Goddess Energy and Black History Month
Lola Falana
Born Loletha Elaine Falana 9/11/42 Virgo, Camden, NJ
Whenever I would watch 70s shows, they would mention her as a bombshell.
Lola was a singer, actress, and dancer. Born to a Cuban father and African-American mother, she came from a large family. Once her mother found out Lola could sing, she would take her to Philly to perform in nightclubs. She became a dancer for Dinah Washington, who then gave her opening act and she moved to New York.
Sammy Davis Jr saw her perform and the rest was history. He gave her a role in 1964 on Broadway in Golden Boy which was her debut.
At the same time, Sinatra gives her a recording contract on his record label. In 1966 she was cast with Ossie Davis and Cicely Tyson in A Man Called Adam and from there she traveled to Italy where she became a huge TV star, known to them as Black Venus.
She returned to the states and in 1970 made her TV debut in The Liberation of L.B. Jones and was nominated for a Golden Globe.
Lola is the first Black model for Fabergé who was huge at the time in luxury items.
In 1975 she returned to Broadway and was nominated for a Tony for Doctor Jazz.
After that, Sammy asked her to come to Vegas where she secured a residency making $100k/ wk which was unheard of at the time for pretty much anyone and made her the top paid act on the strip.
Beautiful. Talented. Getting to the bag.