Gracie Fields

Dame Gracie Fields was a legendary British actress, singer, and comedian.

She achieved massive fame during the 1930s as a star of both cinema and music hall. People affectionately called her "Our Gracie" or the "Lancashire Lass." This was because she never lost her strong, native Lancashire accent. She was born Grace Stansfield in the mill town of Rochdale in 1898. Her success made her one of the top ten film stars in Britain. By 1937, she was considered the highest paid film star in the entire world.

Gracie's path to stardom began with small stage appearances as a young child. She joined children's repertory theatre groups like "Haley's Garden of Girls." As a young girl, she worked as a half-timer in a local cotton mill. This meant she spent half her week at school and the other half working. She made her professional variety debut at the Rochdale Hippodrome in 1910. Later, she met the comedian and impresario Archie Pitt. Pitt became her manager and eventually her husband in 1923. Together, they toured Britain in various revues, such as "It's A Bargain!" and "Mr Tower of London."

Her career accelerated significantly after performing in London's West End. She became a highly successful recording artist for the His Master's Voice label. Her first record, "My Blue Heaven," sold 500,000 copies in 1928. By 1933, the label produced her four millionth record. She even pressed this record herself on camera to celebrate. Her most famous song, "Sally," became her theme after the 1931 film "Sally in Our Alley." This film was a major box office hit. She later moved to Hollywood, where she earned a record fee of £200,000 for four films.

Beyond entertainment, Fields was deeply committed to charity work. In 1933, she established the Gracie Fields Children's Home and Orphanage in Peacehaven, Sussex. This home supported children of people in the theatre profession. She also supported the Rochdale Association Football Club during financial struggles. In 1938, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). She was later named a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1979.

During World War II, Fields dedicated herself to supporting the war effort. She joined the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) to perform for troops.

She traveled to France to entertain soldiers even during air-raids. She performed on the backs of open lorries in war-torn areas. She also traveled as far as New Guinea to reach Allied troops. In her hometown, she paid for all servicemen and women to travel for free on public transport. Because her second husband, Monty Banks, was an Italian citizen, she moved to North America to avoid his internment. There, she earned money for the Navy League and the Spitfire Fund.

After the war, Fields continued her career in various new ways. She hosted a weekly BBC radio show called "Our Gracie's Working Party." She also performed at the London Palladium, appearing on the same bill as Ella Fitzgerald. In 1956, she became the first actress to portray the character Miss Marple on screen. This was in a US television production of Agatha Christie's "A Murder is Announced." She later transitioned into recording light classical music and religious themes. She also embraced new technology by recording on LP records.

In her later years, Fields lived on the beautiful Isle of Capri. Her home, "La Canzone Del Mare," means "The Song of the Sea."

Her villa was a popular destination for many famous Hollywood stars. Guests included Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Greta Garbo. She married Boris Alperovici, a Romanian radio repairman, in 1952. She remained a beloved figure in the entertainment world until her death in 1979. Her life connected the working-class roots of Lancashire to the heights of global stardom.