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Ginny Simms

{{Short description|American actress and singer (1913–1994)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2016}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Ginny Simms

| image = Ginny Simms.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Simms, c. 1943

| birth_name = Virginia Ellen Simms

| birth_date = {{birth date|1913|05|25|mf=y}}

| birth_place = San Antonio, Texas, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1994|04|04|1913|05|13|mf=y}}

| death_place = Palm Springs, California, U.S.

| occupation = Singer, film actress

| label = {{Flatlist|

  • Brunswick
  • Vocalion
  • Okeh
  • Columbia
  • Sonora

}}

| years_active = 1932–1951

| associated_acts = Kay Kyser Orchestra

| alias = Virginia E. Eastvold

| website = {{URL|ginnysimms.com/}}

}}

Virginia Ellen SimmsSleeve notes from Ginny Simms – I'd Like To Set You To Music, Jasmine JASCD 118, 2001. (May 25, 1913 {{refn|group=note|The Social Security Death Index gives her date of birth as May 25, 1914.[http://lowlight.ipower.com/ginny-simms/index.html Ginny Simms biography]; retrieved 26 May 2016.}} – April 4, 1994) was an American popular singer and film actress.

Simms sang with big bands and with Dinah Shore, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Jo Stafford, among others. She also worked as an MGM and Universal film actress and appeared in 11 movies from 1939 to 1951, when she retired.

Early life

Simms was born in San Antonio, Texas.{{cite book|author=Adrian Room|title=Naming Names: Stories of Pseudonyms and Name Changes, with a Who's Who|date=1981|publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul|isbn=978-0-7100-0920-3}}{{Cite book|title=Pseudonyms|author=Joseph F. Clarke|publisher=BCA|date=1977|page=150}} Her family moved to California, where she attended Fresno High School{{cite news|title=The Cover Girl|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Life/40s/40/Radio-Life-1940-09-01.pdf|access-date=23 May 2017|work=Radio Life|date=September 1, 1940|page=2}} and Fresno State Teachers College, where she studied piano.{{cite news|last1=Oliver|first1=Myrna|title=Ginny Simms; Singer, Radio Personality|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-06-mn-42689-story.html|access-date=March 21, 2015|agency=Los Angeles Times|issue=1994|date=April 6, 1994}} While there, she began performing in campus productions, singing with sorority sisters and forming a popular campus vocal trio. Shortly afterward, she sought a singing career, and by 1932 she had her own program on a local radio station.Sleeve notes from Simple & Sweet: The Best Of Ginny Simms, Collectables COL-CD-7590, 2005.

Career

=Radio=

In 1932, Simms became the vocalist for the Tom Gerun band in San Francisco, working together with other vocalists including a young Tony Martin and Woody Herman. In 1934, she joined the Kay Kyser Orchestra, with which she received her first national exposure appearing on radio shows with Kyser.

=Films=

Simms appeared in three films with Kyser: That's Right—You're Wrong (1939), You'll Find Out (1940), and Playmates (1941).

On April 6, 1941, Simms and Kyser costarred in Niagara to Reno (described as "an original comedy") on CBS radio's Silver Theater.{{cite news|title=3 Programs Join The Spring Dial; Several Programs Revised|newspaper=The Lincoln Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2109797/st_kyser_simms/|agency=The Lincoln Star|date=April 6, 1941|page=40|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = March 31, 2015}} {{Open access}} She nearly married Kyser but left his orchestra in September 1941 for her own radio show.

She starred in several more films, including Here We Go Again (1942), Hit the Ice (1943), Broadway Rhythm (1944) and the sanitized Cole Porter biopic Night and Day (1946).Sleeve notes from Night and Day, Soundtrack Factory SFCD-33529, 1999.

=Television=

In 1951, Simms hosted a local television show on KTTV Channel 11 in Los Angeles that featured dance bands and talent from military bases around Southern California.

Humanitarian work

Simms entertained troops during World War II, and after the war, she continued to help servicemen. In 1947, a radio station's newsletter noted: "[N]ow she is helping provide new homes for them. Ginny is sponsoring the construction of 450 homes for vets in Los Angeles."{{cite news|last1=Young|first1=Kathryn|title=C.B.S. Notes|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/Archive-Station-Books-IDX/IDX/WIBW/WIBW-1947-01-OCR-Page-0008.pdf|access-date=23 April 2015|agency=WIBW Roundup|issue=22|date=January 1947|page=12}}

Awards

On June 5, 1993, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California Walk of Stars was dedicated to Simms.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121013165655/http://www.palmspringswalkofstars.com/web-storage/Stars/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated]}}

