Ella Logan
Encyclopedia
Ella Logan was a Scottish
-born actress and singer, who appeared on Broadway
, recorded and had a nightclub career in the United States
and internationally.
, where she was raised. She began performing under the name Ella Allan as a child.
of London in Darling! I Love You. She toured Europe in the early 1930s. Logan eventually emigrated to the U.S. and began to sing at various clubs and to record jazz
on the British Columbia
label (part of EMI).
She then appeared in several Hollywood films, including
Flying Hostess (1936), 52nd Street (1937) and The Goldwyn Follies
(1938). She appeared in several Broadway
shows in the 1930s and early 1940s, but traveled to Europe and then Africa during World War II to entertain the troops. She also appeared on The Ed Wynn
Show and The Colgate Comedy Hour
in the 1940s and 1950s.
Logan returned to Broadway as Sharon McLonergan in the original production of Finian's Rainbow
, singing the show's most famous song, How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
but did not return to Broadway after that. In 1954, she was cast in a proposed animated film adaptation of Finian's Rainbow and re-recorded the score with Frank Sinatra
, among others. But the film was canceled, and the recordings were not released until the 2002 box set Sinatra in Hollywood 1940-1964. She recorded the show's songs for a second time in 1954 for the LP Finian's Rainbow released by Capitol Records in 1955, the second of her two solo albums.
In the 1950s, she became an international nightclub performer, appearing at such venues as the Copacabana and the Waldorf-Astoria in New York as well as in London and Paris. She also appeared on television. In May 1956, she appeared in London with Louis Armstrong
and His All-Stars. She continued to work occasionally in clubs, on television, and in theatrical stock productions, into the 1960s.
and producer, from 1942 until the marriage dissolved in either 1954 or 1956. They had no children. Her niece is the actress/chanteuse Annie Ross
(born as Annabelle McCauley Allan Short) and her nephews were Jimmy Logan
, a Scottish TV star, and Allan Kemble, a Comedy Unicycle entertainer who was an international headline attraction on the continent and in world cabaret and stage venues.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
-born actress and singer, who appeared on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, recorded and had a nightclub career in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and internationally.
Early years
She was born as Georgina Allan in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, where she was raised. She began performing under the name Ella Allan as a child.
Career
She went on to become a band singer in music halls. At the age of 17 in 1930, she made her debut in the West EndWest End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
of London in Darling! I Love You. She toured Europe in the early 1930s. Logan eventually emigrated to the U.S. and began to sing at various clubs and to record jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
on the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
label (part of EMI).
She then appeared in several Hollywood films, including
Flying Hostess (1936), 52nd Street (1937) and The Goldwyn Follies
The Goldwyn Follies
The Goldwyn Follies is a 1938 Technicolor film written by Ben Hecht, Sid Kuller, Sam Perrin and Arthur Phillips, with music by George Gershwin, Vernon Duke, and Ray Golden, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin. Some sources credit Kurt Weill as one of the composers, but this is apparently incorrect...
(1938). She appeared in several Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
shows in the 1930s and early 1940s, but traveled to Europe and then Africa during World War II to entertain the troops. She also appeared on The Ed Wynn
Ed Wynn
Ed Wynn was a popular American comedian and actor noted for his Perfect Fool comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a dramatic actor....
Show and The Colgate Comedy Hour
The Colgate Comedy Hour
The Colgate Comedy Hour is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show stars many notable comedians and entertainers of the era, including Eddie Cantor, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Fred Allen, Donald O'Connor, Bud Abbott and Lou...
in the 1940s and 1950s.
Logan returned to Broadway as Sharon McLonergan in the original production of Finian's Rainbow
Finian's Rainbow
Finian's Rainbow is a musical with a book by E.Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Burton Lane. The 1947 Broadway production ran for 725 performances. Several revivals and a 1968 film version followed. A Broadway revival ran from October 8, 2009 until January 17, 2010...
, singing the show's most famous song, How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
"How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" is a popular song about a fictional village in Ireland.The music was composed by Burton Lane and the lyrics written by E. Y. Harburg. The song was published in 1946 and introduced in the 1947 musical Finian's Rainbow. There is no actual Glocca Morra in Ireland...
but did not return to Broadway after that. In 1954, she was cast in a proposed animated film adaptation of Finian's Rainbow and re-recorded the score with Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, among others. But the film was canceled, and the recordings were not released until the 2002 box set Sinatra in Hollywood 1940-1964. She recorded the show's songs for a second time in 1954 for the LP Finian's Rainbow released by Capitol Records in 1955, the second of her two solo albums.
In the 1950s, she became an international nightclub performer, appearing at such venues as the Copacabana and the Waldorf-Astoria in New York as well as in London and Paris. She also appeared on television. In May 1956, she appeared in London with Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
and His All-Stars. She continued to work occasionally in clubs, on television, and in theatrical stock productions, into the 1960s.
Family
She was married to Fred Finklehoffe, a playwrightPlaywright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and producer, from 1942 until the marriage dissolved in either 1954 or 1956. They had no children. Her niece is the actress/chanteuse Annie Ross
Annie Ross
Annie Ross is an English jazz singer, and actress, best known as a member of the trio Lambert, Hendricks & Ross.-Early years:...
(born as Annabelle McCauley Allan Short) and her nephews were Jimmy Logan
Jimmy Logan
Jimmy Logan OBE, FRSAMD , born as James Allan Short, Dennistoun, Glasgow, was a Scottish performer, producer, impresario and director.-Family:...
, a Scottish TV star, and Allan Kemble, a Comedy Unicycle entertainer who was an international headline attraction on the continent and in world cabaret and stage venues.