Totie Fields
Totie Fields (born Sophie Feldman; May 7, 1930 – August 2, 1978) was an American comedian. Early life Fields was born Sophie Feldman in Hartford, Connecticut. She started singing in Boston clubs while still in high school, taking the stage name of Totie Fields. She was Jewish. Career Fields gained fame during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. After years of Fields' successful appearances in nightclubs, Ed Sullivan gave Fields her first big break when he booked her on his show after seeing her perform at the Copacabana in New York in March 1964. She made multiple appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Merv Griffin Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. She also appeared in a 1971 episode of The Carol Burnett Show (Season 4, Episode 21) and a 1972 episode of Here's Lucy (Season 5, Episode 7) starring Lucille Ball. It was on Mike Douglas in 1974 that Totie met the band Kiss, who were making their first national TV appearance. Fields joked that it would be funny if bassist Gene Simmons, under the makeup, turned out to be "just a nice Jewish boy." Simmons (who is not only Jewish but was born