Monica Lewis
| Monica Lewis | |
|---|---|
Lewis in Korea, 1951
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| Born |
May Lewis May 5, 1922 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | June 12, 2015 (aged 93) Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Singer, film actress |
| Years active | 1948–1988 |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 3 |
| Website | www |
Monica Lewis (born May Lewis; May 5, 1922 – June 12, 2015) was an American jazz singer and film actress. Lewis was the longtime voice of Chiquita Banana in the company's animated ad campaign, beginning in 1947.
Lewis was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 22, 1922, the youngest of three children. Her father, Leon, was a pianist, musical director for CBS, and composer while her mother, Jessica, was a singer with the Chicago Opera Company, with Lewis studying her voice with her mother. At the age of 11, Lewis' family moved to New York City due to The Great Depression.
Lewis began singing on radio after a successful audition with WMCA in New York City led to her own program. While studying at Hunter College at the age of seventeen, she started working as a singer for a radio show called Gloom Dodgers in order to support her family. Shortly after working for Gloom Dodgers, Lewis had a radio show titled Monica Makes Music. She went on to co-star on The Chesterfield Supper Club on radio.
She won a part as a singing cigarette girl in the Broadway show Johnny 2X4. Lewis' work on Broadway then led to her performing at the Stork Club and left school, changing her name from May to Monica because she thought it was "sexier", telling The New York Times that "I feel much more like Monica and I look much more like Monica, too".
In 1943, jazz pianist Leonard Feather told Lewis that bandleader Benny Goodman needed a singer since Peggy Lee had left upon marrying his band's guitarist, Dave Barbour. At an audition in Times Square with hundreds of women participating, Lewis earned the part as a singer and began to sing on Hotel Astor's roof with Goodman's orchestra. With the help of Goodman she began to establish her career through nationally broadcast shows such as The Revere Camera Show and Beat the Band. Lewis was dubbed "America’s Singing Sweetheart" during this time. Some of her songs included "Put the Blame on Mame", "I Wish You Love", and "Autumn Leaves." However, Lewis' parents did not allow her to perform in out-of-town tours.
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