Moms mabley net worth

Mom’s Mabley, Vaudeville, and Comic Artist born

*This date marks the birthday of Moms Mabley, born in 1897. She was a Black lesbian and bisexual woman vaudeville performer and comedian.

Born Loretta Mary Aiken, Mabley grew up in a large family from Brevard, North Carolina.  Her father ran several businesses, while her mother presided over a large household that included borders.  When young Aiken was 11, her father died when his fire truck overturned and exploded. Encouraged by her grandmother to make a life for herself, she departed for Cleveland, Ohio. After singing and dancing in local shows, she began performing throughout the country. Traveling the vaudeville circuit, she experienced Jim Crow racism and demeaning working conditions and deflected her pain through satirical wit that drew heavily from Black folk traditions.

Mabley’s career rose when, in 1921, the husband-wife vaudeville team, Butterbeans, and Susie, invited her to perform with them in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Jackie "Moms" Mabley rose to national recognition as a standup comedian in the early 1960s.

Moms Mabley

(1894-1975)

Who Was Moms Mabley?

Moms Mabley was born in Brevard, North Carolina in the 1890s, and went on to establish a career as the top standup comedienne of her time. She starred in several films, became a headliner at the Apollo Theater and in the 1960s had hit comedy albums. She was also a top draw for a number of TV variety shows. She died in New York on May 23, 1975. Comedian Whoopi Goldberg directed a documentary on Mabley's life.

Background

The woman who would become known as famed comedian Moms Mabley was born Loretta Mary Aiken in Brevard, North Carolina, on March 19, 1894 (some sources say 1897), to a large family. She experienced a horrifying, traumatic childhood. Her firefighter father was killed in an explosion when she was 11 and her mother was later hit and killed by a truck on Christmas Day. And by the beginning of her teens, Aiken had been raped twice and become pregnant from both encounters, with both children being given away.

Becoming Moms Mabley

Aiken left home at the age of 14 and pursued a show business career, joining the African

Moms Mabley

American comedian and actress (1897–1975)

Loretta Mary Aiken (March 19, 1897[1] – May 23, 1975),[2] known by her stage name Jackie "Moms" Mabley, was an American stand-up comedian and actress. Mabley began her career on the theater stage in the 1920s and became a veteran entertainer of the Chitlin' Circuit of black vaudeville. Mabley later recorded comedy albums and appeared in films and on television programs including The Ed Sullivan Show and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.[3]

Early life

Loretta Mary Aiken was born in Brevard, North Carolina, on March 19, 1894.[1] She was one of 16 children born to James Aiken and Mary Smith,[4] who had married in 1891.[5] Her father owned and operated several successful businesses, and took in boarders.[1]

Her childhood was tumultuous. Aiken gave birth to two children resulting from her being raped at age 11, by an elderly black man, and at age 13, by a white sheriff. Both children were placed for adoption.[6][7]

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