According to her daughter Dee Dee Belson, she was highly amused by Garrett Morris playing her in drag on "Saturday Night Live" (1975).
Appointed as a special ambassador to the United Nations in 1975 by President Gerald Ford.
Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 47-50. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.
Born at 7:00am-EST
Died in Philadelphia after collapsing at a local hotel.
Her brother was also an entertainer, Bill Bailey (1912-1978). He is generally credited with being the first to perform the "moonwalk" dance step on film in the classic musical Cabin in the Sky (1943), which starred Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Ethel Waters and Lena Horne.
Received the Women's International Center (WIC) Living Legacy Award in 1989.
Sang "He'll Understand" at Joan Crawford's funeral in 1977.
She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7080 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
Was an avid baseball fan, especially of the New York Mets.
Won a Special Tony Award in 1968 for her performance as a replacement in the lead in "Hello, Dolly!". RCA released a new version of the Broadway Cast Recording with Bailey, the first time this was done during a Broadway show's original run. (Carol Channing had originated the role in 1964.).