Dorothy Jacqueline Keely, better known as Keely Smith, was an American jazz and popular music singer, who performed and recorded extensively in the 1950s with then-husband Louis Prima, and throughout the 1960s as a solo artist. Smith married Prima in 1953.

When did Louis Prima die?

After an operation for a benign brain tumor that year, Prima lapsed into a coma and did not regain consciousness. He died on August 24, 1978.

Did Keely Smith and Louis Prima have children?

Smith married Louis Prima July 13, 1953. in Virginia Beach They had two children, Toni Elizabeth and Luanne Francis.

Why did Louis Prima divorce Keely Smith?

In 1948, Prima appeared at the surf club in Virginia looking for a singer. ... Keely was Prima's fourth wife. For many years, they appeared together in Las Vegas with bandleader Sam Butera and made "that old black magic" a standard. In 1961, Keely filed for divorce citing extreme mental cruelty.

What does Keely mean in Irish?

Irish origin. Meaning. The name Keely means Beautiful. Region of origin.

Singer Keely Smith dies of heart failure at age 89

19 related questions found

What killed Louis Prima?

He suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and went into a coma following surgery. He never recovered, and died three years later, in 1978, having been moved back to New Orleans.

Is Pierce Brosnan still married to Keely Shaye Smith?

The couple are still completely head over heels for each other two decades after their wedding, and while they keep their marriage private, Pierce has been known to celebrate his love for his wife on social media on more than one occasion. But who is Keely, when did they get married and how many children do they have?

What is Pierce Brosnan's real name?

Pierce Brosnan, in full Pierce Brendan Brosnan, (born May 16, 1953, County Meath, Ireland), Irish American actor who was perhaps best known for playing James Bond in a series of films. Brosnan, whose father left home shortly after his birth, was raised by relatives after his mother left to work in England.

How old is Pierce Brosnan wife Keely?

Pierce, 68, and Keely first met in 1994 and went on to marry at Ballintubber Abbey in his native Ireland in 2001. Together they share two sons; Dylan, 24, and Paris, 20. READ: Mrs Doubtfire child actors - where are they now?

Who was the woman who sang with Louis Prima?

Singer Keely Smith died on Saturday after a long bout of ill health. She was best known for her work with band leader Louis Prima in the 50s and 60s, and for their hit, "That Old Black Magic."

Did Louis Prima and Keely Smith Divorce?

After the end of the Sinatra-Smith affair, the marriage of Keely and Louis broke up anyway. In 1961, right after signing a multi-million dollar contract with the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, the couple were divorced. He then married another girl singer, Gia Maione, and continued to work in Vegas through 1967.

Did Louis Prima wear a toupee?

As a special treat, we even get to see Louis—who later sported a series of toupees onstage—perform wearing his own hair.

Was Louis Prima a good person?

"He was one of the best entertainers and also a terrific musician, songwriter, a great bandleader - the whole thing. But the entertainment aspect of it kind of overrides the quote unquote artistry of it."

What happened to Louis Prima?

In late 1975, Prima underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, and fell into a coma; although he survived for nearly three more years, he never regained consciousness, and died on August 24, 1978.