Thelma Carpenter

Carpenter was born in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of Fred and Mary Carpenter,{{Cite web|url=http://www.callondolly.com/thelma-carpenter/|title=Thelma Carpenter}} and attended Girls' Commercial High School, where Susan Hayward was a few years ahead.{{Citation needed |date=December 2023}}

As a child performer, Carpenter had her own radio show on WNYC in New York and won an amateur night at the Apollo Theatre in 1938, where she would be honored and perform nearly 60 years later on the 1993 all-star NBC-TV special Apollo Theater Hall of Fame, hosted by Bill Cosby.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/17/arts/thelma-carpenter-77-singer-with-big-bands.html|title=Thelma Carpenter, 77, Singer With Big Bands|first=Lawrence Van|last=Gelder|date=May 17, 1997|website=The New York Times|accessdate=June 24, 2017}} She played at clubs such as Kelly's Stables and the Famous Door on legendary 52nd Street, where she was discovered by John Hammond.

She subsequently made her debut as a band vocalist with Teddy Wilson's short-lived orchestra in 1939, recording "Love Grows on the White Oak Tree" and "This Is the Moment" for Brunswick Records. She joined Coleman Hawkins' orchestra in 1940, with whom she made the RCA Bluebird Records classic "He's Funny That Way". She followed Helen Humes as Count Basie's vocalist in 1943, remaining with the band for two years, recording the Columbia Records hit "I Didn't Know About You" as well as many popular V-disc sides including "Do Nothing till You Hear from Me", "More Than You Know", "I Dream of You", "Tess's Torch Song" and "My Ideal".{{Cite web |url=http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/ijs/cb/fortiesOne.htm |title=Basie in the 1940s: Time of Transition |website=Rutgers.edu |access-date=August 20, 2017 |archive-date=March 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314024429/http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/ijs/cb/fortiesOne.htm |url-status=dead }}

She also made a V-disc version of Frank Loesser's "The Last Thing I Want Is Your Pity". She replaced Dinah Shore as vocalist on Eddie Cantor's radio show for the 1945–46 season, marking the first time that a black artist had become a permanent member of an all-white show without playing a character. She was a top nightclub attraction for most of her career, performing regularly at such chic clubs as Le Ruban Bleu, Spivy's Roof, the Bon Soir, the St. Regis Maisonette, and Michael's Pub,{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/19/arts/the-pop-life-584089.html|title=The Pop Life|first=Stephen|last=Holden|date=July 19, 1989|website=The New York Times|accessdate=June 24, 2017}} as well as Chez Bricktop in Paris and Rome. She headlined major theaters including the Capitol Theatre, Loew's State Theatre (New York City), the Strand, and the Palace Theatre on Broadway and sang with Duke Ellington in concerts and on television. As a solo artist, she recorded for Majestic Records, Musicraft Records, Columbia Records, RCA Victor Records, and Coral Records, for whom she had a surprising chart hit in 1961, answering Elvis Presley with Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight.{{cite web|url=http://www.song-database.com/artist.php?aid=3285 |title=Thelma Carpenter most popular songs with lyrics |website=Song-database.com |accessdate=June 24, 2017}}

Broadway appearances include Memphis Bound with Bill Robinson, Inside U.S.A. with Beatrice Lillie, the 1952 revival of Shuffle Along with Avon Long, Ankles Aweigh with Betty and Jane Kean and the title role in Hello, Dolly! in which she replaced Pearl Bailey more than 100 times{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/10/10/archives/thelma-carpenter-in-5th-dolly-week.html|title=Thelma Carpenter in 5th 'Dolly' Week|first=Louis|last=Calta|date=October 10, 1969|website=The New York Times|accessdate=June 24, 2017}} and became the fully billed matinee star, with her name in all of the ads.{{cite web|url=http://www.callondolly.com/thelma-carpenter|title=Thelma Carpenter – Call On Dolly|website=Callondolly.com|accessdate=June 24, 2017}} It was in Dolly that she was seen by a producer from Paramount who signed her to co-star as the mother in the TV version of Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. She created the role of Irene Paige in Bubbling Brown Sugar, starring in the Philadelphia and Washington engagements, but left prior to the Broadway opening, and was featured in the original workshop production of Taking My Turn.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/29/archives/a-major-season-to-light-up-broadway.html|title=A Major Season to Light Up Broadway (Published 1975)|first=Mel|last=Gussow|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 29, 1975}}

Carpenter toured nationally as the showstopping "Berthe" in Bob Fosse's production of Pippin, the same year she filmed her major production number "He's The Wizard" for Sidney Lumet's film version of The Wiz. Fosse and Lumet arranged their schedules so that she could do both projects. She recorded for Majestic, RCA Victor, Columbia and Coral and her answer-record to Elvis Presley, "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight", reached the Billboard Top 60 in 1961. She also had a critically acclaimed album, "Thinking of You Tonight".{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/419480/thelma-carpenter/chart |title=Thelma Carpenter - Chart history {{!}} Billboard |website=www.billboard.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151212061103/http://www.billboard.com/artist/419480/thelma-carpenter/chart |archive-date=2015-12-12}}

