Inga Andersen
{{Short description|Argentine-Canadian singer and dancer (1909–1959)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{For|the Olympic competitor|Inge Andersen (swimmer)}}
{{Infobox bio
| image = Photograph_of_Inga_Anderson_from_a_newspaper.png
| caption = Andersen in 1939
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1909|3|10}}
| birth_place = Buenos Aires, Argentina
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1959|9|28|1909|3|10}}
| death_place = Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| nationality = Argentinian emigrant to Canada
| occupation = Actress, dancer, and singer
| known_for = Entertainer to British troops at the front lines during World War II
}}
Inga Hensina Andersen (March 10, 1909–September 28, 1959) was a Canadian singer and dancer, born in Argentina of Danish heritage. She began learning to dance as a young girl and became a dance teacher in her teens. By 1940, she performed on the radio, television, and stage. She was a cabaret singer, who also wrote the lyrics for songs that she sang.{{Cite news |date=1940-01-06 |title=London Dazed at Diversity of B.C. star, Inga Andersen |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montreal-star-inga-andersen-phenom-i/141036231/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Montreal Star |pages=23}} She sang, danced, acted, and played the violin.
Early in her career, she trained and performed in Hollywood, Los Angeles. In New York, she entertained on Broadway. She performed with the Ziegfeld Follies and as one of the "Seven Albertina Dancers".
Andersen acted, sang, and choreographed dance in England, like Wild Violets at Drury Lane. She performed in Jack and Jill, Jack O'Diamonds, and The Women.
She remained in Europe during World War II, performing at the front lines, at bombed out buildings, and during black outs. She became known as "The Blackout Girl". Andersen was the first person to entertain the troops, starting just ten days into the war, and she continued for a total of six years, performing for two years after the war. She reportedly made the top ten of Hitler's black list for the propaganda songs she sang about him, like "Hail Adolph".
Early life and training
Inga Hensina Andersen was born on March 10, 1909{{Cite web |title=Inga Andersen, ISNI 0000 0004 6617 2796 |url=https://isni.org/isni/0000000466172796 |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=ISNI}} in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to
Metha Andersen{{Cite news |date=September 29, 1959 |title=Inga Hensina Andersen Local Entertainer Dies |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1959-09-29-01 |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization }}{{citation|title=Inga Hansine Andersen, born in Buenos Aires about 1909, final destination Prince George, Canada, New York arrival from Southampton, England on July 15, 1937 |publisher=The National Archives |location= Washington, DC |work= Bremen passenger list, Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957 | via=ancestry.com}}{{efn|Her middle name is also spelled Hansine. A newspaper article incorrectly states that she was born near Prince George in Canada.{{Cite news |date=1937-03-19 |title=Luck Gave This Girl Her Big Break |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-despatch-inga-how-she-met-jack/141608861/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Evening Despatch |pages=10}}}} and A.P. Andersen, both of whom were born in Denmark.{{Cite news |date=August 7, 1941 |title=Mrs. A. P. Andersen |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1941-08-07-04 |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization }} She moved with her parents to Canada in 1912. Her father, a lumberman,{{Cite news |date=1935-08-24 |title=Wins Fame in London |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-colonist-wins-fame-in-london/144858616/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Times Colonist |pages=9}} builder, and lumberyard owner, moved the business and family to Prince George. Her brother Henning performed as a musician in Europe.{{Cite news |date=1934-02-20 |title="Jack" and "Jill" tour the shops |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-express-inga-in-jack-and-jill/141163341/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Evening Express |pages=8}}
Andersen grew up in Prince George.{{Cite news |date=1935-07-27 |title=B.C. Girl Wins Fame on London Stage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-bc-girl-wins-fame-on/144858472/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Vancouver Sun |pages=1}} She first learned to dance by her mother when she was a little girl. Then she followed a correspondence course to dance and become a star "in 15 easy lessons" and books.