Gloria Marilyn DeMarco (1928 - 1997)

Born 20 Jun 1928 in Rome, New York, USA

Ancestors

Died 1 Aug 1997 at age 69 in South Plainfield, Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA

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Biography

Singer, The DeMarco Sisters

The DeMarco Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the big-band era who recorded popular music and performed in concerts and on the radio, television, and on film from the 1930s through the 1960s. They first achieved fame as weekly performers on The Fred Allen Show from 1946 to 1949, and were featured singers in the 1952 film Skirts Ahoy! with actress Esther Williams. The group was initially composed of five biological sisters. Music critics have compared their sound and style to that of The King Sisters. They made recordings for Majestic Records and Mercury Records among other labels.

The DeMarco Sisters consisted of five sisters originally from Rome, New York: Antoinette (Anne), Jeanette (Gina), Gloria, Marie Grace (Terri), and Arlene. Born in Rome, New York, to Samuel DeMarco (an Italian immigrant) and Julia Brandi. They grew up in New York City, New York.

They actually began their career in the latter years of the 1930s when three of them appeared in a film short with Babe Ruth. It was titled, "Home Run on the Keys." Confident that they were ready for the big time their father brought them in to NBC for an audition. And audition they did, right in the reception room, because he had neglected to schedule an appointment. They were so good though that a producer signed them on the spot and scheduled them for the "Tent Show" Radio Program. But their career really took off after they were signed to appear on the Fred Allen radio show. For four years (1946-1949) Ann, Gene, Gloria, Maria and Arlene entered into the living rooms of America opening the show with "Mr. Al-len, Mr. Alll-llennnn." Their featured segment earned them $1000 per week enabling their family to move from their apartment in Bensonhurst to a larger home in Flatbush on East 5th Street.

Besides their regular appearances on the Fred Allen show The DeMarco Sisters performed in shows with Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. And they ushered in the early days of television with guest spots on the Ed Sullivan and Jackie Gleason shows.

The highlight of their career was their part in the patriotic 1952 MGM movie "Skirts Ahoy", starring Esther Williams, where they sang "What Good is a Gal Without a Guy." The Five DeMarco Sisters had fans all across the country. Their recordings with their sweeping arrangements and lush harmonies still have their followers. We leave you with the 1954 classic "Love Me" - lyrics and music by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. As young girls, they sang in public for spare change. Their professional careers began in the 1940s, on the Fred Allen radio show.

Later, singer Joyce DeYoung, who also sang as a member of The Andrews Sisters during her career, joined the group in 1955 when Terri married actor Murray Hamilton and left the group.

The DeMarco Sisters were originally a vocal trio consisting of Anne, Gina, and Gloria. Believing in their talent, the DeMarcos' father moved his family from Rome, New York, to an apartment in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, in the hopes of earning the girls a contract with NBC radio. He managed to squeeze in an impromptu audition for his daughters with an NBC producer, and landed the girls a spot on a 1935 broadcast of Uncle Charlie's Tent Show which was hosted by Loretta Clemens Tupper and her brother Jack Clemens. The girls drew the attention of Paul Whiteman who featured the group on a June 28, 1936 broadcast of Paul Whiteman's Musical Varieties. Soon after Terri and Arlene joined their sisters to form a quintet.

The DeMarco Sisters continued to perform on the radio periodically during the late 1930s and early 1940s. It was not until 1946 though that they achieved wider fame, when they landed a spot as weekly performers on The Fred Allen Show. The girls sang the opening of each show, "Mr. Al-len, Mr. Alll-llennnn", in addition to popular songs of the day. They were paid $1,000 per week for their performance, funds which enabled the family to afford a much larger and nicer apartment in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The girls sometimes performed with tenor Robert White, who was just a child at the time, on the program. White was notably trapped at the DeMarcos' home for four days during the North American blizzard of 1947. The girls' performances on the Allen Show ended after four years in 1949.

The DeMarco Sisters also made guest appearances on several television programs, including The Colgate Comedy Hour, The George Jessel Show, The Jackie Gleason Show, The Kate Smith Show, Texaco Star Theater, What's My Line?, and Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town. Some of their fellow performers on these programs included Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. The quintet was also featured in the 1952 Esther Williams film Skirts Ahoy! in which they sang the song "What Good is a Gal Without a Guy"

Personal Lives

Anne is the mother of Stephen Pisani. She died at the age of 80.

Gloria died at the age of 69. Her gravestone says "daughter, sister, aunt". She was married to Nicholas Delodovico (aka Michael Thornton) from 1957 to 1974. They divorced.

Jeanette - born May 11, 1925. (unknown information on Jeanette "Gina" at this time, possibly still living)

Terri, wife of actor Murray Hamilton, died at age 68 in Washington, North Carolina.

Arlene is the mother of Melissa Brasselle and grandmother of Hayley Sanchez.

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173836968

• http://www.mwotrc.com/rr2011_06/sisters.htm

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_DeMarco_Sisters

• https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0803133/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

• https://www.singers.com/group/DeMarco-Sisters/

• https://www.bklynlibrary.org/blog/2010/12/22/class-sister-act

• https://www.myheritage.com/names/gloria_demarco

• https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LR2P-NPJ/gloria-marilyn-demarco-1928-1997