Monica Lewis, a timeless American songstress, was the epitome of wholesome, sexy charm, bringing hope and joy to thousands of US troops during two of the 20th century's most significant wars. Born May Bloom in Chicago, Illinois, to a family of Russian Jewish descent, Monica's musical talent was evident from an early age. Her father, Abe Leon Bloom, was a symphonic composer and pianist, while her mother, Jessie H. Lewis, sang with the Chicago Opera Company.
Monica's course in classic song-styling was set as a child, with her mother teaching her voice since she was a toddler. She quit junior college at 17 to work as a radio vocalist, eventually landing her own program on WMCA in the mid-1940s. This led to her debut at Manhattan's legendary Stork Club and subsequent discovery by Benny Goodman, who signed her to appear with his popular band.
Monica's radio success led to television appearances, including Ed Sullivan's very first broadcast in 1948, and she became a regular on various shows, sharing the microphone with Frank Sinatra. She worked with record labels such as Signature, Decca, Jubilee, Capitol, and Verve, creating numerous timeless hits and classic albums.
Her TV appearances included every major variety show opposite legends like Bob Hope, Danny Thomas, and Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, with whom she first appeared at New York's Copacabana. Monica's film career began in the 1950s, with MGM signing her to an exclusive multimedia contract. She starred in films like The Strip, Inside Straight, and Excuse My Dust, and sang the title song in the Marge Champion and Gower Champion musical, Everything I Have Is Yours.
Monica was an avid supporter of the war effort, volunteering her talent for the war bond drive, military radio broadcasts, and a 1951 USO tour of South Korea with Danny Kaye. She became the darling of US servicemen worldwide and delighted the masses as a chart-topping jukebox chanteuse and Burlington Mills hosiery's "Miss Leg-O-Genic".
Monica married MCA/Universal Studios production executive Jennings Lang in 1956, with whom she had three children: Michael Lang, a jazz pianist; Robert, an attorney; and Rocky Lang, a Hollywood writer, director, and producer. She continued to work in the entertainment industry, making a few choice cabaret appearances and recording new albums in the 1980s and 1990s.
Monica Lewis died on June 12, 2015, in Woodland Hills, California, leaving behind a legacy of timeless music, unforgettable performances, and a lifetime of memories.
