1. Juanita Hall (b. November 6, 1901, d. February 28, 1968)

Juanita Hall was an American-born actress, composer and singer, who played the character 'Bloody Mary' in the Broadway and motion picture-version of South Pacific.

Juanita Hall was born Juanita Long in Keyport, New Jersey, on November 6, 1901. She was a leading African-American Broadway actress during her career, and recorded a blues record in the 1930s.

Hall married actor Clement Hall while she was in her teen, and the marriage ended upon Clement Hall's death in the 1920s. Juanita Hall never remarried and she had no children.

During the 1930s, Hall recorded one record of blues music and worked as a soloist and director of the Hall Johnson Choir. Hall was also classically trained at Julliard.

Hall emerged as a leading black female actress in Broadway, and was personally selected by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II to play the role of 'Bloody Mary' in the Broadway production of South Pacific, where she won a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Hall effectively sang Bali Ha'i and Happy Talk both on stage on on the original cast recording. However, her songs were dubbed by Muriel Smith, who played Bloody Mary in the London production of South Pacific.

Hall went on to play another Asian role, that of 'Auntie' Laing in the 1961 film Flower Drum Song.

Juanita Hall died of diabetes in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York, on February 28, 1968.


Updated May 9, 2005