As A&E's Biography put it, "She rose from the mean streets of New York's Hell's Kitchen to become the most famous singing actress in the world. When the pressures of fame became too much, she had the courage to leave Hollywood on her own terms". Alice Faye was born Alice Jeanne Leppert in NYC on May 5, 1915. She was to become one of Hollywood's biggest stars of the late 1930's and early 1940's. She started her career as a singer, but later gravitated to film roles. Alice's first role was in the film SCANDALS in 1934 where she played Mona Vale. Lillian Harvey was set to play the lead role in this film, but quit. Alice inherited the part. She went on to star in Tinseltown's popular and lucrative cookie-cutter musicals and with her distinctive contralto, introduced several songs that became pop standards, notably "You'll Never Know" in the film HELLO, FRISCO, HELLO in 1943. Her movie career ended in 1945 when Betty Grable replaced her as Hollywood's favorite musical-comedy actress. Her life after Hollywood was charmingly simple. She was married to Hoosier Phil Harris from 1941-1995 in a union that produced two daughters. She had previously been married to Tony Martin for four years. Alice had always said that her family always came before her professional life. She went back to Hollywood to make STATE FAIR in 1962. At that time she said, "I don't know what happened to the picture business. I'm sorry I went back to find out. Such a shame." Her last film was THE MAGIC OF LASSIE in 1978 opposite Jimmy Stewart. Most of her films are big hits at revival theaters across the country, confirming the power she had in the wonderful performances she gave. Ironically, Alice is more popular in Britain than in the US. Four days after her birthday on May 9, 1998, Alice Faye died in Rancho Mirage, California of natural causes. She was 83 years old.
Made herself 3 years older when auditioning as a chorus girl in New York in 1928 Interred at Forest Lawn Mausoleum, Cathedral City, California, USA (near Palm Springs). Feeling she had given one of the best dramatic performances of her career, Faye was so upset by 'Darryl Zanuck' 's editing hack job on her last film, Fallen Angel, that she literally walked away from the studio and didn't return for 16 years. She introduced almost twice as many 'Hit Parade' songs in her movies (23) as each of her closest competitors: Judy Garland (13), Betty Grable (12) and Doris Day (12). She remained quite good friends with her Fox rival and successor, Betty Grable, up until Betty's death of cancer in 1973. Starred with her husband on NBC Radio's "The Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show" (1948-1954). They were also the stars of NBC Radio's "Fitch Bandwagon" (1946-1948). Daughter Phyllis Wanda born by Caesarian section April 26, 1944. Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 199-200. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Daughter Alice born May 19, 1942.