Ironton Sililoquy

She Was Here

February 11, 1966

Written by Charles Collett

Submitted by: Robert Kingrey

The death of the famous old-time "red hot mamma", Sophie Tucker, the sexy torch singer, this week. Turns memory calendar back to about 1909 when the Broadway star sang at the Masonic opera house here. Shortly after her arrival on the noon train she left the Olive Hotel on Park Avenue, accompanied by her leading man, Alexander Carr, and walked to the Marting Hospital. Everyone on the street recognized the pair from their pictures, which had been on the billboards more than ten days. Word got out at the courthouse and when she returned, faces filled windows of the courthouse fronting on Park Avenue. This reporter was among those present who had business that afternoon at the hotel lobby. If I remember correctly a number of businessmen who never smoked visited the hotel lobby cigar case that afternoon.

Miss Tucker was assigned the bridal suite on the second floor, which had a large bay window just above the hotel entrance. All afternoon there was a parade of young bachelors and married businessmen on the sidewalk across from the hotel, now the Iron City Tire Shop, looking up toward that bay window.