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Mary Small (May 10, 1922 – February 27, 2007) was a singing personality during the Golden Age of Radio[1] and hosted her own broadcasts for 14 consecutive years across all major networks.[2] She headlined or opened at "presentation houses" from the 1930s through the 1950s including the Paramount Theater,[3] Madison Square Garden, the London Palladium,[4] the Copacabana with Sammy Davis Jr.,[5][6] and the Palace Theater in Chicago.

Key Information

In addition to being an established recording artist,[7] she was a published author[8] and performed on film, television[citation needed] and Broadway[9] during her career.[10] She was the first singer to be widely promoted as The Little Girl With The Big Voice, a moniker likely adopted by her first manager Ed Wolfe that was marketed in the Fleischer Brothers' Love Thy Neighbor, distributed by Paramount Pictures in 1934.[11][12] The moniker "Little Girl With The Big Voice" was subsequently used to promote female singing prodigies from Judy Garland to Jackie Evancho. She was married for a time to the composer Vic Mizzy with whom she had a widely publicized divorce.[13] Her life is the subject of a documentary by Rafael Moscatel.[14]

Early years

[edit]

Small was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Jack and Fannie Small. Her father was a local vaudevillian and her mother a homemaker. She first performed on Baltimore radio station WBAL at the age of six or seven and at nine won a radio contest hosted by Gus Edwards. She had a younger sister named Gloria. The story of how she was discovered was widely reported in newspapers, cartoon strips and interviews well into her later years [15][16] She was interviewed by Joe Franklin in 1972.[17]

In 1933, at the age of eleven she was introduced to singing trio the Three X Sisters at the Hippodrome Theater on Eutaw Street in Baltimore. The trio arranged for her an audition with their manager Ed Wolfe who then booked her on the Rudy Vallee Hour on NBC affiliate WEAF New York where she received her first big break singing Louisville Lady. Mary's voice was unique for that of a child, almost freakish to some, and the audience disbelief as to her age captivated America.[18] Within a month she had landed her own show on NBC which led into Frank Sinatra's hour. Along with a selected stable of stars, they were promoted across the country on matchbooks, bottle caps and subway cars. While a child in New York she attended the Professional Children's School. Her childhood friend was Baby Rose Marie.[19]

Golden Age Of Radio

[edit]

Small was successful on radio throughout the 1930s and 1940s and either hosted or was featured on a number of programs. She worked with the biggest bands and orchestras of the day including Tommy Dorsey, Ray Bloch, Glenn Miller and with stars like Roy Rogers, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Jackie Gleason and Frank Sinatra. She had a number of announcers for her programs over the years including Bud Collyer and Milton Cross who was best known as the voice of the Metropolitan Opera for 43 years.[19]

She was interviewed by David Siegel on September 24, 1999, for his book Remembering Radio: An Oral History of Old Time Radio[19] and quoted as saying:

Then, I got my own radio show, which I just mentioned was fifteen minutes, five nights a week, which Frank Sinatra followed, and we knew each other pretty well. Me with my little white socks, he with his long pants, but he had just left the Tommy Dorsey Band and I came in at 11:00 with Walter Gross' Orchestra, a seventeen-piece live band. I rehearsed during the afternoon, and there was a commercial break of about sixty seconds, and Frank Sinatra came in at 11:15. He was billed as the voice that is thrilling millions.

Throughout her career she was employed by NBC, ABC and CBS and the Mutual Broadcasting Company.

Partial list of radio credits

[edit]
  • Ben Bernie (1933–1936)
  • Little Miss Bab-O's Surprise Party (1934–1935)
  • The Maxwell House Showboat (1937)
  • Riding High (1937)
  • Keep It Dark (1941)
  • Imperial Time (1941)
  • Keep 'Em Rolling (1942-01-25)
  • The Chamber Music Society Of Lower Basin Street (1942)
  • The Kemtone Hour (1944)
  • The Mary Small Show (1944)
  • The Mary Small-Junior Miss Show (1944-1946)
  • Music For Millions (1945)
  • By Popular Demand (1945)
  • Dorothy Kilgallen's Diary (1945)
  • Guest Star Program (1947)
  • Three for the Money (1948)
  • Behind The Mike (1940)
  • Your Hit Parade (1940s)

World War II and the USO

[edit]

Throughout WW2 and beyond, radio stations' programming played a role in the war effort. Mary's ballads were swapped out for patriotic songs and she worked with the Treasury Department participating in US bond rallies where she shared the stage doing spots with actors like Jimmy Stewart.[20][21] Mary also joined Pearl Hamilton, one of The Three X Sisters, to tour with the USO in 1943 or 1944 and sang the song Smile, America, Smile. She also toured with B.A. Rolfe's Daughters Of Uncle Sam in 1942.[22]

"Thank You, Mr. President"

[edit]

In 1942, at the March of Dimes event celebrating Franklin Roosevelt's 60th birthday, Mary performed her own song, "Thank you, Mr. President," backed by the Glenn Miller orchestra and broadcast live from the Waldorf Astoria.[23][24] This recording can be heard at The Little Girl With The Big Voice.

