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Lillian Randolph
Lillian Randolph (born Castello Randolph; December 14, 1898 – September 12, 1980) was an American actress and singer, a veteran of radio, film, and television. She worked in entertainment from the 1930s until shortly before her death. She appeared in hundreds of radio shows, motion pictures, short subjects, and television shows.
Randolph is most recognized for appearing in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Magic (1978), and her final onscreen project, The Onion Field (1979). She prominently contributed her voice to the housekeeper in nineteen Tom and Jerry cartoons released between 1940 and 1952.
Randolph was born Castello Randolph in 1898 in Knoxville, Tennessee, the daughter of a Methodist minister and a teacher. She was the younger sister of actress Amanda Randolph.
Randolph began her professional career singing on local radio in Cleveland and Detroit. At WXYZ in Detroit, she was noticed by George W. Trendle, station owner and developer of The Lone Ranger. He got her into radio training courses, which paid off in roles for local radio shows. Randolph was tutored by a white actor for three months on racial dialect prior to obtaining any radio roles.
In 1936, she moved on to Los Angeles to work on Al Jolson's radio show, on Big Town, on the Al Pearce show, and to sing at the Club Alabam.
Randolph and her sister Amanda were continually looking for roles to make ends meet. In 1938, she opened her home to Lena Horne, who was in California for her first movie role in The Duke Is Tops (1938); the film was so tightly budgeted, Horne had no money for a hotel.
Randolph opened her home during World War II with weekly dinners and entertainment for service people in the Los Angeles area through American Women's Voluntary Services.
Randolph played the role of the maid Birdie Lee Coggins in The Great Gildersleeve, a radio comedy and subsequent films, and as Madame Queen on the Amos 'n' Andy radio show and television show from 1937 to 1953. She also portrayed Birdie in the television version of The Great Gildersleeve. She was cast in the Gildersleeve job on the basis of her wonderful laugh. She had been a member of the chorus at MGM when, during a rehearsal break, she heard that auditions were underway for Gildersleeve. Randolph made a dash to NBC. She ran down the halls; when she opened the door for the program, she fell on her face. Randolph was not hurt and she laughed, which got her the job.
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Lillian Randolph
Lillian Randolph (born Castello Randolph; December 14, 1898 – September 12, 1980) was an American actress and singer, a veteran of radio, film, and television. She worked in entertainment from the 1930s until shortly before her death. She appeared in hundreds of radio shows, motion pictures, short subjects, and television shows.
Randolph is most recognized for appearing in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Magic (1978), and her final onscreen project, The Onion Field (1979). She prominently contributed her voice to the housekeeper in nineteen Tom and Jerry cartoons released between 1940 and 1952.
Randolph was born Castello Randolph in 1898 in Knoxville, Tennessee, the daughter of a Methodist minister and a teacher. She was the younger sister of actress Amanda Randolph.
Randolph began her professional career singing on local radio in Cleveland and Detroit. At WXYZ in Detroit, she was noticed by George W. Trendle, station owner and developer of The Lone Ranger. He got her into radio training courses, which paid off in roles for local radio shows. Randolph was tutored by a white actor for three months on racial dialect prior to obtaining any radio roles.
In 1936, she moved on to Los Angeles to work on Al Jolson's radio show, on Big Town, on the Al Pearce show, and to sing at the Club Alabam.
Randolph and her sister Amanda were continually looking for roles to make ends meet. In 1938, she opened her home to Lena Horne, who was in California for her first movie role in The Duke Is Tops (1938); the film was so tightly budgeted, Horne had no money for a hotel.
Randolph opened her home during World War II with weekly dinners and entertainment for service people in the Los Angeles area through American Women's Voluntary Services.
Randolph played the role of the maid Birdie Lee Coggins in The Great Gildersleeve, a radio comedy and subsequent films, and as Madame Queen on the Amos 'n' Andy radio show and television show from 1937 to 1953. She also portrayed Birdie in the television version of The Great Gildersleeve. She was cast in the Gildersleeve job on the basis of her wonderful laugh. She had been a member of the chorus at MGM when, during a rehearsal break, she heard that auditions were underway for Gildersleeve. Randolph made a dash to NBC. She ran down the halls; when she opened the door for the program, she fell on her face. Randolph was not hurt and she laughed, which got her the job.