Ruth Etting
1896 - 1978Ruth 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. 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.
For her work in films, Etting has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located on the north side of the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard.
Roman Scandals
Frank Tuttle
Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting
A kind-hearted young man is thrown out of his corrupt home town of West Rome, Oklahoma. He falls asleep and dreams that he is back in the days of olden Rome, where he gets mixed up with court intrigue and a murder plot against the Emperor.
Roman Scandals
Words & Music
Roy Mack
Ruth Etting, Leo Gorcey
Singer Ruth Eton is looking for some new songs to use in her act. Don Hopkins is a songwriter who wants to break into the business, but knows it is difficult to get music publishers to consider new talent. Don sees Ruth having dinner at a night club and asks for her help.
Words & Music
No Contest!
Joseph Henabery
Ruth Etting, Charles Lawrence
Ruth Etting is the star attraction on the Albertson Travel Agency radio show. When her producers learn that her recordings are on another program at the same time, they devise a contest, based on the words in a song she sings, in which the winner gets Etting's services at a banquet.
No Contest!
One Good Turn
Roy Mack
Ruth Etting, Jay Velie
Singer Ruth Eton, of the singing team of Eton and Farrell, is told by her agents to get rid of her partner if she wants to advance her career. Instead, she gives him singing lessons. After a few months of training, he is good enough to be on his own and dumps Eton. When he loses his voice suddenly, he finds out who his true friends are.
One Good Turn
A Regular Trouper
Roy Mack
Ruth Etting, Eddie Lang
Ruth Eton (Ruth Etting), a singer with a traveling show troupe, is engaged to the troupe manager, Joe Grant (Edward Leiter), but when Ruth's younger sister, Laura (Wanda Perry) arrives, fickle Joe transfers his attentions and intentions to her. For the sake of her sister and the show, Ruth accepts her tough break philosophically, and sings "Why Did It Have To Be Me?"...because she is a real trouper.
A Regular Trouper
