Friday 4 December 2020

You Should Get to Know Fanny Brice

Long before Betty White became a pioneering trailblazer in the world of film and comedy, there was Faniah Borach, better known by her stage name, Fanny Brice. In a manner of speaking, Brice was showbusiness personified. The actress, comedienne, and singer wowed audiences in the theatres, on radio, and even in the early days of television.

"I've done everything in the theatre except marry a property man," Fanny Brice once boasted. "I've acted for Belasco and I've laid 'em out in the rows at the Palace. I've doubled as an alligator; I've worked for the Shuberts; and I've been joined to Billy Rose in the holy bonds. I've painted the house boards and I've sold tickets and I've been fired by George M. Cohan. I've played in London before the king and in Oil City before miners with lanterns in their caps."

Barbra Streisand did much for Fanny Brice when she portrayed the star on stage and screen in the 1964 hit musical Funny Girl, its subsequent film adaptation in 1968, and its sequel, Funny Lady, in 1975. But where Streisand’s portrayal left gaps, biographer Herbert G. Goldman filled them in with his account of Brice’s life and impressive career. The biography was first released back in 1992 but subsequent publications in various formats, including ebook, have made it more accessible than ever, and it’s well worth a read for any fan of comedy!

Ready for some good laughs and good times? Visit our online library at Readro for a wide variety of ebooks, audiobooks, music, and more. Accessible anytime, anywhere, from your favorite devices.

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