Lena Horne Life and Death May 9, 2010

Lena Horne, the captivating jazz singer and actress who loathed the prejudice that allowed her to perform for white audiences but not socialize or mingle with them, slowing her rise to Broadway superstardom, died Sunday. She was age 92.  Read more about Lena Horne – The Life and Death of Lena Horne.

At the age of 16 Lena Horne joined the rank and files of the stars.  Born on June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn New York Lena Horne already had a distinction. Horne cultural background contains three groups -- African American, European, and Native American.  

Although Lena Horne's road to Hollywood wasn't easy -- she was blacklisted for a while, Lena came from a family of upper class.  Her mother, Edna Scottron was an actress -- Her grandfather, Samuel Scottron was an inventor, Her uncle, Frank Horne was an adviser to Franklin Roosevelt.

Lena Horne On Her Way To Hollywood

• 1933 - Cotton Club
• 1934 - Noble Sissle's Orchestra
• 1938 - The Duke is Tops (movie) later renamed "The Bronze Venus)
• 1940 - Toured with Charlie Barnet
• 1941 - Worked at the Cafe Society
• 1941 - Boogie Woogie Dream (movie)
• Replace Dinah Shore
• The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street
• 1942 - Panama Hattie (movie)
• 1943 - Signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
• Lena Horne was the 1st black women to sign a major Hollywood studio contract
• 1943 - Stormy Weather (song)
• 1943 - Cabin in the Sky (movie)
• 1943 - Ziegfeld Follies (movie)

To see more of Lena Horne's Hollywood Timeline go to "Lena Horne's Timeline".