{{Cite web |last=Backhouse |first=Fred |date=July 28, 1939 |title=Prince George Singer Entertains Royalty |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/490604942/?terms=Inga%20Andersen&match=1&clipping_id=141324034 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=Newspapers.com |publisher=The Vancouver Sun |page=14 |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Cummings |first=A. C. |date=1935-07-08 |title=Prince George Dancer Storms London Stage: Miss Inga Andersen Appearing at Famous Gaiety |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-inga-in-england-july-1935/141603881/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Province |page=1}} She refined her technique and skills by taking courses every summer in locales such as Detroit, New York,{{Cite news |date=1928-10-14 |title=At Prince George |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-at-prince-george/144854004/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Province |pages=43}} Pittsburgh,{{Cite news |date=September 26, 1929 |title=Anouncing... The Inga Andersen School of Dance and Physical Education |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1929-09-26-04 |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization }} and Seattle.{{Cite news |date=September 22, 1927 |title=The Inga Andersen School of Dance |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1927-09-22-06 |access-date=2024-04-08 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization |pages=6}} After studying at the Barbes School of Dance in Vancouver, she returned to Prince George and began teaching young girls at age 16.{{Cite news |title=Dancing |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1925-10-08-06 |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization }} Andersen and her students were in a number of recitals in 1928 and 1929,{{Cite news |date=June 7, 1928 |title=Inga Andersen - Recital - June 8 and 9 |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1928-06-07-02 |access-date=2024-04-08 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization|page=2 }}{{Cite news |date=June 14, 1928 |title=Inga Andersen's pupils appear in dance recital |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1928-06-14-09 |access-date=2024-04-08 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization |pages=9}}{{Cite news |date=June 6, 1929 |title=Dance Recital - Inga Andersen School of Dance |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1929-06-06-02 |access-date=2024-04-08 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization |pages=2}} including the Yambo dance.{{Cite news |date=1929-12-21 |title=Rehearsing for the 'Yambo' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-rehearsing-for-the-ya/144854123/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Vancouver Sun |pages=35}} She also taught fur trappers to dance. With the money that she earned teaching, she went to Hollywood.{{Cite news |date=1935-07-27 |title=B.C. Girl Who Taught Trappers to Dance is Rage in London |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-inga-in-the-vancouver-provi/141602883/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Province |pages=1}}
Career
File:Rasch (LOC) (cropped).jpg (1891-1967), reflected in a mirror.]]
In Los Angeles, she studied dance at Albertina Rasch's studio in 1929 and was hired as an instructor in the summer of 1930 at the Ernest E. Ryder School of Dancing.{{Cite news |date=1930-08-24 |title=Favor Gained by Tap Dance |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-inga-tap-dancing-i/141324380/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=43}} She went on to tour with the Rasch troupe throughout the U.S., ending in New Orleans.{{Cite news |date=1939-11-24 |title=Dazed by Diversity of Lively Canadian Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-phoenix-dazed-by-diversity-of-livel/144889297/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Star-Phoenix |pages=4}} From there, she got work in New York in The Girl of the Golden West and Ballyhoo, performed with the Ziegfeld Follies, and Rasch asked Andersen to come to England to help with Wild Violets. It opened in Drury Lane in October 1932 and then toured the United Kingdom and South Africa. Andersen toured the United States as one of the famous "Seven Albertina Dancers."
In England, she performed in a starring role and choreographed most of the dances in Jack and Jill in 1934. She also had a starring role in Jack O'Diamonds in 1935. By the late 1930s, Andersen had acted in some films and was a regular on the BBC and the cabaret circuit in London. She was billed as "Canada's Sophisticated Songstress."{{Cite news |date=1942-01-16 |title=Inga Andersen, Canada's Sophisticated Songstress |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-norwood-news-inga-andersen-canadas/144888514/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Norwood News |pages=6}}{{Cite news |date=1946-12-07 |title=Overseas Canadians On The Air |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-overseas-canadians-on-the-a/144888837/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Province |pages=50}} On a visit home to Prince George in the summer of 1937, Andersen was feted at a Board of Trade appreciation banquet, hailed as "a great inspiration to the children of the city...."{{Cite news |date=August 12, 1937 |title=Appreciation Banquet Honors Inga Andersen |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1937-08-12-01 |access-date=2024-04-08 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization |pages=1}}
Andersen and Fred Stone toured with Smiley Faces. She played for the Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent and the William Coxen, Lord Mayor of London and Kathleen Coxen Lady Mayoress of London in 1939. The same year, she sang and acted in The Women. Andersen also performed in Paris, France.
