|
In Remembrance: Etta Moten
Etta Moten, a singer and actress who was hailed as a pioneer for black
actresses, passed away in Chicago on January 2, 2004. She was 102.
The daughter of a Methodist minister in Texas, Moten was born November 5,
1901. She briefly abandoned college after her first marriage. She soon
divorced, but was a mother of three children. Moten’s parents agreed to care
for the children while she attended the University of Kansas. She was well
liked at school and her professors urged her to move to New York City
shortly after she graduated in 1931 with a degree in voice and drama. She
promptly received two roles on Broadway. She starred in the aptly titled
Fast and Furious which came and went quickly, but Moten and Zombie
was well received by audiences. Moten followed Zombie to Los Angeles
where she auditioned for work in film.
Moten's first work was heard rather seen, dubbing songs for Barbara Stanwyck.
Sadly, it wasn’t well documented what films she sang for.
Moten’s first
onscreen appearance was uncredited in Busby Berkeley’s film Gold Diggers
of 1933 (1933), singing “My Forgotten Man”. Moten quickly became
recognized as a sexy, black figure on screen. She was considered the first
to have broken the custom Hollywood stereotype of black women in film,
capable of playing more than the role of maid. Moten provided the singing
voice for Theresa Harris in Professional Sweetheart (1933). She
would’ve appeared onscreen in the 1933 Jean Harlow comedy, Bombshell,
but her scenes were cut before final release. Moten was also cast in the
role of a Brazilian singer in RKO’s Flying Down To Rio (1933),
starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. In what was to be her most famous
screen appearance, she sang the Oscar nominated song “The Carioca”, wearing
fruit in her hair years before Carmen Miranda. However, Moten herself
couldn’t avoid the harshness of Hollywood’s casting processes.
Moten made history in 1934 when she became the first African American stage
and screen actress to sing and perform at the White House. Upon President
Roosevelt’s request, she sang “My Forgotten Man” at his birthday party.
Moten married her second husband, Claude Barnett, the founder and head of
the Associated Negro Press in 1934.
Composer George Gershwin, who was also impressed by Moten’s onscreen
abilities, asked her to star in his new folk opera Porgy and Bess
later that same year. Moten wanted the part to fit her voice but Gershwin
refused, and the role went to Ann Brown. Eight years later she did appear as
Bess and toured with the show until 1945. Strain limited Moten’s voice, yet
after surgery and rest she continued to give concerts through the 50’s and
60’s.
Moten later became involved in many civic organizations, including the
National Council of Negro Women, the Chicago Lyric Opera, and the Field
Museum. She also represented the US at various independence ceremonies of
African nations.
Moten was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1979.
- John Gibbon |
