George Dewey Washington (1898–1954) was an American singer active in vaudeville and motion pictures from the 1920s through the 1940s. He was a baritone or bass-baritone who often appeared on stage in the guise of "The Gentleman Tramp". He was sometimes compared to Al Jolson.
Before he became a professional entertainer, Washington worked as a waiter in railroad dining cars, often singing amid noises of the train.[1]
Washington appeared in a number of short films for M-G-M and Paramount Pictures from 1928 to 1932, the early years of "talkies", including some of M-G-M's first musical shorts. At one point, he played three weeks in a row at the Paramount Theatre on Broadway. He was described at the time as a "hot favorite" with a "sympathetic voice [that] goes straight to the heart" and that is "well adapted for the talkies".[2][3]
In 1933, Washington performed on Broadway in Strike Me Pink,[4] which was "staged as an epic review of black history.[5] Night clubs in which Washington performed include the California Theatre Club in San Francisco[6] and the Club Casino in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[7] He also appeared on the bill with films in theaters including the Paramount Theater in Los Angeles.[8]
Washington performed for the fifth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr. on July 10, 1949. He was featured along with Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra, Jimmy Witherspoon, Buddy Banks and his Orchestra and Big Jay McNeely.[9]
^"Jeers Failed to Discomfit Singer". The Minneapolis Star. Minnesota, Minneapolis. March 8, 1930. p. 31. Retrieved February 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^African American Films Through 1959: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Filmography, Larry Richards. Jefferson, North Carolina and London: McFarland & Company (1998), pp. 66-67, 127-128, 144. ISBN 0-7864-2274-2
^The First Hollywood Sound Shorts, 1926-1931, Edwin M. Bradley. Jefferson, North Carolina and London: McFarland & Company (2005), pp. 55-56, 212, 216-217. ISBN 978-0-7864-4319-2
^"George Dewey Washington". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
^Mordden, Ethan (2015). Sing for Your Supper: The Broadway Musical in the 1930s. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-4668-9347-4. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
^Pepin, Elizabeth; Watts, Lewis (2006). Harlem of the West: The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Era. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-4548-9. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
^"Singer Opens". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. April 24, 1945. p. 6. Retrieved February 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Colored Basso Stays on Bill". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. March 6, 1929. p. 35. Retrieved February 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^Reed, Tom. (1992). The Black music history of Los Angeles, its roots : 50 years in Black music : a classical pictorial history of Los Angeles Black music of the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's : photographic essays that define the people, the artistry and their contributions to the wonderful world of entertainment (1st, limited ed.). Los Angeles: Black Accent on L.A. Press. ISBN 096329086X. OCLC 28801394.
and 19 Related for: George Dewey Washington information
GeorgeDeweyWashington (1898–1954) was an American singer active in vaudeville and motion pictures from the 1920s through the 1940s. He was a baritone...
GeorgeDewey (December 26, 1837 – January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is...
of Admiral of the Navy GeorgeDewey, during the Spanish–American War, and the Sailors and Marines under his command. The Dewey Medal was created to recognize...
John Dewey (/ˈduːi/; October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer. He was one of the most prominent...
Columbia Dewey (given name) Dewey (surname) GeorgeDewey, Admiral of the US Navy John Dewey, American philosopher and educator Melvil Dewey, American...
William Babcock Hazen. Widowed, she remarried in 1899 to Admiral GeorgeDewey. Washington McLean was a prominent member of the Democratic Party and served...
Dewey Ballantine LLP was a corporate law firm headquartered in New York City. In 2007, Dewey Ballantine merged with LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae to form...
Person Account" by Dewey Beard Read by David Wales for LibriVox Audio 00:30:37 (full text) Problems playing this file? See media help. Dewey Beard or Wasú...
Kossuth "Melvil" Dewey (December 10, 1851 – December 26, 1931) was an influential American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system...
City, New York, U.S. It was erected for a parade in honor of Admiral GeorgeDewey celebrating his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines...
performers on the bill included the Mills Blue Rhythm Band and GeorgeDeweyWashington. The revue was originally called The Cotton Club Parade of 1933...
(sung by Paul Tremaine) Metro Movietone Revue (1929/II) (sung by GeorgeDeweyWashington) Mandalay (1934) (played during opening credits) (not to be confused...
Truman defeated heavily favored Republican New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, and third-party candidates, becoming the third president to succeed to...
Dewey Crumpler (born 1949), is an American painter and educator. He was an associate professor at the San Francisco Art Institute. His work has been exhibited...
Transcript". Eugene Meyer. The Washington Post. pp. 1, 12. Agnes Ernst Meyer (December 10, 1939). "In Defense of Dr. Dewey". The Washington Post. p. B8. Carol Felsenthal...
the grade of Admiral of the Navy to honor GeorgeDewey for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay. Only Dewey ever held this grade, which is often treated...
at Harlem Apollo Theatre where she worked together with singer GeorgeDeweyWashington. She was one of sixteen female dancers who made up the Apollo chorus...
Register of Historic Places in 1992. The cottage was named after Commodore GeorgeDewey who in "May of 1898 in Manila, the Philippines...surprised the Spanish...
admiral, with Admiral GeorgeDewey being the only officer to be appointed to the rank. The rank has only been awarded once, to GeorgeDewey, in recognition...
Global Information