1. Vanita Smythe was born on January 13, 1925 in Detroit Michigan to African American parents.
-I did not write what was underlined, and it's possibly untrue.
2. Vanita wasn't light enough to play roles that most High Yellow African Americans were given and the fact that she wasn't dark enough to play a maid really affected her career.
-I didn't write this, and it is clearly misinformation. In the movie 'Reet, Petite, and Gone' Vanita sat near Lorenzo Tucker, and you can tell she was in that color range, if not the same color as Tucker who played a passing character in Oscar Micheaux's 'Veiled Aristocrats'. If you don't know what passing means, it is a Black person (or any other minority) that is light enough with caucasian facial features that passes themselves off as White.
3. Then she was forced to go on a 3 year hiatus.
-We have no clue what went on between 1947 when Vanita appeared in her last film, and 1950 when she came back and sang several songs with Regal. She could've been doing nightclub appearances or something like that.
4. ...she married Clarence Paul record producer for Motown Records...
-Although I did write this to the youtube user 2Flush/Darren Stevens I did not include it in her biography. Because at the time Vanita married Clarence Otto Pauling was not a producer for Motown records. I don't even know if those are the same Clarences'. Clarence Pauling (who I was a fan of before I even knew who Vanita Smythe was), has daughter named Alexis, and Vanita does not.
5. Vanita chose to live the simple life like many women of those day led - as a housewife.
-I don't know what line of work Vanita was in.
6.
Trade Mark
PompadourScandalous dancing during performances
-Nope, Nope, Nope.
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What's cooking the kitchen now is reviews so let the games begin!
1. Back Door Man: This soundie was filmed in B&W and is in the setting of a kitchen, the back door is open and there is a fake background showing a decent looking neighborhood. Vanita almost immediately begins to sing...He come in through the the kitchen door. Warms my dinner and then some more. He's my idol and I'm his fan, that's my back door man. Hangs his hat up in my playroom. Starts a weaving upon my loom. He's my idol and I'm his fan, that's my back door man. Well he knows all of the answers, and he knows right from wrong. Inspires my music, he does a whole lot of thing to my song. He ain't rich and I don't care, all I want is his love to share. He's my idol and I'm his fan, that's my back door man. (Repeat 1x) It's a nice soundie, and the first soundie of Vanitas' that I saw. So basically the song is about a man who is having an affair with a married woman, and since what they're doing is wrong that's why he is called the back door man.
2. They Raided the Joint: The version on youtube is slightly different than the one on historicfilms.com. The one on the latter shows a closer view of the raided speakeasy and Vanita has an extra line. The film is filmed in a darker hue of B&W. Once again, Vanita wastes no time to begin singing...They raided the joint, and took everybody down but me. Yes, they raided the joint took everybody down but me, and I was standing in the corner just as high as I could be. Some was drinkin' whiskey some was drinkin' rum. I didn't have a glass so they wouldn't give me none. Yes, they raided the joint and took everybody down but me, and I was standing in the corner just as high as I could be. I saw an old man with a bag full of seeds. I bet that cat breath a whole lot of weed. Yes, they raided the joint, and took everybody down but me, and I was standing in the corner just as high as I could be. Some was playing blackjack some was playing skin, I had plenty money but they wouldn't let me in. Yes, they raided the joint and took everybody down but me, and I was standing in the corner just as high as I could be. They treat me like a stranger, just like a dirty dog. They ate a pile of chops and gave me the tail end of the hog. Yes they raided the joint and took everybody down but me, and I was standing in the corner just as high as I could be. Gee it sure was funny, the best I ever saw. I heard somebody and in there walked the law. Yes, they raided the joint and took everybody down but, and I was standing in the corner just as high as I could be. They were bookin' in the kitchen, truckin' in the hall. I'm going down to court and tell the judge about it all. Yes, they raided the joint and took everybody down but me, and I was standing in the corner just as high as I could be. They were bookin' in the kitchen, truckin' in the hall. I'm going down to court and tell the judge about it all. Yes, they raided the joint and took everybody down but me, and I was standing in the corner just as high as I could be. As you can see, these lyrics are not repeat lyrics by any means. Vanita is standing in front of a man dressed up as a cop the whole time singin'.
