Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer, comedian and author.

Her brother Bill Bailey[7] was beginning his own career as a tap dancer and suggested that she enter an amateur contest at the Pearl Theatre in Philadelphia.

[5] She later won a similar competition at Harlem's famous Apollo Theater and decided to pursue a career in entertainment.

[8] Bailey began by singing and dancing in Philadelphia's black nightclubs in the 1930s, and soon started performing in other parts of the East Coast.

In 1941, during World War II, Bailey toured the country with the USO, performing for American troops.

Her solo successes as a nightclub performer were followed by acts with entertainers such as Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington.

Early in the television medium, Bailey guest starred on CBS's Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town.

The touring version was so successful that producer David Merrick took it to Broadway, where it played to sold-out houses and revitalized the long-running musical.

A passionate fan of the New York Mets, Bailey sang the national anthem at Shea Stadium prior to Game 5 of the 1969 World Series, and appears in the World Series highlight film showing her support for the team.

[11] Following her 1971 television series, she provided voices for animations such as Tubby the Tuba (1976) and Disney's The Fox and the Hound (1981).

In October 1975, she was invited by Betty Ford to sing for Egyptian president Anwar Sadat at a White House state dinner as part of Mideast peace initiative.

On January 19, 1985, she appeared on a nationally televised broadcast gala the night before the second inauguration of Ronald Reagan.

Interracial couples were rare at that time, and Bellson's father was reportedly opposed to the marriage because of Bailey's race.

She attended several meetings of the United Nations and later appeared in a campaign ad for President Gerald Ford in the 1976 election.

[23] In 1969, Crawford and Bailey joined fellow friend Gypsy Rose Lee in accepting a USO award.