by Donald Bogle
anti-communism of, 522, 531
appearance and dress of, 69, 92, 187, 246, 248, 263, 278–79, 523–24
appearance and skin color of, 47
appearance and weight problems of, ix–x, 257, 263, 287, 288, 313, 367, 368–69, 384, 409, 415, 419, 448, 445–46, 467, 473–75, 490–91, 501, 504, 509, 535–36
arrest of, for furniture, 159–60
Bessie Smith and, 35–38
birth of, 3–4
Broadway breakthrough in Africana, 143–52, 155–58
Broadway comeback in Member of the Wedding, ix–xii, 440–43, 447–57, 458–59
Broadway final show of, in At Home with Ethel Waters, 476
Broadway hit with As Thousands Cheer, 216–30
Broadway hit with At Home Abroad, 256–57, 259–69, 275–78, 280
Broadway hit with Cabin in the Sky and, 338–49
Broadway performances after Africana, 152–54
Broadway push of, in 1920s, 132–36
Broadway return of, in Blackbirds of 1930, 190–94
Broadway revue with white cast, 154–55
Broadway style of, 145–47
Broadway triumph of, in Mamba’s Daughters as Hagar, 201, 270–75, 284, 309–30, 336–37
Bunker Hill Towers move of, 529, 531
career slump of, 418–19, 300–301, 354–55, 421–29
Carnegie Hall appearance of, 306–7
charity performances of, 106–7, 238–41, 249, 266, 278–79, 307–8, 324–25, 363–64, 371–72, 374, 395, 406–7, 427, 457, 478
childhood of, xii, 3–21, 151, 202–3
civil rights movement and, 485–87
club act at Apollo, 257–59, 280–81
club act at Cotton Club, 210–17, 291–92
club act at Plantation Club, in Tan Town Topics, 107–13
clubs and touring by, 233, 393–94, 408–10, 413, 412–13, 423, 466, 467, 473–76, 479–80, 491–92, 502, 518–19
comedy and, 112
conflicts with Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, 308, 330
conflicts with Billie Holiday, 228, 230, 282–83
conflicts with co-stars, xi–xii, 32–33, 47–48, 53, 153–54, 276–78, 311–12, 322, 323, 416–17, 465
conflicts with Josephine Baker, 110–11, 113–14, 136, 179, 269–70
conflicts with Lena Horne, 91, 374, 383–89, 393, 408
creates Black Cargo with Dancer, 136
daily life and recreation of, 200–203
death of, 537–42
Waters, Ethel (cont.)
death of Aunt Ching and, 16
death of Earl Dancer and, 520
death of Eddie Mallory and, 505–6
death of father and, 8
death of Florence Mills and, 155
death of Frank Mallory and, 281–82
death of grandmother Sally and, 16
death of Harry Pace and, 402
death of mother and, 519–20
death of niece Ethel and, 161
death of Pearl Wright and, 295–96, 306
death of Van Vechten and, 522
Depression and, 186–87
desire to be mother, 160–61
early career of, on vaudeville and chitlin’ circuit, x–xi, 19–22, 26–43, 72, 102–3
early fame of, in Chicago, 104
early interest in music and performing, 12–13, 17–18
early jobs of, 15–20, 42
early performing in New York, and rise of, 42–43, 47–51, 53–56
early performing in Philadelphia during WWI, 41–42
education of, 13–14, 17
Eleanor Roosevelt and, 320–21
European performance of, in West Berlin, 499–500
European tour, in London and Palladium, 179–85
European tour, in Paris, 178–80
fame and popularity of, 85–86, 88–89, 104, 121, 123, 206–7, 336
family background of, 6–9, 407, 462–64
films Cabin in the Sky, 372–74, 376, 379–92, 396–98, 425–26
films Cairo, 367–71
films Carib Gold, 483
films closed to, after Cabin, 389, 393
films first made, 169–73
films Heart Is a Rebel for Graham, 500–501, 517, 518, 519, 525
films Member of the Wedding, The, 469–73
films On with the Show, 169–73, 181, 182
films Pinky in comeback, 430–39, 443–47, 456