At the beginning of World War II, she became popular for singing "We're Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line".{{Cite news |last=Howarth |first=Jean |date=1947-06-24 |title=This Column: Inga Andersen |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province-this-column-inga-andersen/144890523/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Province |pages=6}} During World War II, she would not leave Europe for engagements in New York. Andersen entertained with cabaret shows at Cafe de Paris, where it was said that she "sang songs that were topical, witty and a bit naughty" at elegant places. She performed at The Churchill Club and Bagatelle in Mayfair, London.{{Cite news |date=July 3, 947 |title=Inga Andersen Back Home from Mayfair Gaiety |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1947-07-03-01 |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization }} In London, she also starred in Fig Leaves (February 1940),{{Cite news |date=1940-02-26 |title=Fig Leaves |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard-fig-leaves/144894780/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Evening Standard |pages=3}} Cole Porter's Du Barry Was a Lady (1942),{{Cite news |date=1942-12-04 |title=For the Forces |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/huddersfield-daily-examiner-for-the-forc/144895110/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Huddersfield Daily Examiner |pages=2}} and Flying Colours (1943).{{Cite news |date=1943-08-27 |title=Inga in Flying Colours 1943 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard-inga-in-flying-colours/141327866/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Evening Standard |pages=4}}
World War II
{{External image|image1=[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GH8B6_BWIAAW_Be?format=jpg&name=small Andersen with the Irish Brigade]}}
Ten days into World War II, Andersen began to perform for the British troops, the first entertainer to do so. She went to the front lines during World War II to entertain the soldiers. She acquired the name "The Blackout Girl" because she was rare among entertainers to perform during black-out conditions and alongside bombed out buildings. Andersen sang and acted for troops in Cairo.{{Cite news |date=May 25, 1944 |title=Miss Inga Andersen |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1944-05-25-01 |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization |pages=1}}
She became lost and went behind German enemy lines to play to 80,000 soldiers during the Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy.{{Cite web |title=International Women's Day: Inga Andersen |url=https://theexplorationplace.com/event/international-womens-day-inga-andersen/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=The Exploration Place |language=en-US}} Among the soldiers that she performed for were Americans, one of who asked, "What in the name of blankety-blank are you doing here!?" She sang propaganda songs, like "Hail Adolph" and "Hitler's Secret Weapon", that reportedly earned her a place in the top ten of Hitler's black list, or execution list.{{cite AV media |people=Dallas, Zach |date=March 25, 2024 |title=Inga Andersen |trans-title= |type= |language=English |url=https://ckpgtoday.ca/2024/03/25/ckpg-today-for-march-25-2024/ |access-date=April 6, 2024 |archive-url= |archive-date= |format= |time= |location= |publisher=CKPG Today |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= }} Her days were often 18 hours long, without soap and without enough water for drinking let alone washing. Without dressing rooms, she sometimes used a tank or the backs of five soldiers to hide behind when she changed her clothes. She continued to entertain the troops two years after the end of the war.
Later career and death
After the war, she sang in New York at the Illustrator's Club, La Rue Restaurant and Le Vouvray.{{Cite news |date=July 23, 1951 |title=Inga Andersen here on a visit from New York |url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository/pgc:1951-07-23-01 |newspaper=Prince George Citizen, Prince George Digitization |access-date=2024-04-06}} She was interviewed for Sarah Churchill's television show. She met Sarah's famous father during that war and noted that he "smokes as much as my Dad."
While in New York, she modeled and taught Latin American dancing in the Fred Astaire Studios. She entertained at Montreal's Mount Royal Hotel and Ruby Foo's.{{Cite news |date=1948-03-27 |title=Singer is Noted for Dress Flair |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-singer-is-noted-for-dress-fl/144895446/ |access-date=2024-04-06 |work=The Gazette |pages=4 |language=en}} She was a guest performer for the International College of Surgeons' Convention in Buenos Aires, her birth city, where she met Eva Peron.
Andersen returned to Prince George in the late 1950s and died on September 28, 1959, aged 50. She was survived by her brother Henning, who lived in Vancouver, and her father, still living in Prince George. Her mother died August 1, 1941. Andersen is buried next to her parents, both whom are now deceased, in a cemetery at Prince George.
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=nm0970679}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Andersen, Inga}}
Category:Entertainers from Buenos Aires
Category:People from Prince George, British Columbia
Category:20th-century Canadian actresses
Category:20th-century Canadian dancers
Category:Canadian women in World War II
Category:Canadian radio actresses
Category:Canadian film actresses