The old saying about, "Time heals all wounds" is semi true in this case...
I still think of her at certain times and, even though I am a male and I am not supposed to cry, a tear or two will gather in the corner of my eyes...
I was searching Google for something and came across the name of Totie Fields...
My Mother really liked this woman and her sense of humor...
Her is the little bio I found:
Totie Fields, Comedian, Singer, Actress (1930-1978)
Totie Fields was born Sophie Feldman, daughter of a shopping center owner, on 7 May 1927 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. She started singing as a child, making appearances on local radio stations by the time she was 4. She toured the Borscht Belt at 14 and before she reached 20 years, worked as a tumbler in Boston area strip clubs. Even then Sophie was breaking the glass ceiling: tumblers entertained guests as a master of ceremonies between acts and, at the time, were generally male. It was during this period that Sophie took her stage name - Totie being the way she pronounced her given name as a child.
Totie married George William Johnston, Jr. in 1950. Georgie (as he came to be known) was a fellow comic in Boston who, over time, worked solely with Totie as her musical director. They became the parents of two daughters—Jody was born in 1952 and Debbie was born in 1955. It was after her pregnancies that Totie began to gain weight. She tried dieting but nothing worked. The only way to lose weight, really, she concluded, is to have someone put you in a bed where you can't get to the refrigerator. Ever the optimist though, Totie decided to incorporate her size into her act. It was after making this decision that her celebrity and work increased twofold. In the early 60s, Ed Sullivan gave Totie her first national break when he booked her on his show after seeing her perform at the Copacabana in New York. She made multiple additional appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, topping out at almost 20!
Totie also made a name for herself on the talk show circuit during the 60s and 70s. There were multiple appearances on The Merv Griffin Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Mike Douglas Show Other notable appearances included Here's Lucy and a well-received dramatic role on Medical Center. The versatile Fields wrote a funny diet book entitled "I Think I'll Start on Monday: The Official 8 1/2 oz. Mashed Potato Diet (New York: Hawthorn Books, 1972).
Totie was diabetic and plagued with other health problems the last years of her life, having almost as many major medical procedures as television appearances. It has been rumored that some of these problems stem from plastic surgery. In April 1976, Totie's left leg was amputated above the knee when surgery to remove a blood clot failed. Even with that traumatic experience, Totie fitted herself with an artificial leg and returned to work saying, "I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me."
In June 1977, Totie starred in the Home Box Office special series Standing Room Only, beginning her show seated. She stood up, causing the cheering audience to stand with her. Said Fields: "I've waited all my life to say this... I weigh less than Elizabeth Taylor!" Totie was back and the audience was immediately at ease; if Totie could still laugh at herself, then it was all right to laugh with her. While still recovering from the amputation, Totie suffered two heart attacks. In October 1977, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and her right breast was removed.
Nevertheless, Totie continued to perform and in 1978, the last year of her life, she was voted Entertainer of the Year and Female Comedy Star of the Year by the American Guild of Variety Artists. Totie was scheduled to appear at the Sahara Hotel when she suffered a fatal heart attack in her Las Vegas home on August 2, 1978; she was 51.
That is beautiful, yes Mom would have liked to see that about the woman she adored as a comic!! I really didn't know it either!! I miss Mom....
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