films Rufus Jones for President, 221, 241–43
films Sound and the Fury, The, 502–4
films Tales of Manhattan, 360–62, 370, 377–79
finances and spending of, ix, 29, 67, 89–90, 95, 115–16, 122–23, 160–61, 167, 207–8, 230, 232, 233, 240–41, 256, 275, 286–87, 293–94, 305, 354, 390, 433, 439–40, 455–57
finances of, with age, 484, 487–89, 506, 512, 517, 528–30, 539
friendships with boxers, 77, 324–25, 335, 413–14, 325
friendship with Alberta Hunter, 79–81, 92, 423
friendship with Carl Van Vechten, 124–32, 143, 145, 148–49, 158, 179–84, 390–92, 533
friendship with Jack Johnson, 76–77
friendship with Joan Croomes, 513–17, 523, 526–28
friendship with Julie Harris, 443
friendship with Pearl Wright, 93–95, 102, 164, 174
friendship with Thelma Carpenter, 424–25, 456
friendship with Zora Neale Hurston, 130–31, 362–63
Graham testimonial for, 535–37
grandmother Lydia Waters and, 19
grandmother Sally Anderson and, 10–11, 76
Gumm dropped by, as manager, 371, 384, 390
Gumm manages, 161
Harlem home of, on Morningside Ave., 293–94
Harlem home of, on St. Nicholas Ave., 121–22, 236–37
Harlem investments by, 327–28
Harlem Renaissance and, 48–53, 123–24, 126–32
health problems of, and Birmingham leg injury, 54
health problems of, and car accident in Roxbury, 91
health problems of, ix, 9, 100, 288, 421–22, 467, 468, 475–476, 478, 500, 504, 505–7, 509, 512, 521, 526, 534, 535–36, 537–38
honored at Academy Awards, 522
honored at Ethel Waters Day, Chester, PA, 534–35
honored at Ethel Waters Day, NY, 476
honored at Ethel Waters Day, World’s Fair, 521
honored at Philadelphia Arts Festival honors, 518
honored by Sojourner Truth Award, 461
honors and awards, 338, 406–7
horseback riding of, 17, 201–2, 265, 281, 292–93
household and staff of, 122–23, 187, 257, 295, 464–65
Keith-Albee circuit and, 115
last important show, Evening with Ethel Waters, 504
last TV appearances, 534
LA Sugar Hill home and, 361–63, 498–99, 506
LA Sugar Hill home and white homeowners suit, 419–21, 426
LA Sugar Hill home sold by, 514–15
lawsuit vs., by Hill over Mallory divorce and, 304–5
marriage to Merritt “Buddy” Purnsley, 15–17, 175
media and image of, 70–71, 75–76, 79–80, 82, 103–4, 150–51, 231–33, 245, 275–77, 344–45, 463–64, 541
media interviews by, 198–200, 473, 476–77, 487–91, 506–7
miscarriages or abortions of, 180, 288
mother’s difficult relationship with, xi, 4, 8–11, 41, 94, 123, 205–6, 311, 323, 333, 366, 402, 426, 429, 463, 518
moves to Hollywood, 354, 357–58
moves to New York, 42–43
moves to Wilsons’ in old age, 506, 528
musical style of, 67–69, 93, 94, 105–6, 128, 172, 184–85, 306, 477, 510, 533–34
musical style of, and hot-cool sexuality, 54, 117–19, 147
musical style of, developed, 35–37, 53–55, 116–21, 268
NAACP and, 193, 238–41
Waters, Ethel (cont.)
NAACP Image A
ward of, 537
Negro Actors Guild and, 298–99, 307–8
Nixon White House and, 531–32
nominated for Emmy, for Route 66, 511
nominated for NY Drama Critics Award, for Member, 457
nominated for Oscar, for Pinky, x, 456
old age of, 520–22
paranoia and unhappiness of, xii, 130–31, 484–92
performs for wealthy socialites, 201
performs in Blue Holiday and criticized for stereotypes, 415–19
personality of, 69, 131, 223, 539
politics and, 207
portraits of, bronze bust by Salemme, 123
portraits of, photograph by Van Vechten, 130
prostitutes and, 11–12
racial issues and civil rights and, 348, 522–23, 532–33, 536
