 martha raye (august 27, 1916 â october 19, 1994) was an american comic actress and standards singer who performed in movies, and later on television. she was honored in 1969 with an academy award as the jean hersholt humanitarian award recipient for her volunteer efforts and services to the troops.profile, imdb.com; accessed september 16, 2014. ==early years== raye's life as a singer and comedic performer began in very early childhood. she was born at st. james hospital in butte, montana, as margy reed.birth certificate, colonelmaggie.com; accessed september 16, 2014. her father was an immigrant of irish descent, and her mother was raised in milwaukee and montana. her parents, peter f. reed, jr. and maybelle hazel hooper, were performing in a local vaudeville theatre as "reed and hooper." two days after martha was born, her mother was back onstage, and the little girl first appeared in their act when only three years old. she performed with her brother bud, and soon the two children became such a highlight that the act was renamed "margie and bud." some show business insiders speculated that the lyrics of a judy garland song from a star is born, "i was born in a trunk in the princess theater in pocatello, idaho", was inspired by the circumstances of raye's b
1916_births 1994_deaths 20th-century_American_actresses Academy_Honorary_Award_recipients Actresses_from_Montana American_Methodists American_female_pop_singers American_film_actresses American_people_of_Irish_descent American_radio_actresses American_stage_actresses American_television_actresses American_women_comedians California_Republicans Montana_Republicans Paramount_Pictures_contract_players People_from_Butte,_Montana Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_recipients Torch_singers Traditional_pop_music_singers Vaudeville_performers