Florence Desmond
Toronto Daily Star, October 4 1937
Florence Desmond (1905-1993) started her stage career at the age of 10. In 1928, she toured North America as part of the cast of This Year of Grace. She then developed an act in which she impersonated famous celebrities. A recording of her impersonations became a best-seller. She retired from the stage in 1954.
Ms. Desmond was married twice. Her first husband, aviator Tom Campbell Black, was killed in a plane crash in 1936. Her marriage to Charles Hughesdon, shown above, appears to have lasted.
YouTube has some recordings of her, including a radio show from 1951 in which she impersonated Tallulah Bankhead and Marlene Dietrich. There is also her recording of "The Deepest Shelter In Town" (1940).
Created November 11, 2025.