racial issues and pride of, 81–85, 150–51, 207
racism faced by, in South, xi, 30, 38–40
radio performances by, 83, 267, 281, 293, 328, 348, 353, 355, 393, 410, 468
radio show American Revue and, 229–30, 234–35
radio show Rhoda Monroe and, 394–95
recordings by, x, 75, 121, 214, 192, 393–94, 422–23
recordings reissued by Columbia, 533–34
recordings reissued by RCA, 482
records Ethel Waters Reminisces in 1960s, 519
records for Black Swan, 88–89, 96–97
records for Blue Bird, 304–5, 327, 330–31
records for Brunswick, 230–31
records for Cardinal, 59, 65
records for Columbia, 115–21, 136, 154, 158–59, 230–31
records for Decca, 231
records for Liberty, 267
records for Pace’s Black Swan Label, 59–67
records “Harlem on My Mind,” 230
records “Heat Wave,” 226, 230
records hit “Am I Blue?,” 170–73
records hit “Dinah” and rise to stardom, 114–15
records hit “Stormy Weather,” 216
religion and, xii, 14–15, 28, 94, 150, 176, 203, 294, 361, 412, 419, 442, 450, 485, 511, 530–31
religion and tours with Graham Crusade, 493–501, 505, 512, 528–32, 534, 537
relationship with Archie Savage, and robbery by, 363, 366, 399–406, 409–11, 413–14, 426
relationship with Mozelle Holmes, 165, 424, 491–92
Rhapsody in Black breaks stereotypes and displays acting of, 194–98, 205–9
robbed in apartment building, 208
same-sex romances and, 12, 18, 33–34, 80–81, 181, 400, 462, 516–17
scandals over “marriages” and, 176, 183
segregated theaters and, 132–33, 334–36
Serena Blandish offer from Minnelli, 301–2
Shuffle Along part lost, 58–59
shyness of, 130–31, 151
sister Genevieve and, xi, 8–9, 41, 94, 123, 402, 540–41
social life of, in Hollywood, 174, 374–76, 400–402, 412–13
social life of, in New York, 149–50, 192–93, 246, 270, 325–26
songwriting by, 331
southern tours and racism faced by, 84
stereotyping and, 300–301, 377–79, 396–98
“St. Louis Blues” first performed by, 26, 28, 32, 37–38
“Stormy Weather” and, 212–13, 231
“Supper Time” and, 213, 224–25, 227–28
tax problems of, 95, 426, 440, 457, 468, 484, 506
temper of, x, xii, 12, 20–21, 39, 93, 131, 154, 157, 322–23, 386–89, 474–75
touring by, 1920s, on Black circuit, 67–86, 89–93, 121, 132–33
touring by, 1930s, 284, 296–98
touring by, 1940s, 366–67, 395–96, 428–29
touring by, after breakup with Dancer, 161
touring by, in As Thousands Cheer, 244–47, 249–56, 280
touring by, in Cabin in the Sky, 347–49, 353–54
touring by, in Laugh Time, 401–3, 406–8
touring by, in Mamba’s Daughters, 331–37, 354–56, 358–49, 479
touring by, in Member of the Wedding, The, 464–68, 482–83, 484, 491, 501, 520–21, 530
touring by, in Swing Harlem Swing, 285–90
touring by, on West coast, 165, 169–70
TV appearance at World’s Fair of 1939, 329–30
TV appearance on quiz show, 489–90
TV appearance on Route 66 “Good Night, Sweet Blues,” 507–11
TV appearances, 1950s, 427, 466, 479–82, 484, 500, 504–5
TV appearances, 1960s, 519, 522–26
TV appearances, 1970s, 530, 534, 537
TV interview with Edward R. Murrow, 476–78
TV interview with Mike Wallace, 485–87
TV show Beulah and, 455, 457–61
TV show regular on Tex and Jinx, 478–79
Van Vechten article highlights, 127–29
voice lessons of, 184
voice problems of, 93, 177, 179, 181–82, 184
weight-loss drugs and dieting, 368–69, 384
whites suspected by, 53, 129–31, 439
white vs. Black audiences and, 86–87, 105–6, 257–58, 398
writes autobiography His Eye Is on the Sparrow with Samuels, 457, 458–59, 461–63
Waters, Ethel (cont.)
