Kay Armen
Kay Armen | |
|---|---|
 Armen (center) in "Hit the Deck" musical (1955) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Armenuhi Manoogian |
| Born | November 2, 1915 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Origin | American Armenian |
| Died | October 3, 2011 (aged 95) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | singer |
Armenuhi Manoogian (Armenian: Արմենուհի Մանուկեան); November 2, 1915 – October 3, 2011), better known by her stage name Kay Armen, was an American Armenian singer popular during the 1940s and 1950s.[1] Her career in show business spanned almost six decades, as she worked in radio, television, onstage and in film. She wrote multiple songs, performed in nightclubs and recorded many records.[2]
Radio[]
Armen was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, Robert Manoogian, Sr., was a professional wrestler billed as "Bob Monograph".[3] She first appeared on radio at WSM in Nashville, Tennessee,[4] performing on 12 programs per week.[5] In 1947, she had her own weekly 15-minute program, Kay Armen-Songs, on NBC-Blue.[6]
Television and Film[]
She appeared in a number of roles, notably in the 1959 NBC sitcom Love and Marriage, and on screen in the 1955 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical Hit the Deck and the 1961 film Hey, Let's Twist!. She was also a songwriter with compositions including "Be Good to Yourself", "My Love and I" and "It’s a Sin to Cry Over You".[2]
Personal life[]
Her younger brother Robert Manoogian, Jr. (January 4, 1918 – April 3, 2002) was an American professional wrestler who was best known for his work with National Wrestling Alliance in the 1940s as Bobby Managoff.[2]
Kay Armen died in 2011 in New York City, New York at the age of 95.
Filmography[]
- 1955: Hit the Deck as Mrs. Ottavio Ferrari
- 1959-1960: Love and Marriage as Sophie (TV series, 18 episodes)
- 1961: Hey, Let's Twist! as Angie
- 1980: Jimmy B. & André as Mama Butsicaris (TV film)
- 1981: Paternity as Claudia Feinstein
References[]
- ^ Find-a-Grave profile for Kay Armen
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Kay Armen dies at 95. Singer appeared in MGM's 'Hit the Deck'". Variety. November 17, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
- ^ https://classicwrestlingarticles.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/frank-gotch-breaks-leg/
- ^ "Kay Armen, TV, Radio Singer To Appear At Fair". Pennsylvania, Bedford. The Bedford Gazette. August 1, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved November 5, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. P. 15.
- ^ Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-5149-4. P. 37.
External links[]
- 1915 births
- 2011 deaths
- American female singers
- American people of Armenian descent
- Singers from Chicago
- Disease-related deaths in New York (state)
- American television actresses
- Decca Records artists