Carpenter's television appearances began as early as the 1940s (including Cavalcade of Stars with Jackie Gleason, Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town, "Floor Show" with Eddie Condon and "Kreisler Bandstand" with Duke Ellington), and she was prominently featured on the 1993 NBC special Apollo Theater Hall of Fame with Diana Ross, Eric Clapton and Bill Cosby.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reviews/theater|title=Theater Reviews|work=The New York Times |accessdate=June 24, 2017}}

A 26-track compilation of her major recordings entitled "Seems Like Old Times"{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Seems-Like-Times-Thelma-Carpenter/dp/B000J3FBI4/ref=ntt_mus_dp_dpt_2|title=Seems Like Old Times|website=Amazon|accessdate=June 24, 2017}} was issued by Sepia Records in 2006.{{cite web |url=http://www.sepiarecords.com/sepia1080.html |title=Seems Like Old Times - Thelma Carpenter (Sepia 1080) |accessdate=January 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102180002/http://www.sepiarecords.com/sepia1080.html |archivedate=January 2, 2008}} An album compilation with Ellis Larkins and Alec Wilder entitled Souvenir, is available on Audiophile Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.jazzology.com/item_detail.php?id=ACD-111 |title=Thelma Carpenter – A Souvenir, Plus Conversations With Alec Wilder, Loonis Mcglohon And Thelma Carpenter – featured on Audiophile Records Label |website=Jazzology.com |accessdate=June 24, 2017}} A compilation of her Eddie Cantor radio appearances from 1945-46, plus live performances with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Eddie Condon, and Garland Wilson was released in May, 2024 by Jasmine Records.{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Cantor-Sessions-Thelma-Carpenter/dp/B0D4N8RF31/ref=sr_1_3?crid=19TEKNV0YDL2R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qdF_yS4aCEQCAObbPgUvjPTSfY_Bve22lD1Gl-e6-KwUcI9lHCmDCFhD_1r0ur4SmDX8kkBzuWFy2LYzegWrhNS8p6dEuCBdZfcsKViUvz3VYMPedV-yg9JQIDDKGW8O4ba364Cc9MZNTeK7M0Nnb0zHRFsmg7J2GSEfs2UlThr4NTwg0mX7Ppr-k6Szst1WZmLHgxhLuAc5LZxY75XHvDGc4mjMvvhx-KT2fvnPRek.9RnY8OOxCZT-CUqCp7xFPipm-fgq6eZVPEd1jzQhokA&dib_tag=se&keywords=Thelma+Carpenter&qid=1716611554&s=music&sprefix=thelma+carpenter%2Cpopular%2C185&sr=1-3 | title=Eddie Cantor Sessions | website=Amazon | date=June 2, 2024 }}

In the 1970s, Carpenter began an acting career and starred in the sitcom version of Barefoot in the Park, as well as several television movies, (The Devil's Daughter), comedy shows, and such feature films as The Wiz and The Cotton Club.

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Carpenter suffered cardiac arrest and died in New York on May 14, 1997. She was cremated and left no immediate survivors.

• Crazy House (1943) – Thelma (uncredited) (unbilled appearance with Count Basie)
• Call Her Mom (1972) – Ida
• The Devil's Daughter (1973) – Margaret Poole
• The Wiz (1978) – Miss One
• The Cotton Club (1984) – Norma Williams
• New York Stories (1989) – Maid (segment "Life without Zoe") (scenes cut prior to release)

• Kreisler Bandstand (with Duke Ellington and Avon Long)
• Eddie Condon Floor Show
• Ed Sullivan Show
• Merv Griffin Show
• Salute to Eddie Condon (with Johnny Mercer, Bob Crosby and Sammy Davis Jr.)
• Cavalcade of Stars (1949–1952) – 3 episodes (with Jackie Gleason, Jack Carter and Victor Borge)
• Barefoot in the Park (1970) – 12 episodes – "Mabel Bates"
• The Paul Lynde Show (1972) – "An Affair to Forget" – Herself
• The Love Boat (1981) – "Lady from Sunshine Gardens", "Eye of the Beholder", "Bugged" – Dora
• Apollo Theater Hall of Fame (1993) – Herself
• Cosby (1996) – "No Nudes Is Good Nudes" – (final television appearance)

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb name}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm5Fdkhywzc&playnext=1&list=PL3982DA96E1F46733 Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame, 1993, Pt. 1]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfskXO1K-G0 Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame, Pt. 2]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AVCZHZw8e8 Salute to Eddie Condon, "You're Driving Me Crazy"]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkazKG7Cviw Salute to Eddie Condon, "Come Rain or Come Shine"]
• {{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Thelma-Carpenter/e/B000AP7XH8/ref=sr_1_4?qid=1305948874&sr=1-4-ent |title=Thelma Carpenter: Songs, Albums, Pictures, Bios |publisher=Amazon.com |date=June 14, 2017 |accessdate=June 24, 2017}}
• [http://www.mymusicboutique.com/product/TC101-7860111 "Thinking of You Tonight"]

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Category:American film actresses

Category:American women jazz singers

Category:American jazz singers

Category:1922 births

Category:1997 deaths

Category:Singers from Brooklyn

Category:20th-century American actresses

Category:20th-century American singers

Category:20th-century American women singers

Category:Jazz musicians from New York (state)