Lena Horne (Radio Edit)
5/22/202628 min
Greg Jenner is joined in 20th-century America by Dr Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins and comedian Desiree Burch to learn all about singer and Hollywood actress Lena Horne.
Born into a middle class Black family in New York, a young Lena Horne soon followed in the footsteps of her actress mother and made her début at the famous Cotton Club aged only 16. After making her name as a singer and performer – and following the end of her tumultuous first marriage – Horne transferred to the west coast and bagged a Hollywood contract with MGM. There, she appeared in a number of classic films, including Stormy Weather and Cabin in the Sky. Over the next several years, she would also perform for the troops in the Second World War, fall in love with and marry a white composer and arranger, undertake an international tour, and become one of the most popular nightclub performers of the post-war era. But the racism of segregation-era America would also shape and limit the career of the woman known as ‘the first Black pin-up girl’, eventually leading her to the civil rights movement and Black activism in the 1960s.
This episode traces Lena’s journey from young dancer to Hollywood star and renowned vocalist, along the way exploring her connections with figures including Billie Holliday and Martin Luther King Jr., and the injustice she spent so much of her career fighting against.
This is a radio edit of the original podcast episode. For the full-length version, please look further back in the feed.
Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Rosalyn Sklar Written by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Dr Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Gill Huggett Senior Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: Philip Sellars
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsGreg Jenner· Host0:00
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.
Speaker 20:03
A History of the United States in 100 Objects is a brand-new podcast from 99% Invisible and BBC Studios. Each week we're looking at a different object from across American history with a unique story to tell about who we've been, what we've built, and what we've allowed ourselves to forget. Some of these objects are well-known, many are not, but all of them carry the story of how we got to this moment. Find A History of the United States in 100 Objects on the 99% Invisible feed wherever you get your podcasts.
Greg Jenner· Host0:35
[upbeat jingle] Hello, and welcome to You're Dead to Me, the Radio 4 comedy podcast that takes history seriously. My name is Greg Jenner. I'm a public historian, author, and broadcaster. And today we are donning our glad rags and finding our spotlight as we learn all about the legendary singer and Hollywood actress Lena Horne. And to help us we have two very special fellow performers. In History Corner, their associate professor in popular music and director of Black studies at the University of Nottingham, they're an expert on musical theater and especially race and gender identity in popular culture. You'll remember them from our episode on the history of Broadway, it's Dr. Hannah Tarayshium Robbins. Welcome back, Hannah.
Hannah Thuraisingam Robbins· Guest1:12
Thanks for having me back.
Greg Jenner· Host1:13
Delighted to have you back. And in Comedy Corner, an introduction feels completely redundant for such a stalwart of You're Dead to Me. She's a comedian, actor, and writer. You've seen her all over the TV on Taskmaster, Frankie Boyle's New World Order, QI, Too Hot to Handle. Maybe you've seen her incredible new standup show, The Golden Wrath. And