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Barbara McNair
Age: 72 (passed away Feb. 4th, 2007)
Height: 5' 3"
Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Born: Mar. 4th, 1934
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Barbara McNair's Main TV Roles
NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at
IMDB
BIOGRAPHY: Popular African-American vocalist and entertainer Barbara McNair dazzled audiences with her singing prowess and exceptional beauty for well over four decades until her death on February 4, 2007 of throat cancer in Los Angeles. Compared in light-skinned attractiveness and glamor to Lena Horne, the Chicago-born entertainer and one-time secretary was raised in Racine, Wisconsin, where she sang in her church choir and was encouraged by her parents to pursue voice. Following music studies at the Racine Conservatory of Music and the American Conservatory of Music in her hometown Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles and attended USC before relocating once again to New York to pursue her dream.
Barbara worked her way up from typist to singer of small supper clubs to headlining large showrooms as one of America's more visible black singers of the late 50s and 60s. A jazz stylist influenced by the great Sarah Vaughan (I) at first, she gently eased into popular music. Her first big break came with a week-long gig on Arthur Godfrey's talent show, which led to bookings at The Purple Onion, The Persian Room and L.A.'s Cocoanut Grove. She began receiving invites on the TV variety circuit ('Ed Sullivan's "Toast of the Town," "The Dean Martin Show" and "The Tonight Show") and made it to Broadway with the musicals "The Body Beautiful" (1958) and "No Strings" (1962), replacing original star Diahann Carroll in the latter. At different times she recorded on the Coral, Signature and Motown labels resulting in such modest hits as "You're Gonna Love My Baby" and "Bobby."
In the late 60s Barbara made a choice to scout out acting roles, hoping to parlay her singing success into a movie career. The singer showed initial promise as a sexy lead alongside Raymond St. Jacques in the gritty crime drama If He Hollers, Let Him Go! (1968) in which she made news with her celebrated nude sequences. She also wore a nun's habit alongside Mary Tyler Moore in Elvis Presley's last feature film Change of Habit (1969), and appeared opposite Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs' wife in both They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! (1970) and The Organization (1971). A warm, inviting presence, she pioneered her own syndicated musical TV show "The Barbara McNair Show" (1969), a rarity at the time for a black entertainer, and guested on all the popular TV programs of the day including "Mission: Impossible," "Hogan's Heroes" and "I Spy."
The early 1970s were a difficult time for Barbara when offers suddenly stopped coming in and her husband/manager, who had mob affiliations, was shot and killed in 1976. Barbara went on to appear in such stage musicals as "The Pajama Game" and "Sophisticated Ladies", and was also seen in a recurring role for a time on "General Hospital" (1963) in later years. She was also spotted in a couple of obscure films in the 80s and 90s. Barbara's love of performing continued even in lesser venues -- cabaret clubs, cruise ships, special events and even retirement centers in Florida -- still sporting her stunning looks and vocal sparkle. In 2006 she opened for Bob Newhart in Philadelphia and New Jersey. Married four times in all, Barbara died at age 72 and was survived by husband, Charles Blecka.
TRIVIA:
- Toured frequently with 'Nat 'King' Cole' (qv) in the 1960s.
- In the early 70s, her life was turned upside down when her TV variety show was cancelled, she was out of recording contracts, no film work was available, and her husband was shot and killed.
- She and Richard Manzie, her manager/husband, were charge in 1972 with heroin possession. The news damaged Barbara's career although she was later cleared of the charge.
- Biggest influences were jazz greats 'Sarah Vaughan (I)' (qv), 'June Christy' (qv) and 'Peggy Lee (I)' (qv).
- Has a sister, Jacqueline Gaither.
- Mafia boss-turned-FBI-informant Jimmy "The Weasel" Frattiano wrote in his book, "The Last Mafioso", that McNair's late husband, Rick Manzi, was a Mafia associate who tried to put a contract on the life of a mob-associated tax attorney with whom he had a legal dispute, but he was murdered in 1976 before the contract was fulfilled.
- Had a hit record "Bobby" with Coral Records.
- Went to UCLA for a year before going to New York.
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