- Born
- Died
- Birth namePearl Mae Bailey
- Nicknames
- Dickie
- Pearly Mae
- Height5′ 6½″ (1.69 m)
- Her father Joseph was a minister and her mother was named Ella Mae. Her birth name was Pearly Mae but her parents anticipated she would be a boy and when a girl was born she was nicknamed "Dickie". Her brother was entertainer Bill Bailey (1912-1978). She spent her early life in Washington DC where she received her early education. Bailey frequently appeared in the Old Howard theater in downtown Washington. As a young woman she toured the Pennsylvania mining towns as a dancer and later as a singer in Vaudeville. She starred in the film St. Louis Blues opposite Nat King Cole, which was the biography of W.C. Handy. Her greatest theater role was in the Broadway musical "Hello Dolly".
- IMDb mini biography by: Mike McKinley <alovelyway@aol.com> - Composer, singer and songwriter. She was a dancer, then a singer in New York in the early 1940s, touring with the Cootie Williams orchestra, and later a featured singer in night clubs, radio and television. She made stage appearances in "Arms and the Girl", "St. Louis Woman"; and "House of Flowers". She made many records. Joining ASCAP in 1958, her popular-song compositions include: "A Five Pound Box of Money"; "Jingle Bells Cha Cha Cha"; "I'm Gonna Keep On Doin'"; and "Don't Be Afraid to Love".
- IMDb mini biography by: Hup234!
- SpousesLouie Bellson(November 19, 1952 - August 17, 1990) (her death, 2 children)John Randolph Pinkett(August 31, 1948 - March 1952) (divorced)
- ChildrenTony Belson
- ParentsMae Ricks BaileyJoseph James Bailey
- RelativesBill Bailey(Sibling)Eura Robinson(Sibling)Virgie Murray(Sibling)
- Her brother was also an entertainer, Bill Bailey (1912-1978). He is generally credited with being the first to perform the "moonwalk" dance step on film in the classic musical Cabin in the Sky (1943), which starred Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Ethel Waters and Lena Horne.
- According to her daughter Dee Dee Belson, she was highly amused by Garrett Morris playing her in drag on Saturday Night Live (1975).
- Very good friends with Joan Crawford. She sang the hymn "He'll Understand" at Crawford's funeral.
- Appointed as a special ambassador to the United Nations by President Gerald Ford (1975).
- Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan (1988).
- What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.
- I am not a gourmet chick.
- Carmen Jones (1954) - $1,666 .66 per week
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