Ada "Bricktop" Smith

Ada Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Virginia Smith ( born August 14, 1894 in Alderson, West Virginia; † 1 February 1984 in New York City ), better known as Bricktop, was an American vaudeville dancer and singer. It operated for a long time famous nightclubs in Paris, Mexico City and Rome.

Biography

Ada Smith was the youngest of four children. When her father died, the family moved to Chicago. From a young age she came to the world of vaudeville in touch. Already at the age of 16 she toured TOBA and Pantages theaters. Because of her red hair and freckles, she had the nickname " Bricktop " ( brick head). Through their performances, inter alia, in Barron Wilkins ' Exclusive Club, she met jazz musicians such as Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington and Cole Porter know.

1924 Ada Smith came to Paris, where Cole Porter booked her as an entertainer for his parties. She brought the latest fashion dances, such as the Charleston and the Black Bottom. Smith began to operate clubs in which she also appeared, such as " The Music Box " and " Le Grand Duc ". Your next club called it " Chez Bricktop ," which she moved in 1929 Pigalle to Rue number 66 and led until 1961.

1938-39 Smith moderated a radio show for the French government. During the Second World War, she left Paris.

Many celebrities attended the "Chez Bricktop ", including Cole Porter, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Among the artists who appeared in "Chez Bricktop ", were Duke Ellington, Mabel Mercer and Josephine Baker. Cole Porter wrote the song for Ada Smith "Miss Otis Regrets". Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli dedicated her song " Brick Top". F. Scott Fitzgerald, Langston Hughes, Ernest Hemingway, Maya Angelou, Evelyn Waugh and TS Eliot wrote about Ada Smith and their club.

1972 Ada Smith made ​​with Cy Coleman their only disc recording, So Long Baby. In 1974 she played in the movie " Honey Baby, Honey Baby " himself as the owner of the nightclub " Bricktop 's" in Beirut. In 1983 she had a cameo appearance in Woody Allen's film " Zelig ". With James Haskins she wrote her autobiography, Bricktop by Bricktop, which appeared in 1983 and is peppered with anecdotes about numerous celebrities.

Ada " Bricktop " Smith died in 1984 in her apartment in New York.

Pictures of Ada "Bricktop" Smith

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