Florence Desmond
Florence Dawson (31 May 1905 – 16 January 1993), better known by her stage name Florence Desmond, was an English actress, comedian and impersonator. Biography Early life Born in London in 1905, Desmond was educated at the Dame Alice Owen's School in Islington. Her brother, Fred Desmond, was a comedy acrobat from the "Desmond and Marks" double act. Career She began her stage career at the age of ten. Upon leaving school in 1920, she embarked on a long and successful career in the theatre, making her first public appearance performing comedy in the style of Nellie Wallace. She was employed in 1925 by the impresario C. B. Cochran, and appeared in several revues. In 1928, she toured the U.S. and Canada with Noël Coward and Beatrice Lillie, in This Year of Grace. After returning to London, she developed an act which included both songs and impersonations of famous stars, and became popular for her theatre and cabaret appearances. She also began appearing in many popular British films of the 1930s. In 1933, she appeared on BBC radio in a broadcast in which she impersonated, among others, Janet Gaynor, Greta Garbo, Jimmy Durante, Gracie Fields, and Marlene Dietrich. She repeated