her recording debut in 1930 alongside the Jack Hylton Orchestra for His Master's Voice. After performing across Europe, she relocated to the United States during the 1930s.
Her American stage debut occurred in the Broadway revue Calling All Stars in 1934. She recorded jazz tracks for the British Columbia label (EMI) and appeared in several Hollywood films such as Flying Hostess (1936), Woman Chases Man (1937), Top of the Town (film) (1937), 52nd Street (1937), and The Goldwyn Follies (1938), where she introduced the Gershwins' song "I Was Doing All Right." In 1937, Logan secured recording contracts with Brunswick Records and Columbia Records, producing songs from The Goldwyn Follies and George White's Scandals (1939). Her Broadway credits include performances in Sons o' Fun (1941) and Show Time (1942). During World War II, she toured Europe and Africa to entertain military personnel and appeared on television programs including The Ed Wynn Show, Cavalcade of Stars, and The Colgate Comedy Hour.
In 1947, she originated the role of Sharon McLonergan in Finian's Rainbow, premiering memorable numbers such as "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" and "That Old Devil Moon". The show ran for a total of 725 performances. Following this engagement, she did not return to Broadway. In 1954, Logan re-recorded selections from the musical with Frank Sinatra for an animated film adaptation that was ultimately shelved; these recordings were not released until 2002. The original cast album was issued by Columbia Records in 1948 as their second Original Cast release.
She issued a second album featuring songs from Finian's Rainbow in 1954 accompanied by pianist George Greeley, which Capitol Records released in 1955. This marked her second solo album after an eight-track collection issued by Majestic Records in 1945.
From 1945 to 1961, Logan’s career faced obstacles due to FBI surveillance based on unsubstantiated allegations of communist associations; this included monitoring her residence in Los Angeles and travel activities. She was named a Communist sympathizer in the publication Red Channels following Senate testimony in 1950.
In May 1956, Logan appeared on London television alongside Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars. She joined the cast of the musical Kelly in 1965; however, her part was removed during pre-Broadway tryouts. Throughout the 1960s, she continued to perform sporadically in nightclubs, television appearances, and regional theater productions.
Family
Ella Logan's first marriage was to Charles John Lepsch, a native of Milwaukee, on April 16, 1932, in London. Following their separation, she wed Fred Finklehoffe, an American screenwriter and producer, in 1942. The couple had one daughter named Binnie Quinn before divorcing in 1954. Among her relatives were her niece, the actress and jazz vocalist Annie Ross, and her nephew, the Scottish actor Jimmy Logan.
Death
Ella Logan passed away from cancer on May 1, 1969, in Burlingame, California, at the age of 56.
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles with hCards
- 1913 births
- 1969 deaths
- American film actresses
- American musical theatre actresses
- American television actresses
- People from Burlingame, California
- Actresses from Glasgow
- 20th-century Scottish women singers
- British emigrants to the United States
- Deaths from cancer in California
- 20th-century American actresses
- 20th-century American women singers
- 20th-century American singers
- Majestic Records artists
- Singers from Glasgow
- American people of Scottish descent
- Actresses from San Mateo County, California