Nanette Fabray

Nanette Fabray (born Ruby Bernadette Nanette Theresa Fabares; October 27, 1920 – February 22, 2018) was an American actress, singer and dancer. She began her career performing in vaudeville as a child and became a musical-theatre actress during the 1940s and 1950s, acclaimed for her role in High Button Shoes (1947) and winning a Tony Award in 1949 for her performance in Love Life. In the mid-1950s, she served as Sid Caesar's comic partner on Caesar's Hour, for which she won three Emmy Awards, and appeared with Fred Astaire in the film musical The Band Wagon. From 1979 to 1984, she played Katherine Romano, the mother of lead character Ann Romano, on the TV series One Day at a Time. She also appeared as the mother of Christine Armstrong (played by her niece Shelley Fabares) in the television series Coach.

Fabray had significant hearing impairment and was a longtime advocate for the rights of the deaf and hearing-impaired people. Her honors included the President's Distinguished Service Award and the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 27, 1920 (San Diego (seat of San Diego County, California, United States; second-largest city in California)), Died February 22, 2018 (Palos Verdes Peninsula (landform and a geographic sub-region of the Los Angeles metropolitan area) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1950 - 1956

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 75892 2/27/1950 Curtain music (Instrumental) A girl with a flame Nanette Fabray vocalist  
Decca 75894 2/27/1950 I like it here Nanette Fabray ; Georges Guetary vocalist  
Decca 75895 2/27/1950 That's my fella Nanette Fabray vocalist  
Decca 75896 2/27/1950 A cow and a plow and a frau Nanette Fabray ; Georges Guetary vocalist  
Decca 75898 2/27/1950 He will tonight ; You kissed me Nanette Fabray ; Georges Guetary vocalist  
Decca 89322 2/7/1956 Don't take me for granted Nanette Fabray vocalist  
Decca 89323 2/7/1956 How soon (will I be seeing you) Nanette Fabray vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Fabray, Nanette," accessed December 26, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/314676.

Fabray, Nanette. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 26, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/314676.

"Fabray, Nanette." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 26 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/314676

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