Comments (Famous Bearer Only)
Gladys Bentley (1907 – 1960) was an American blues singer, pianist, and entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance.
Her career skyrocketed when she appeared at Harry Hansberry's Clam House, a well-known gay speakeasy in New York in the 1920s, as a black, lesbian, cross-dressing performer. She headlined in the early 1930s at Harlem's Ubangi Club, where she was backed up by a chorus line of drag queens. She dressed in men's clothes (including a signature tail coat and top hat), played piano, and sang her own raunchy lyrics to popular tunes of the day in a deep, growling voice while flirting with women in the audience.
On the decline of the Harlem speakeasies with the repeal of Prohibition, she relocated to southern California, where she was billed as "America's Greatest Sepia Piano Player" and the "Brown Bomber of Sophisticated Songs". She was frequently harassed for wearing men's clothing. She tried to continue her musical career but did not achieve as much success as she had had in the past. Bentley was openly lesbian early in her career, but during the McCarthy Era she started wearing dresses and married, claiming to have been "cured" by taking female hormones.
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Her career skyrocketed when she appeared at Harry Hansberry's Clam House, a well-known gay speakeasy in New York in the 1920s, as a black, lesbian, cross-dressing performer. She headlined in the early 1930s at Harlem's Ubangi Club, where she was backed up by a chorus line of drag queens. She dressed in men's clothes (including a signature tail coat and top hat), played piano, and sang her own raunchy lyrics to popular tunes of the day in a deep, growling voice while flirting with women in the audience.
On the decline of the Harlem speakeasies with the repeal of Prohibition, she relocated to southern California, where she was billed as "America's Greatest Sepia Piano Player" and the "Brown Bomber of Sophisticated Songs". She was frequently harassed for wearing men's clothing. She tried to continue her musical career but did not achieve as much success as she had had in the past. Bentley was openly lesbian early in her career, but during the McCarthy Era she started wearing dresses and married, claiming to have been "cured" by taking female hormones.
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Gladys Sommereux (née Reyes), is a Filipina actress best known for her role as "Clara," the lead villainess from the 90s ABS-CBN hit series Mara Clara.
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Gladys Berejiklian is an Australian politician serving as the 45th and current Premier of New South Wales and the Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, offices which she assumed on 23 January 2017 following the resignation of Mike Baird. She has been a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since 2003, representing the seat of Willoughby.
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Gladys Love Smith Presley, mother of Elvis Presley.
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Famous soul singer, Gladys Knight.
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This name will always remind me of Gladys the cow from "Sesame Street", performed by Richard Hunt. She was known for her theatrical voice and pride in her bovine heritage (she was "proud, proud, proud to be a cow...!")
I guess that I've associated this name with cows ever since.
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I guess that I've associated this name with cows ever since.
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Gladys Aylward was a Christian Missionary in China.
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Gladys Knight is a popular old school R&B singer.
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Gladys Smith was Mary Pickford's real name.
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Gladys Brockwell was an American actress.
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America’s Sweetheart, Mary Pickford, was born Gladys Marie Smith (1892-1979). Considered one of the most recognizable women in history, Pickford was one of the most, and at one point THE most, popular film actresses of her era. She was also a producer, screenwriter and film studio founder.