Talk:Ruby Keeler

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Facts

Ruby Keeler, born Ethel Keeler, (August 25, 1910 - February 28, 1993), was an actress, singer, and dancer.

She was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Her first "show-business" job was as a chorine, working in a speakeasy for the Prohibition-era hostess Texas Guinan.

Ruby Keeler died of cancer in Rancho Mirage, California and was interred in the Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Orange, California. She has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6730 Hollywood Blvd.

Bold text--172.136.210.193 04:20, 3 Nov 2004 (UTC)

POV

The passage in the article about Keeler having a background as an Irish step dancer is a little bit disingenuous. She may have been trained as one, but I have never seen an Irish step dancer who was anywhere near as clumsy as Keeler is onscreen. If it weren't for the fact she was married to Al Jolson, she never would have made it. It makes me wonder why in the world he felt threatened by her. She was cute, but she simply didn't have talent.--Susan Nunes —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 66.53.125.76 (talk) 17:38, 12 May 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Year of Birth

The 1920 federal census, enumerated on 5 January 1920, lists her age as 10 which would indicate she was born in 1909. She is listed as Rube in the household of Ralph and Nellie Keeler. He is listed as a driver. The family immigrated to the US in 1912.—Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.37.43.38 (talk) 19:23, 31 July 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I've heard from another internet user who is working on a biography of Keeler in conjunction with her family. They've apparently seen Keeler's birth certificate which shows 1910 as her birth year (1909 was incorrectly used in Warner publicity of the time and has hung around ever sine). 1910 is also the year on keeler's grave [1], the year given in Nancy Marlow-Trump's 1998 biography of Keeler, and in Keeler's New York Times obit (which cites her daughter as a primary source) [2]. Also, Keeler's sister is quoted in reference 8 as saying Ruby was 18 when she married Al Jolson in September 1928.Crisso (talk) 20:16, 2 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

This appears to be incorrect (see below, especially #3) Quis separabit? 19:32, 29 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

That sure is curious. I am definitely swayed by the information below. I don't know the name of the guy I mentioned above (it was through an message board chat) but I assume he is the author of this. Crisso (talk) 12:20, 15 April 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Further re year of birth

Ruby Keeler was born in 1909 according to the following data from ancestry.com:

Honolulu, Hawaii, Passenger Crew Lists, 1900-1959 [for Ruby Jolson], SS City of Honolulu (Number 105), sailign from Wilmington [unspecified state], December 15, 1928, arriving at Port of Honolulu. A3422 - arriving at Honolulu, Hawaii, 1900-1953. Year [sic] of birth given as 08-25-1909, age given as 19, although place of birth incorrectly states New York, NY.
New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [for Ruby Jolson]. Roll T715, 1897-1957, 5001-6000, Roll 5502. S.S. Santa Elena, Sailing from Los Angeles, Arriving at Port of New York, June 18, 1934. Year [sic] of birth given as 08-25-1909, age given as 24; although place of birth again given, incorrectly, as New York City
Ethel Ruby Keeler in the Nova Scotia, Canada Births, 1836-1910, Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management. Date of birth given as 25 August 1909, Dartmouth, Halifax. Registration Year 1909. Book 1909. Page # 55900655. Registration # 55900657.

Quis separabit? 19:32, 29 February 2016 (UTC)[reply]

File:Jolson-Keeler-News.jpg Nominated for Deletion

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Nationality

Since Keeler was born in Nova Scotia and grew up in the United States, the lead of the article should describe her as Canadian-American. 2001:569:7F96:EE00:B4EC:C80E:276C:BD8C (talk) 23:26, 10 April 2022 (UTC)[reply]