3. Low, Short, and Squatty: This soundie is filmed in the same B&W as 'Back Door Man'. but Ireally have NO idea what this song means, I had a few leagues but I got thrown off by the hair just as short as mine line. Vanita starts singing before the image is even shown. On historic films the opening of the film has Vanita's name on a plaid background, and her voice sounds deeper. Well he's low, short, and squatty with hair just a short as mine. Yes, he's low, short, and squatty with hair just as short as mine. But when he starts kissing chills run up and down my spine. Well he's low, short, and squatty he's just 4 feet from the ground. Yes he's low, short, and squatty he's just 4 feet from the ground. But when he starts lovin' the whole world comes tumblin' down. He ain't much to look at, he ain't much to see, but lawdy lawdy lawd that man is so good to me. He's low, short, and squatty with great big lovin' eyes. Well, he's low, short, and squatty but he's really just my size. Haa (dance interlude). He looks up and I look down. His love will make a rabbit kiss a big ol' country hound. He's low, short, and squatty with hair just as short as mine. But when he starts kissing chills run up and down my spine. Well he's little and he low, as lazy as they come, but when he starts lovin' me it's just like good Jamaica rum. Oowee baby, my man is really fine. He's as mello as a cello solid like good cherry wine.
4. Does You Do or Does You Don't: This is my favorite soundie, I listen to it everyday. This soundie is filmed in Sepia and is stage in a bedroom. There are perfume bottles on the dresser/vanity Vanita is sitting at, and there is also a fake mere. Vanita is looking into a hand held real mirror with a light colored open fronted transparent robe on. She stands up and begans to sing...Does you do or does you don't, will you will or will you won't, hang around and play around with me. Does you don't or does you don't will you will or will you won't, be my pal and keep my company. It ain't funny I've got love to lend, plenty of money that I'm willing to spend, I'm built too fine with plenty of spend. Got everything that a good man needs. Does you do or does you don't, will you will or will you won't, hang around and jive around with me. Does you do or does you don't will you will or will you won't, hang around and play around with me. Does you do or does you don't will you will or will you won't, be my pal and keep my company. It ain't funny I've got love to lend, plenty of money that I'm willing to spend, I'm built too fine with plenty of spend. Got everything that a good man needs. Does you do or does you don't, will you will or will you won't, hang around and jive around with me. It ain't funny I've got love to lend, plenty of money that I'm willing to spend, I'm built too fine with plenty of spend. Got everything that a good man needs. Does you do or does you don't, will you will or will you won't, hang around and jive around with me.
I'd like to mention that in all of Vanita's soundies (that we can see on Youtube) she is backed by Dan Burley and his band. But Vanita has missing soundies as well...'What Good Am I Without You', 'I Need a Playmate', 'Get It Off Your Mind', 'Sho' Had a Wonderful Time' (Show Had a Wonderful Time;Sure Had a Wonderful Time). A few of them if not all have Claude Demetruis (or Demetrius) in them, and after seeing 'Mr Jackson From Jacksonville' with June Richmond I just LOVE Claude Demetruis (or Demetrius).
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Now that we've cleared that up I just want to clear my name very quickly. I'm not a crazy obsessed stalker, I'm just a teenaged loner who loves blues/jazz and wants to become a singer. The reason I searched around for information on Vanita is because I was hooked on her videos they are like my drug, and I was extremely dissatisfied with the fact that there was no information on her. Vanita has star power that "it" factor, but maybe because of racism or her choice she did not become a big star. If Vanita's daughter Gloria ever comes up and get in contact with me and tells me that her Mother does not want this type of exposure, I will gladly delete all of this, as I respect other peoples privacy.
