Vivienne Segal American actress and singer Date of Birth: 19.04.1897 Country: USA

1. Vivienne Segal: The Musical Diva of Her Time
2. Early Life and Career
3. Return to Broadway
4. Personal Life and Later Years

Vivienne Segal: The Musical Diva of Her Time

Vivienne Segal was an American actress and singer who was a true musical diva of her time. She thrived as a Broadway star and comedian, but surprisingly did not receive enough attention when she tried her hand in Hollywood. As a result, Segal only appeared in five musical films in the 1930s.

Early Life and Career

Vivienne Segal was born on April 19, 1897, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Influenced by her mother, a typical theater actress who saw potential in her daughter as a promising soprano singer, Vivienne took the stage at the young age of fifteen. Quickly, Segal began to claim her share of fame as one of the most popular ingenues in New York.

After her debut in the theatrical musical "The Blue Paradise" in 1915, Segal went on to star in musicals such as "My Lady's Glove" in 1917, "The Little Whopper" in 1918, "The Yankee Princess" in 1922, and "Florida Girl" in 1925. She also played the role of Constance in the production of "The Three Musketeers" in 1928, which caught the attention of Hollywood. Warner Bros. signed Segal to a contract in 1930, as she was expected to star in successful musical films during the early era of sound cinema, even before the enforcement of the Production Code in Hollywood.

However, her films "Song of the West," "Bride of the Regiment," and "Golden Dawn" (all released in 1930) failed miserably, with the latter becoming the biggest musical flop in Hollywood history. The fourth musical film of 1930 featuring Segal, "Viennese Nights," was only slightly better received. In 1934, she ended her film career by playing a supporting role as Odette in the comedic musical "The Cat and the Fiddle" alongside Jeanette MacDonald and Ramon Navarro.

Return to Broadway

Surprisingly, Vivienne Segal's best years were still ahead of her when she triumphantly returned to Broadway with a fresh modern image. In the theatrical musical "I Married an Angel" by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, Segal performed the song "Spring Is Here," once again gaining theatrical fame. Her interpretation of the song "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," which she delivered as the character Vera Simpson in the musical "Pal Joey," further solidified her status as a stage star.

In 1943, thanks to the revival of the musical "A Connecticut Yankee" on Broadway, Segal had the opportunity to portray the fairy Morgan.

Personal Life and Later Years

Vivienne Segal married Robert Ames on July 30, 1923, but they divorced in May 1926. She later married writer and producer Hubbell Robinson Jr. From 1962 onwards, the couple lived separately but never filed for divorce. Robinson passed away in 1974. In her remaining years, the Broadway star lived away from the limelight in her modest home in Hollywood.

Vivienne Segal passed away on December 29, 1992, in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, due to heart failure.