Pearl Bailey's Laundromat

Pearl Baily had 'class and brass'. She is telling the audience how great the machine is, primarily because it doesn't have a clunky back-and-forth transmission. "And if it ain't there, it can't break" or nearly, which only she could say so well.
This was in the era when US machines were starting to go the way of US cars...and even the most back-woods folks (like us) knew that 'washing machine transmission' was a compound noun for "expensive repair".
The colors in the ad were really that intense...wonder we made it out of the late 60's and 70's with our eyesight.
Back in those days, a black woman had to be exceptionally good at what she did to be even moderately accepted in the US; Pearl is up there with Robby Willians, Sinatra and Madanna in the best of the best ranks.
The ones in our neighbor's house broke every two months...but at least not the transmissions. They had a million kids and the machines were in 24 hour use. Funny, their 1950's Maytag never broke - and it washed the really dirty stuff. Is still in their garage, hmm...


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Post# 121325 4/11/2006 at 03:52 (6,588 days old) by maytagbear (N.E. Ohio)
Checkrate/Likes I know it was yesterday's POD. Bite me. Or sue me. or something. ;) Anyway, was the capacity of the backsplash Laundromat's like the one she's promoting any larger than the stacked ones? I saw several of these in years past, but back then was too shy to ask (not anymore!) Lawrence/Maytagbear

Post# 121334 , Reply# 1 4/11/2006 at 06:41 (6,588 days old) by appnut (TX)
Checkrate/Likes Same capacity Lawrence

Post# 121480 , Reply# 2 4/11/2006 at 20:31 (6,587 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)
Checkrate/Likes It's been a while.... What was Pearl known for besides major fabulous verbal affectation?

Post# 121481 , Reply# 3 4/11/2006 at 20:33 (6,587 days old) by toggleswitch (New York City, NY)
Checkrate/Likes Did she ever have a line of jewelry? Necklaces for example

Post# 121486 , Reply# 4 4/11/2006 at 20:45 (6,587 days old) by washendry (pinconning,mich)
Checkrate/Likes *Pearly Mae* She was an actress, singer and Broadway Star, She was in the original Black version of "Hello Dolly" with Cab Calloway, and it was a wonderful show!!! Kim

Post# 121491 , Reply# 5 4/11/2006 at 20:58 (6,587 days old) by veg-o-matic (Baltimore, Hon!)
Checkrate/Likes She wrote a great cookbook, too. veg

Post# 121545 , Reply# 6 4/12/2006 at 00:17 (6,587 days old) by maytagbear (N.E. Ohio)
Checkrate/Likes *She also helped* Truman Capote out of a tight legal spot. He had to leave California unexpectedly, and Pearl had him swap clothes with one of her backups or dancers.... The rest of the story is in "Music for Chameleons," his last collection of essays. Well worth reading. She was married for years to great jazz drummer Louis Bellson. Lawrence/Maytagbear

Post# 121551 , Reply# 7 4/12/2006 at 01:32 (6,587 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes Miss. Bailey also had her own televison show as well. Saw a clip of Diana Shore and Pearl Bailey singing "Mack The Knife", from Miss. Shore's show, too funny! Miss. Shore was singing, and Miss. Bailey was supposed to be "translating" what a great voices both women had. L.

Post# 121917 , Reply# 8 4/13/2006 at 01:35 (6,586 days old) by panthera (Rocky Mountains)
Checkrate/Likes *class* Pearl Baily had 'class and brass'. She is telling the audience how great the machine is, primarily because it doesn't have a clunky back-and-forth transmission. "And if it ain't there, it can't break" or nearly, which only she could say so well. This was in the era when US machines were starting to go the way of US cars...and even the most back-woods folks (like us) knew that 'washing machine transmission' was a compound noun for "expensive repair". The colors in the ad were really that intense...wonder we made it out of the late 60's and 70's with our eyesight. Back in those days, a black woman had to be exceptionally good at what she did to be even moderately accepted in the US; Pearl is up there with Robby Willians, Sinatra and Madanna in the best of the best ranks. The ones in our neighbor's house broke every two months...but at least not the transmissions. They had a million kids and the machines were in 24 hour use. Funny, their 1950's Maytag never broke - and it washed the really dirty stuff. Is still in their garage, hmm...