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Finally, I'm going to give you what you've been waiting for --- the unofficial biography. Vanita Smythe was born January 13, 1925. We don't know where she was born because there is no birth record. It might've been Detroit and I've seen one place where they said Lexington, KY, but all I know is she's a capricorn born 10 days after me. If information exist on how Vanita got in to soundies it needs to be retrieved, because most people (including me) don't know. Vanita was very young when she started with soundies (21 years and 5 months), so she might have been performing in clubs and things like that. She doesn't have the dance skills of Mabel Lee so it's not likely she was discovered in a Chorus Line. All we can be sure of is that William Forest Crouch knew she was movie star material and got her to do soundies. Vanita's first soundie and the one that has the most views was 'Back Door Man', it was recorded June 6, 1946 (6-6-6 creepy...). I can only imagine how Vanita felt (although I really can't) she was probably excited. *I have to come back and add the other dates of the rest of her soundies, because for some reason they aren't appearing*. Vanita's last soundie was 'Low, Short, and Squatty' (which is funny because of the coloring you'd expect it to be in the same bunch as 'Back Door Man') it was record 12-23-1946 (2 days before Xmas). Vanita's next venture was 'Reet, Petite, and Gone' with Louis Jordan, Lorenzo Tucker, June Richmond, and Mabel Lee (although she has no speaking role in the film, I wanted to mention her). I don't quite know when 'Reet, Petite, and Gone' was released but I know it was probably being filmed around March of 1947, because of an article in Ebony magazine with Mabel Lee on the cover. I can't find the whole issue but I know there are pictures of Vanita Smythe in their, so if someone can get those that would be like an early Christmas present for me (lol). 'Ebony Parade' was also released around the same time as 'Reet, Petite, and Gone', 'Ebony Parade' was a collection of soundies put together, and I haven't watched it yet but I love the poster for it. Another thing about 'Ebony Parade' is that they had ALL the greats in there, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Dorothy Dandridge (her name is spelled wrong on the cover), the Mills brothers, Mabel Lee, Francine Everett, and oh just a smorgasbord of fanastical people. Vanita DID go on a hiatus after this, but FORCED is such a strong word that evokes a tragic feeling that I thought it was kinda overly dramatic. Vanita Smythe (although there is more information about her) is still a mysterious figure, and emotions like tragedy, sadness, and other Marilyn Monroe biography-esque type feelings are the last thing you want to write about someone as mysterious as Vanita, because who says Vanita was sad? Maybe she wanted a break for some reason. In 1950, Vanita got signed to Regal Records there's even an article about it in Billboard magazine that was printed in March. She sang several songs that tie into the situation that she might of been in. If I'm not mistaken Clarence Pauling went over to Korea during this time and Vanita sang songs like 'I Want My Baby Back'. But who knows? She could've been in a relationship with a different Clarence Pauling that happened to be over in Korea. In 'The Jazz Discography - Volume 21" it says Vanita recorded for Regal in Los Angeles, which is an interesting tidbit to me. In March 23, 1951, Vanita married her Clarence Pauling in Robertson County, Tennessee (it is a border county that borders Kentucky). When I read this I thought to myself..."Why did they get married in Tennessee?" Well, in Tennessee you can get married rather quickly and you don't need blood test but that's all I've got. I just think of it as another interesting yet mysterious thing about Vanita Smythe. There is nothing to be found on Vanita from that point until 1962, when she gave birth to a daughter named Gloria, then from that point onto 1994 the year Vanita died. When I found out that she was no longer alive I was kind of saddened, she was rather young and my mind began to wonder. What did Vanita die of? I wonder...But that's all you CAN do with Vanita, all you can do is wonder. Like another site said she is utterly mysterious, but wonderful and almost magical, and that combination is deadly enough to drive a man to his grave. If there is anyone out there who can give information or wants me to take down this whole thing (and the only way I'm taking this down is if you're a relative) feel free to comment.
