NANETTE FABRAY
October 27, 1920
Simultaneously perky and no-nonsense, wholesome and womanly, Nanette Fabray first entered our realm of consciousness for her recurring role as Bonnie Franklin's mother on the oh-so-Seventies sitcom, One Day at a Time. And, being the precocious gaylings that we were, we were more fascinated by this vaguely glamorous, intensely professional lady than the younger, rather cardboard "stars" of the show.
Soon, we learned that, like fellow Seventies sitcom moms like Nancy Walker and Nancy Dussault, Nanette had a long and acclaimed list of golden age Broadway and film credits. Her most famous movie role, of course, was as the Betty Comden-esque playwright in The Band Wagon (1953), where Nanette more than held her own against the formidable talents of Fred Astaire, Oscar Levant and Cyd Charisse. For her stage work, Nanette won the Tony in 1949 for Love Life, and was nominated again for the 1962 flop, Mr. President. She was also no stranger to classic television, having come to national attention by replacing Imogene Coca on Sid Caesar's eponymous program, and winning a remarkable three Emmy Awards for her efforts.
Nanette Fabray began performing in vaudeville at age four, so she can be forgiven for having slowed down a bit in recent years -- although, in 2007, she was onstage again, in a Los Angeles revue called The Damsel Dialogues. Miss Fabray belongs to the grand old trouper tradition, one of the last of a disappearing breed. We love her, and salute this terrific lady on her special day. Happy Birthday, Nanette Fabray!
And of course, as Mary Richard's mother on MTM.
ReplyDelete(pretty perfect casting actually)