Judy Canova (November 20, 1913 – August 5, 1983),[1] born Juliette Canova[2] (some sources indicate Julietta Canova), was an American comedienne, actress, singer and radio personality[3] who appeared on Broadway and in films. She hosted her own self-titled network radio program, a popular series broadcast from 1943 to 1955.
Canova was born in Starke, Florida, one of seven siblings, to Joseph Francis Canova, a businessman, and Henrietta E. Canova (née Perry), a singer. Canova claimed that her family originated in the Pyrenees mountains of Spain,[4] but other sources indicate that the family may have been from the island of Menorca.[5]
She began her showbusiness career with a family vaudeville routine, joining her sister Annie and brother Zeke.[6] Their performances as the Three Georgia Crackers took them from Florida theaters to the Village Barn,[1] a Manhattan club. Canova sang, yodeled and played guitar, and she was typed as a wide-eyed likable country bumpkin, often barefoot and wearing her hair in braids, sometimes topped with a straw hat. She was sometimes introduced as the Ozark Nightingale[7] or the Jenny Lind of the Ozarks.[8]
Canova's fame began when as a teenager when bandleader Rudy Vallée offered her a guest spot on his radio show The Fleischmann Hour. The Canova family performed on the radio often in the 1930s, and they made their Broadway theater debut in the revue Calling All Stars.
Canova signed with Warner Bros. and appeared in short subjects and minor features before signing with Paramount Pictures for one year.[citation needed] After she starred in the 1939 Broadway musical comedy Yokel Boy with Buddy Ebsen, executives at Republic Pictures, with a customer base largely in rural areas, signed Canova in 1940 shortly after the show ended its run. Canova quickly became Republic's leading female star, playing country women who typically blundered into trouble in such titles as Scatterbrain (1940), Sis Hopkins (1941) and Joan of Ozark (1942). However, Canova did not appear in Republic's film adaptation of Yokel Boy; her role was played by Joan Davis.[citation needed]
The Canovas as they appeared on The Chase and Sanborn Hour in 1938. From left: Judy, Zeke and AnniePhoto from 1944 advertisement for the Judy Canova Show
Canova appeared in two failed television series pilots. In 1967, she portrayed Mammy Yokum in an NBC adaptation of Al Capp's Li'l Abner.[11] She also starred in The Murdocks and the McClays, a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in the Virginia hills, which aired on ABC in August 1970 as the final installment in a three-part showcase of pilots titled Comedy Preview.[12]
Canova recorded for the RCA Victor label.[citation needed] She also worked on Broadway and in Las Vegas nightclubs through the early 1970s, touring with the revival of No, No Nanette in 1971.
In 1954, Canova and her husband obtained controlling interest in the Los Angeles–based company Camera Vision Productions, Inc, which developed an automated camera that was reported to reduce television and film production costs by as much as 50%.[13]
Conova is honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one for her contributions to the film industry at 6821 Hollywood Boulevard and one for her radio career at 6777 Hollywood Boulevard.[14][15]
Canova's first husband was New York insurance man Robert Burns, whom she married in 1936.[16][17] While still married, she became romantically involved with Edgar Bergen in 1937 but divorced Burns in 1939.[18] Canova was briefly married to James Ripley in 1941. Her third marriage, to Chester B. England in 1943, ended in divorce by 1950. She married her final husband, musician Filberto Rivero, in 1950.[19] The marriage produced daughter Diana Canova, a singer and actress known for her television roles on Soap and I'm a Big Girl Now, but ended in 1964.
^ abAlthough one source gives her birth date as November 20, 1916, (DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN978-0-7864-2834-2, pp. 47–48), census records show an earlier birth date. The 1920 census shows age 7 in January 1920 for Julia Canova. 1920 Census. Starke, Florida. Household of Joe and Retta Canova, indicates 1912. The 1930 census shows age 17 in April 1930 for Juliaett Canova. 1930 census Jacksonville Florida. Line 21. Household of Retta Canova, also indicates 1912.The 1940 census shows age 26 1940 census Los Angeles, California. Household of Harry Canova (brother).
