Waters, Ethel

(born Oct. 31, 1896/1900, Chester, Pa., U.S.—died Sept. 1, 1977, Chatsworth, Calif.) U.S. blues and jazz singer and actress. She was a professional singer by age 17, and she recorded with jazzmen such as Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman in the 1930s. She made her Broadway debut in the revue (1927) and later had a lead role in (1930). In 1933 she appeared in Irving Berlin's musical , in which she sang “Heat Wave” and “Suppertime.” Her later stage successes included (1940; film, 1943) and (1950; film, 1952). She also acted in films such as (1949) and (1959).

Find more information on Waters, Ethel. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Waters, Ethel.