Stage and recording career

[edit]

Small performed as a headliner and recorded consistently from 1934 through the 1950s. Her image appears on dozens of sheet music titles. After leaving showbiz to raise two daughters, she returned to Broadway in 1966 and toured with a new Follies cast. She also expanded into dramatic theater playing the role of Lenny Bruce's mother in a play about his life.[25]

A number of her recordings and television performances can be found at the website The Little Girl With The Big Voice. A comprehensive CD of her recordings from the late 1940s and 50s was released in 2013 by Jasmine Records [26]

In 1954, after a show at the Copacabana with Sammy Davis Jr., Richard Nixon and his wife Pat stopped by. Afterwards the then Vice President made his way to the dressing rooms to thank them for the show. The papers noted Mary as saying They applauded me as if I were a Republican!

Partial list of stage credits

[edit]

Film and television

[edit]

In 1930s Small began performing at the Paramount Theater between films and newsreels to draw in bigger crowds and then as a solo act.[27][28] In 1934, Max Fleischer hired Mary to appear in one of his community-sing "Bouncing Ball" cartoons, Love Thy Neighbor, filmed at his New York studio. She appeared on camera, singing the title song.

Partial list of film and television credits

[edit]

Later years

[edit]

In her later years, Small worked as a sought after vocal coach and performed in nightclubs in Manhattan.[29] At the time of her death she had outlived most of her contemporaries. Most of her life's work was not comprehensively cataloged until 2012.[30]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Mary Small

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Mary Small (May 10, 1922 – February 27, 2007) was an American singer and actress known for her early fame as a child prodigy billed as "The Little Girl With The Big Voice" and her extensive career spanning the Golden Age of Radio, Broadway, television, and vocal coaching. [1] [2] Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Small began performing on radio as a young child and achieved widespread recognition at age 11 in 1933 when she appeared on Rudy Vallée's popular radio program, leading to her own broadcasts and a prominent presence in the medium throughout the 1930s and beyond. [2] She gained further exposure in 1934 by singing the title song in the Fleischer Brothers animated short Love Thy Neighbor, where her signature moniker was prominently featured. [2] During World War II, she contributed to patriotic efforts through USO tours and bond rallies, collaborating with major artists and orchestras. [3] Small transitioned successfully across entertainment formats, appearing on early television programs, performing in major venues such as the Paramount Theater and Copacabana, and later returning to Broadway in 1971 with the original production of Follies. [4] In her later years, she established herself as a respected vocal coach in Manhattan while continuing occasional nightclub performances. [1] She was married to composer Vic Mizzy, with whom she had two children, before their divorce. [1] Small passed away in Harlem, New York City, on February 27, 2007. [1]

Early life

Family background and childhood

Mary Small was born on May 10, 1922, in Baltimore, Maryland, to Jack Small and Fannie Small.[3][5] Her father worked as a local vaudevillian performer, while her mother was a homemaker, and she had a younger sister named Gloria.[3][5] Growing up in Baltimore, Small's early exposure to entertainment came through her father's vaudeville engagements, which introduced her to the performing world from a young age.[3][2] Around 1928, as a young child, she formed a friendship with the well-known child performer Baby Rose Marie, who was already a prominent figure in entertainment at the time.[2][3] Small's own precocious singing talent emerged early, leading to her first local radio appearance in Baltimore at the age of six or seven.[3][2] Later in her childhood, after relocating to New York, she attended the Professional Children's School, an institution designed for young performers to balance education with their careers.[3][5]

Early radio performances and discovery

Mary Small first performed professionally on Baltimore radio station WBAL at the age of six or seven, around 1928 or 1929, showcasing a voice remarkably mature for her years. [3] This early local exposure introduced her to audiences in her hometown and laid the foundation for her singing career as a child prodigy. [3] By age nine, Small achieved further recognition when she won a radio contest hosted by Gus Edwards, a prominent producer known for discovering young talent. [3] The victory highlighted her ability to stand out among other juvenile performers on the airwaves. [3] Her breakthrough moment came in 1933, at age eleven, when she was introduced to the popular harmony trio the Three X Sisters during their engagement at the Hippodrome Theater on Eutaw Street in Baltimore. [3] Impressed by her vocal prowess, the trio arranged an audition for her with their manager, Ed Wolfe. [3] This meeting proved pivotal, as Wolfe recognized her potential and facilitated her transition to national radio exposure on the Rudy Vallée Hour. [3]

