Lillian Roth

 Lillian Roth (December 13, 1910 – May 12, 1980)

Her motion-picture debut came in 1918 in Pershing's Crusaders as an extra. Together with her sister Ann, she toured as "Lillian Roth and Co." At times, the two were billed as "The Roth Kids". One of the most exciting moments for her came when she met U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. In the late'20s and early '30's, Lillian starred onstage in Earl Carroll's Vanities and Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolics. She was invited to Hollywood after their agent saw her during a New York show. A few very successful Hollywood films...'The Vagabond King, Animal Crackers, Madam Satan, Paramount On Parade and Ladies They Talk About.' She became a millionaire during the Great Depression. Lillian was an excellent vocalist, often toured and had bookings at various nightclubs. Some of her signature songs...'Sing you sinners, Anytime's The Time to Fall in Love and If I could Be With You.' Unfortunately, by the end of the 30s, her career was over and she disappeared from the theater scene. Her private life was in scrambles decimated by Alcoholism. However, her friends and Alcoholic Anonymous were her salvation. In the late 40's she reemerged as a songstress again doing club work. A sober Lillian appeared across the country and then Australian and New Zealand.

She returned again to Hollywood with a successful booking at Ciro's. In 1953, she was featured on television's This Is Your Life. The show, together with the publication of Roth's autobiography, I'll Cry Tomorrow rekindled her fame. A blockbuster film with the same name was released in 1955 starring Susan Hayward. She died of a stroke at age 69 in New York City and is buried at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.