writes autobiography To Me It’s Wonderful, 530–31
writes comedy skits, 90–92
Waters, Harry (uncle), 56
Waters, John, Jr. “Johnny” (brother), 8, 12, 297, 407
Waters, John (father), 4, 8, 12
Waters, Junior (nephew), 12
Waters, Lydia Timbers (grandmother), 8, 19, 76
Waters, Mary Williams, 8
Waters, Richard (brother), 8
Waters, Wesley (brother), 407
Waters, William (grandfather), 8
Watkins, Perry, 310, 416
Watts, Richard, 344, 453
“Way Down Yonder in New Orleans,” 142, 153
Wayne, John, 434
Weary Blues, The (Hughes), 125, 130
“Weary Feet,” 136, 148
Webb, Chick, 68
Webb, Clifton, 218–20, 224–25, 229, 244, 283, 395
Webb, Elida, 122, 280, 285, 331
Webster, Margaret, 348
Wein, George, 230, 283, 474, 533–34
Welch, Elisabeth, 119, 142
Welles, Orson, 214, 310, 314, 321, 336, 355, 412, 503
Well of Loneliness, The (Hall), 178
Wells, Willie, 110
West Adams Improvement Association, 419–21
“West End Blues,” 158
“What Goes Up Must Come Down,” 327
“What’s Keeping My Prince Charming?,” 196
What’s My Line (TV show), 466
Wheeler, Bert, 106, 401
“When You’re a Long, Long Way from Home,” 19
“Where Is the Sun?,” 291, 293
Whipper, Leigh, 299, 392, 446
Whirlybirds (TV show), 504
White, Alvin, 106–7, 540
White, E. B., 146
White, George, 100, 188
White, Josh, 415
White, Oletha, 540
White, Slick, 74
White, Walter, 124–25, 227, 298, 320, 377, 417, 421, 443–44, 463, 487
Whitehead, Robert, 427, 440–43, 448–49, 455, 465
Whitman, Alice, 207
Whitman, Bessie, 122, 167, 200, 237, 265, 267, 284, 326
Whitman Sisters, 17, 31, 38
Whitney, Salem Tutt, 89–91
“Who,” 219
“Who Dat Say Chicken in Dis Crowd,” 138
Wicant, Dr. M., 177, 179, 181
Wickman, Roscoe, 85
Widow Jones, The, 138
Wilder, Thornton, 499–500
Wild Roses (Heyward), 272
Wilkin, Baron, 99
Willard, Jess, 73
Williams, Bert, 24, 49–50, 56, 62, 104, 115, 123, 139–41, 336
Williams, Big Joe, 92
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nbsp; Williams, Clarence, 116
Williams, Cordy, 65
Williams, Ethel, 56–58, 71, 74, 79–80, 84–85, 90–92, 94–95, 99–103, 162, 296, 462
Williams, Frances, 420
Williams, Herb, 261
Williams, Mary Lou, 416
Williams, Musa, 270
Williams, Paul, 362
Williams, Reverend, 14
Williams, Sleepy, 297
Williams, Spencer, 168
Williams, Tennessee, 435, 449–50, 503
Wilson, Dooley, 340–41, 368, 370, 372–73, 392–93, 398, 460
Wilson, Earl, 223, 294, 346, 419
Wilson, Edith, 59, 155
Wilson, Elwood and Donna, 506, 528
Wilson, Frank, 141, 233, 267, 271, 299
Wilson, George, 499
Wilson, Grady, 540
Wilson, John S., 533
Wilson, Lena, 155
Wilson, S. David, 280
Wilson, Teddy, 425
Wilson, Woodrow, 40
Wilson, W. Rollo, 147
Wimberly, W. A., 93
Wimbish, Emery, 452, 454–55
Winchell, Walter, 193, 197, 211, 224, 234
Winifred, Henry, 144
Winner by Decision (TV show), 481
Winston, Edna, 53
Winterset (Anderson), 303
With a Song in My Heart (film), 473
Wiz, The (film), 425
Woll, Allen, 140
Woman of Quality, A (Bagnold), 301
Women, The (Luce), 299
Wonder, Stevie, 523
Wong, Anna May, 131
Woods, Clisson, 501
Woods, Johnny, 17
Woods, Trevy, 100
Woodward, Joanne, xii, 502–3
Woollcott, Alexander, 125, 193, 233, 315, 321
World’s Fair (New York)
1939–40, 329–30, 338
1965, 521
World War I, 40, 49–51, 98, 181
World War II, 346, 348, 357, 359–60, 364, 371–74, 392, 406–7, 416
Wright, Kathryn, 93, 267, 295
Wright, Pearl, 67, 93–94, 102–3, 118, 122, 133–34, 164, 167, 170, 173–74, 185, 187, 196, 201, 213, 222, 229, 237, 239–41, 265, 267, 270, 281, 284, 426
Wright, Richard, 314
Wright, Vernon, 295
Wright, Virginia, 406
Wright, Vivian, 93, 267, 295, 478
Wynn, Ed, 152
Wynn, Keenan, 534
“Y’ Had It Comin’ to You,” 327
Yip! Yip! Yaphank, 217
“You Can’t Do What My Last Man Did,” 67, 116, 117
“You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down,” 59
“You Can’t Stop Me from Loving You,” 196
Youmans, Vincent, 369
Young, Colonel, 97
Young, Felix, 374
Young, Harold, 483
Young, Irma, 23
Young, Lee, 23, 26, 31, 297–98
Young, Lester, 23, 297
Young, Robert, 368–69, 536
