Nanette Fabray (born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Theresa Fabares; October
, â€" February , ) was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She
began her career performing in vaudeville as a child and became a
musical-theatre actress during the s and s, acclaimed for her role in
High Button Shoes () and winning a Tony Award in for her performance
in Love Life. In the mid-s, she served as Sid Caesar's comedic partner
on Caesar's Hour, for which she won three Emmy Awards, as well as
appearing with Fred Astaire in the film musical The Band Wagon. From
to , she played Katherine Romano, the mother of lead character Ann
Romano, on the TV series One Day at a Time. She also appeared as the
mother of Christine Armstrong (played by her niece Shelley Fabares) in
the television series "Coach."Fabray overcame a significant hearing
impairment and was a long-time advocate for the rights of the deaf and
hard-of-hearing. Her honors for representing the handicapped included
the President's Distinguished Service Award and the Eleanor Roosevelt
Humanitarian Award.Fabray was born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Theresa
Fabares on October , , in San Diego, to Lily Agnes (McGovern), a
housewife, and Raoul Bernard Fabares, a train conductor. She took to
being known as Nanette for her first name after a beloved aunt from
San Diego, whose name was also Nanette. Throughout life, she often
went by the nickname Nan, and to a lesser extent, by close friends or
relatives, sometimes Nanny-goat. Her family resided in Los Angeles,
and Fabray's mother was instrumental in getting her daughter involved
in show business as a child. At a young age, she studied tap dance
with, among others, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. She made her
professional stage debut as "Miss New Years Eve " at the Million
Dollar Theater at the age of three. She spent much of her childhood
appearing in vaudeville productions as a dancer and singer under the
name “Baby Nan†. She appeared with stars such as Ben Turpin.
Raised by what would now likely be known as a stage mom, Fabray
herself was not much interested in show business until later on, and
never believed in pushing children into performing at a young age,
instead wishing for them to be able to live out their childhoods as
opposed to having to deal with adult concerns at a young age. Her
early dance training, however, did lead her always to consider herself
a tap dancer first and foremost. Contrary to popular misinformation
from an undying rumor, she was never a regular or reoccurring guest of
the Our Gang series; she did however, appear as an extra one single
time, a guest among many other children in a party scene.
, â€" February , ) was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She
began her career performing in vaudeville as a child and became a
musical-theatre actress during the s and s, acclaimed for her role in
High Button Shoes () and winning a Tony Award in for her performance
in Love Life. In the mid-s, she served as Sid Caesar's comedic partner
on Caesar's Hour, for which she won three Emmy Awards, as well as
appearing with Fred Astaire in the film musical The Band Wagon. From
to , she played Katherine Romano, the mother of lead character Ann
Romano, on the TV series One Day at a Time. She also appeared as the
mother of Christine Armstrong (played by her niece Shelley Fabares) in
the television series "Coach."Fabray overcame a significant hearing
impairment and was a long-time advocate for the rights of the deaf and
hard-of-hearing. Her honors for representing the handicapped included
the President's Distinguished Service Award and the Eleanor Roosevelt
Humanitarian Award.Fabray was born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Theresa
Fabares on October , , in San Diego, to Lily Agnes (McGovern), a
housewife, and Raoul Bernard Fabares, a train conductor. She took to
being known as Nanette for her first name after a beloved aunt from
San Diego, whose name was also Nanette. Throughout life, she often
went by the nickname Nan, and to a lesser extent, by close friends or
relatives, sometimes Nanny-goat. Her family resided in Los Angeles,
and Fabray's mother was instrumental in getting her daughter involved
in show business as a child. At a young age, she studied tap dance
with, among others, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. She made her
professional stage debut as "Miss New Years Eve " at the Million
Dollar Theater at the age of three. She spent much of her childhood
appearing in vaudeville productions as a dancer and singer under the
name “Baby Nan†. She appeared with stars such as Ben Turpin.
Raised by what would now likely be known as a stage mom, Fabray
herself was not much interested in show business until later on, and
never believed in pushing children into performing at a young age,
instead wishing for them to be able to live out their childhoods as
opposed to having to deal with adult concerns at a young age. Her
early dance training, however, did lead her always to consider herself
a tap dancer first and foremost. Contrary to popular misinformation
from an undying rumor, she was never a regular or reoccurring guest of
the Our Gang series; she did however, appear as an extra one single
time, a guest among many other children in a party scene.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.