NORA BAYES - Page 2
© Joyce E. Eberly
After her success in the Follies, she appeared in innumerable musical comedies, introducing and recording many popular songs of the time, including "Over There," by George M. Cohan. Among her other successes were recordings of "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm," and "The Japanese Sandman."
While Bayes was essentially a liberated woman, she rarely strayed from society's concept of the traditional woman. The plots of her musical comedies were ephemeral and insubstantial, primarily serving as a vehicle for what Miss Bayes was: a vaudeville performer. She could play a "girl of the West," "a Chinese heroine," or a woman of any historical period or social status. Ultimately, she was popular with audiences who came to see her because she always played herself.
Although still young, her career and life were cut short in 1928 when she died from complications of surgery.
Ah, but her story doesn't end there. In 1944, Warner Brothers produced "Shine On, Harvest Moon," starring Ann Sheridan and Dennis Morgan. This highly fictionalized version of Bayes' life nevertheless does have many beautifully produced versions of her songs. The finale features a "singalong" so popular in the 1940s, with a chorus and a bouncing ball. When you see the film (available from Blockbuster) or see it on Turner Classic Movies, just imagine yourself in a horse-drawn carriage with a huge orange moon above, and that handsome tenor, Dennis Morgan, singing "Shine on, Harvest Moon" just to you.
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