Dolly Connolly (December 16, 1888 – November 30, 1965) was a performer in vaudeville and musicals in the United States. She married composer and pianist Percy Wenrich.[1] They were headliners in major vaudeville circuits.[2] She recorded on Columbia Records and recorded a duet on Victor Records.[3]

Dolly Connolly
A young white woman with dark hair in a bouffant updo
BornDecember 16, 1888
DiedNovember 30, 1965
Occupation(s)Singer, vaudeville performer
SpousePercy Wenrich

According to the copyright she wrote the words to "I'm Lonesome for Someone Who Loves Me".[4] She performed "Red Rose Rag", "Moonlight Bay", and "Alamo Rag" on tour accompanied by her composer husband.[5] Songs she recorded include "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee". The music for "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose" sold more than two million copies.[5] In 1928 she was filmed performing various of Wenrich's songs for Vitaphone.[6][7][8]

She was a beauty and posed provocatively in some photos.[5] She also modeled gowns for Dramatic Mirror.[9] Cross-dresser Julian Eltinge appeared on a sheet music parody of the couple's sheet music with Eltinge pictured instead of Connolly.[5]

She appeared in The Passing Show of 1917 and in 1921 in The Right Girl.[10]

She was in a sanitarium from 1947 until Wenrich's death in 1952. She then lived with her sister until her death in 1965.[5]

Discography

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  • "The Hypnotizing Man" (1912)[11]
  • "Honey Man" / "Oh That Navajo Rag"

References

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  1. ^ Mantle, Burns; Chapman, John; Sherwood, Garrison P. (June 29, 1952). "Burns Mantle Best Plays and the Year Book of the Drama in America". Dodd, Mead – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Burton, Percy (September 17, 1949). "The Honor Role of Popular Songwriters". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. p. 37.
  3. ^ "Dolly Connolly". Discography of American Historical Recordings.
  4. ^ "Catalog of Copyright Entries: Musical compositions". Library of Congress, Copyright Office. June 29, 1911 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Dolly Connolly and Percy Wenrich: Ragtime Superstars by David Soren | The American Vaudeville Museum".
  6. ^ Webb, Graham (July 10, 2020). Encyclopedia of American Short Films, 1926-1959. McFarland. ISBN 9781476639260 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Bradley, Edwin M. (August 25, 2004). The First Hollywood Musicals: A Critical Filmography of 171 Features, 1927 through 1932. McFarland. ISBN 9780786420292 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Bradley, Edwin M. (June 14, 2015). The First Hollywood Sound Shorts, 1926-1931. McFarland. ISBN 9781476606842 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "The Right Girl and the Right Gown". Dramatic Mirror. 83: 702. April 23, 1921.
  10. ^ "Dolly Connolly (Performer) | Playbill".
  11. ^ "That Hypnotizing Man--Dolly Connolly (Mrs. Percy Wenrich), 1912". 18 October 2022 – via www.youtube.com.