Reese, Della
From Astro-Databank
| Name |
| ||
| Birthname | Early, Deloreese Patricia | ||
| born on | 6 July 1931 at 10:00 (= 10:00 AM ) | ||
| Place | Detroit MI, USA, 42n20, 83w03 | ||
| Timezone | EST h5w (is standard time) | ||
| Data source |
| ||
| Astrology data |   13°34'   28°41 Asc. 10°57'
|
Biography
American singer, actress and entertainer. She is most memorable as a smoky voiced angel on a TV series that is unabashedly sentimental and inspirational, "Touched By An Angel." The show barely survived the critics' scorn after its premiere in 1994 but with very few modifications it went on to become a Nielsen Top 20.
The youngest of six kids, Reese was singing in the choir at her local Baptist church by the age of six. When she was 13 she caught the attention of gospel diva Mahalia Jackson who hired the teenager to tour with her troupe. Over their three summers together she learned first hand about racial prejudice while touring. With the money she saved, she enrolled in a University in 1947 but dropped out the following year when her mom died. At odds with her dad, Reese moved out in 1949, making $23 a week singing at a Detroit bowling alley. At 19, she weighed 230 pounds which she trimmed down by losing 90 pounds. Two years later, in a contest, she won a club engagement where she was an instant hit.
In 1954, Reese landed her first record contract. Three years later she released "And That Reminds Me," which sold over a million copies. Soon she was appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show and appearing in Las Vegas.
Over the next 30 years, in addition to singing gigs, Reese was a regular on TV sitcoms such as "Chico and the Man," and "Charlie & Co." and did a few films, including "Harlem Nights," 1980.
A graduate of a divinity school in Chicago, she was nonetheless tired of hearing about hell-fire, so she prayed for God to send her a minister. He told her to "do it yourself" so she became Minister of Understanding Principles for Better Living, Los Angeles, CA, in 1983. With her hit show being filmed in Salt Lake City, she and her third husband, producer Franklin Lett, Jr. fly to L.A. weekly for her to deliver her Sunday sermon. She had met Lett in 1978 and they wed in 1982. From her two prior marriages she had a daughter, Deloreese Daniels and an adopted son, James Barger.
Events
- Health : Medical diagnosis 1980 (Brain aneurysm, recovered)
Source Notes
Gallo quotes her in Celebrity Horoscopes
Categories
- Vocation : Entertainment : Actor/ Actress
- Vocation : Entertain/Music : Vocalist/ Pop, Rock, etc. (Choir, gospel singer)
- Traits : Body : Weight (230 lbs.)
- Family : Parenting : Foster, Step, or Adopted Kids (Adopted son 1961)
- Family : Parenting : Kids 1-3 (One daughter)
- Family : Childhood : Family large (Youngest of six kids)
- Traits : Personality : Charismatic (Personable, leadership qualities)
- Vocation : Entertainment : TV series/ Soap star (Touched by an Angel)
- Family : Relationship : Number of Marriages (Three marriages; two divorces)
- Notable : Book Collection : Profiles Of Women
- Vocation : Religion : Ecclesiastics/ western (Reverend in Principles for Better Living Church)
- Lifestyle : Social Life : Hobbies, games (Likes to cook)
- Vocation : Entertainment : Night Club/ Vaudeville (Las Vegas)
- Family : Childhood : Order of birth (Sixth of six)
