Biography of Shirley Ross:
Shirley Ross was a talented American singer and actress born Bernice Maude Gaunt on January 7, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska. She was the elder daughter of Charles Burr and Maude C. Ellis Gaunt. Shirley's family moved to the West Coast, where she attended Hollywood High School and studied classical piano at UCLA.
She began her career singing and recording with Gus Arnheim's band and appeared in several clubs, including the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Shirley's early recordings included the single "I'm No Angel," which later became a signature song for Mae West. She also recorded the tune "If You Leave Me Now."
Shirley's big break came when she was chosen by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart to help them sell their songs to MGM. This led to a screen test and film contract in 1933. She made her debut in the Jean Harlow starrer Bombshell and appeared briefly in the musical film Manhattan Melodrama.
Shirley's early film career included unbilled appearances in several feature films, including The Merry Widow and The Girl from Missouri. She began to move up the credits with films like Calm Yourself, Devil's Squadron, and San Francisco.
Her big break came with the film The Big Broadcast of 1937, where she played the role of Gwen Holmes and displayed her natural talent for comedy and singing. Shirley then starred in several films opposite Robert Cummings and John Trent.
Shirley's most notable collaborations were with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. She co-starred with Crosby in Waikiki Wedding and Paris Honeymoon, and with Hope in The Big Broadcast of 1938, Thanks for the Memory, and Some Like It Hot.
After her film career, Shirley focused on radio work, appearing frequently on popular shows like "Command Performance" and "The Bob Burns Show." She also played the lead in Rodgers and Hart's musical "Higher and Higher" in 1940.
Shirley returned to the big screen only once more, in the Republic musical A Song for Miss Julie in 1945. After leaving the film industry, she settled into domestic life and was married to agent Ken Dolan, with whom she had three children.
Shirley Ross passed away on March 9, 1975, at the age of 62, due to cancer. Her legacy lives on through her iconic performances, particularly her duets with Bob Hope, including the Academy Award-winning song "Thanks for the Memory."