Personal life

Simms was married three times. Her first marriage (1945–1951) was to Hyatt Hotels founder Hyatt von Dehn, with whom she had two sons: David (born in July 1946){{cite news|title=Ginny Simms Returns to WHP Sept. 20; Danny Thomas Is First Guest|newspaper=Harrisburg Telegraph |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2266238/ginny_simms_son/|agency=Harrisburg Telegraph|date=September 14, 1946|page=17|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = April 22, 2015}} {{Open access}} and Conrad (born December 27, 1949). Her second marriage (1951–1953) was to Bob Calhoun, and her third was to Republican former attorney general of Washington State Don Eastvold from June 22, 1962, until her death in 1994.[http://www.pscemetery.com/pdfs/interments.pdf Palm Springs Cemetery District, "Interments of Interest"]

Death

Simms died after suffering a heart attack in Palm Springs on April 4, 1994 at the age of 80. Her remains are interred at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California. She was survived by her husband, Donald Eastvold Sr.

Filmography

class="wikitable"

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes

1939

| That's Right – You're Wrong

| Herself

|

1940

| You'll Find Out

| Herself

|

1941

| Playmates

| Herself

|

1942

| Here We Go Again

| Jean Gildersleeve

|

1942

| Seven Days' Leave

| Herself

|

1943

| Hit The Ice

| Marcia Manning

|

1944

| G.I. Journal

| Herself

| Short

1944

| Broadway Rhythm

| Helen Hoyt

|

1945

| Shady Lady

| Leonora Lee Appleby

|

1946

| Night and Day

| Carole Hill

|

1951

| Disk Jockey

| Vickie Peters

| (final film role)

Selected discography

Simms recorded extensively—from June 17, 1935, until July 2, 1947, then again in mid-1953 and finally in December 7 & 9, 1960—for several labels, including:

ARA (American Recording Artists),

Brunswick,

Capitol Custom,

Columbia,

Conqueror,

Okeh,

Regal Zonophone,

Royale,

Sonora,{{cite web |first= Robert L. |last= Campbell |title= The Sonora Label |quote= The Sonora 3000 Pop Series: 1947 & The Sonora 1000 Series: Albums from 1947. |url= http://campber.people.clemson.edu/sonora.html |publisher= The Red Saunders Research Foundation |website= myweb.clemson.edu |date= May 18, 2016 |access-date= May 26, 2016}}

Star-Tone,

TOPS,{{cite web |url=http://lowlight.ipower.com/ginny-simms/discography.html |title= The career of Ginny Simms discography |access-date= May 26, 2016}}

Venise,

Vocalion

and V-Disc.

Some of these recordings have been rereleased on CD:[http://www.cduniverse.com/sresult.asp?HT_Search=XARTIST&HT_Search_Info=Ginny+Simms Ginny Simms discography at cduniverse.] Retrieved 26 May 2016.

  • Ginny Simms: Love Is Here to Stay (1997)
  • Ginny Simms: V-Disc Recordings CD (1998)
  • Gorgeous Ginny Simms (1999)
  • Night and Day (1999) (Soundtrack of the 1946 film Night and Day)
  • Ginny Simms: I'd Like to Set You to Music (2001)
  • Simple & Sweet: The Best of Ginny Simms (2005)
  • Ginny Simms: One More Dream (2006)
  • All Right With Me! – 30 Years of Cole Porter Magic with the Girls! (2010) – Simms sings two Porter songs: "What Is This Thing Called Love?" and "Easy to Love"
  • On the Air With Ginny Simms (2011)
  • The Sentimental Stylings of Ginny Simms (2012)

Notes

{{reflist|group=note}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Portal|Biography}}

{{commons category|Ginny Simms}}

  • [http://lowlight.ipower.com/ginny-simms/index.html Ginny Simms biography] Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  • [http://lowlight.ipower.com/ginny-simms/discography.html "The career of Ginny Simms" discography] Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  • {{IMDb name|id=0799963|name=Ginny Simms}} Retrieved 11 October 2007.
  • {{Find a Grave|1414|Ginny Simms|work=Singer, actress|date=January 1, 2001}} Retrieved 28 November 2007.
  • [http://www.cduniverse.com/sresult.asp?HT_Search=XARTIST&HT_Search_Info=Ginny+Simms Ginny Simms discography at cduniverse] Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  • [https://www.discogs.com/artist/946210-Ginny-Simms Ginny Simms discography at discogs] Retrieved 26 May 2016.

{{Kay Kyser}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simms, Ginny}}

Category:1913 births

Category:1994 deaths

Category:Singers from Texas

Category:American film actresses

Category:Big band singers

Category:Burials at Desert Memorial Park

Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players

Category:Musicians from San Antonio

Category:Actresses from San Antonio

Category:20th-century American actresses

Category:20th-century American singers

Category:20th-century American women singers