Rise to radio fame

National debut and child stardom

Mary Small achieved national prominence in 1933 at the age of 11 when she appeared on the Rudy Vallee Hour broadcast over NBC affiliate WEAF in New York, singing "Louisville Lady" and receiving a studio ovation for her performance. [3] Her mature vocal quality, unusual for a child, led to comparisons with established singers Ruth Etting and Ethel Merman while captivating listeners through the surprise of her young age. [3] Within a month of this debut, she was granted her own NBC program. [3] Beginning in 1934, she was promoted as "The Little Girl With The Big Voice," a billing coined by her manager Ed Wolfe. [3] That year she performed at the Paramount Theater in New York and appeared on camera singing the title song in the Fleischer Brothers' animated cartoon Love Thy Neighbor, distributed by Paramount Pictures. [3] As part of a select group of radio stars, she received widespread national promotion through advertisements on matchbooks, bottle caps, and subway cars. [3]

Peak radio programs and collaborations

Mary Small maintained a prominent position in radio throughout the 1930s and 1940s, hosting various broadcasts over more than a decade across the major networks NBC, ABC, CBS, and Mutual Broadcasting System. [3] Her early starring vehicle was Little Miss Bab-O's Surprise Party on NBC Blue from 1934 to 1935, where she served as the central singing personality. [6] In 1944, she headlined The Mary Small Show on the Blue/ABC network, which evolved into or overlapped with The Mary Small-Junior Miss Show on ABC from 1944 to 1946, featuring segments built around youthful themes and skits. [7] Small frequently collaborated as a guest performer with leading big band orchestras of the era, including those directed by Tommy Dorsey, Ray Bloch, and Glenn Miller. [3] She also shared airtime and bills with popular entertainers such as Roy Rogers, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Jackie Gleason, and Frank Sinatra, enhancing her visibility through these high-profile pairings. [3] Her various programs regularly employed announcers Bud Collyer and Milton Cross, whose distinctive voices introduced segments and lent professional polish to the broadcasts. [8] [3]

Wartime contributions

Post-war entertainment career

Broadway and stage appearances

Mary Small returned to stage work in the post-war era, including appearances in major venues such as the Capitol Theatre in 1949, Madison Square Garden, the London Palladium, the Copacabana (including with Sammy Davis Jr.), and the Palace Theater in Chicago.[3] She appeared in regional productions of Follies, including a stock tour and Florida mini-tour in 1973, where she played Stella Deems.[9] She returned to Broadway in 1974 to originate the role of Fay in the musical Sextet, a short-lived production that opened on March 3, 1974, and closed on March 10, 1974, after nine performances.[10] In 1982, Small appeared in the Broadway revival of Little Me at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where she played Momma and understudied Miss Poitrine (Today).[11][12] The revival opened on January 21, 1982, following previews, and closed on February 21, 1982, after 36 performances.[11] She also performed in a 1974 production of the dramatic play Lenny, playing Lenny Bruce's mother.[13]

Television and film appearances

Following a focus on other media during and after the war, Small appeared on television variety programs in the late 1940s and early 1950s, where she appeared as a singer and performer.[1] In 1949, she served as a regular performer on American Minstrels of 1949 (appearing in multiple episodes) and sang "Tenement Symphony" (uncredited) on The Milton Berle Show (also known as Texaco Star Theater).[1] She was a performer on Versatile Varieties in 1950.[1] In 1952, she appeared as Self on Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall in two episodes and on The Ed Sullivan Show (with additional appearances extending to 1954).[1] These guest spots on major variety series highlighted her continued vocal talents in the emerging medium of television.[1]

Recordings

Mary Small's discography from the post-war period consists primarily of singles released across several labels in the 1950s, reflecting her transition to adult performer. In the 1950s, Small recorded for multiple labels, with many tracks featuring music written or conducted by Vic Mizzy. She released "Undecided" and "If I Can Love You in the Morning" on King Records in 1951, followed by "Didja Ever" (paired with "A Beautiful Waste of Time") and "Immediately" (often listed as "Romance Me Immediately") on King in 1952.[14][15] She also recorded for Mercury around 1953, including "Suddenly," and returned to Decca in 1956 for "Dino" along with other sides such as "None of that row," "Here's where I start," and "Don't come crying to me."[16] A 2013 compilation album on Jasmine Records, I Like It!, collected many of her 1950s recordings with Mizzy, highlighting their collaborative work on pop and easy-listening material.[14]

Personal life

Later years and vocal coaching

Death and legacy

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