Ruth Etting

Birthday: November 23rd, 1896 Date of Death: September 24th, 1978 Place of Birth: David City - Nebraska - USA

From Wikipedia

Ruth Etting (November 23, 1896 – September 24, 1978) was an

American singing star and actress of the 1920s and 1930s, who had over 60 hit

recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film. She is known as

"America's sweetheart of song". Her signature tunes were "Shine

On, Harvest Moon", "Ten Cents a Dance" and "Love Me or

Leave Me". Her other popular recordings included "Button Up Your

Overcoat", "Mean to Me", "Exactly Like You" and

"Shaking the Blues Away".

In Hollywood, Etting made a long series of movie shorts

between 1929 and 1936, and three feature movies in 1933 and 1934. In 1936, she

appeared in London in Ray Henderson's Transatlantic Rhythm.

Her life was the basis for the fictionalized 1955 film, Love

Me or Leave Me, which starred Doris Day (as Etting), James Cagney (as Snyder)

and Cameron Mitchell (as Alderman). Etting, Myrl Alderman and Moe Snyder all

sold their rights to the story to MGM; Snyder was living in Chicago in 1955.

Shortly before her death, Etting said she thought the screen portrayal of her

was too tough and that Jane Powell would have been a better choice for the

lead.

Etting has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her work

in films located on the north side of the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard.