Artist: Hilary Knight, American (1926- )
Title: “Fran Warren at Michaels Pub”
Performer:
Fran Warren, Singer
Venue:
Michaels Pub, 311 East 55th Street, New York, New York 10022
Date: February 17-March 14, 1961
Medium: Poster
Materials: Paper
Markings: Signed, lower right corner by the Performer and the Illustrator,
“Fran Warren / Hilary Knight”
Edition:
22nd /100 Editions
Dimensions: 29” x 19-½” (as framed)
Framed: Yes, item has remained in the original frame when the artwork
was acquired by Mr. Prince.
Provenance: Neal Adair Prince Trust u/a/d 10.18.1999
Mr. Neal Prince
Hilary Knight, Artist
Footnote¹:
Item was purchased directly from Mr. Knight in 1961, as supported by the original correspondences by Mr. Knight to
Mr. Prince.
HILARY KNIGHT, (1926- ) AMERICAN
Mr. Hilary Knight was born on Long Island, New York in 1926. In 1932, Mr., Knight moved to New York with his parents – Clayton Knight and Katharine Sturges –
of whom were artists and writers. Mr. Knight found himself eventually at drafting school and the Art Students League, where
he studied under Reginald Marsh. The Navy interrupted his studies from 1944 to 1946, but Mr. Knight went on painting and continued
his illustrations, such as ships. Since the war, he has done work for Publications such as Mademoiselle, House and
Garden, Gourmet, McCalls, and the Woman's Home Companion, and has painted a number of murals in private
homes and has published many books and commercial works, such as this 1961 poster for Mrs. Warren’s performance. Mr.
Knights most well known work behind Kay Thompson’s Books, Eliose, from 1955,
which as brought Mr. Knight great fame and recognition for this outstanding illustration skills and mannerisms of this works
of art.
FRAN WARREN (1926- ), AMERICAN
Fran Warren was born as Frances Wolfe, in the northern section of area in New York, referred to as the Bronx. After expressing herself with great energy, she was hired to
work in the chorus line at the New York’s Roxy Theater. Se auditioned with the big band of Duke Ellington at the age of 16; though
she never made it onto Ellington’s band, she soon became a singer with bands that were led by Mr. Randy Brooks, Mr.
Art Mooney, Mr. Billy Eckstine, Mr. Charlie Barnet and Mr. Claude Thornhill. It was Mr. Eckstine who gave her the stage name
of Ms. Fran Warren. With Mr. Charlie Barnet, she replaced Kay Starr as featured vocalist. In 1947, she name appeared on the
charts for the first time, with Mr. Thornhill band’s recording of the song, “A Sunday Kind of Love” from
the Columbia Records Label. Ms. Warren made a number of other records with Mr. Thornhill that year. In 1948, Ms. Warren became
a soloist artist, signing on the RCA Records Label. During this period, she made a number of recordings, but her biggest hit
was with the duet with Mr. Tony Martin, “I Said My Pajamas (and Put On My Pray’rs)”,
which reached to become the number #3 song in the Nation during this period. Other recordings which she recorded would include
more duets with Mr. Martin and with Lisa Kirk. In the early 1950’s, after a number of her songs failed to chart on the
RCA Label, Ms. Warren signed a new contract with the MGM Records. She had a number of records for MGM, making her last chart hit in 1953, with the song, “It’s
Anybody’s Heart”. Ms. Warren recorded a LP, titled, “Hey There!
Here’s Fran Warren”, with the arrangements and conducting by Mr. Marty Paich. During this period, she also
ventured into musical comedy, performing in the “The Pajama Game” and
later playing the title role of “Mame”. In the 1960’s, she continued to sing and tour with Mr. Harry James,
as noted with this 1961 poster from Michaels Pub, located in New
York.
