Obituary

FRANCES DEWEY WORMSER 1903-2008“If we could glimpse the world through Frances’s eyes we would know the secret to life”Vaudeville and Broadway performer Frances Dewey Wormser died of natural causes on January 28, 2008 at her home in Santa Paula, CA. She was 104 years old. Frances was born in New York City on June 23, 1903.As Frances Dewey she spent more than a decade in show business in the 1920s and 30s, touring in lead roles of shows including Sally, Irene & Mary (1925 revival) and The Girl Friend (1926). Her success in the latter prompted producer Lew Fields to create the “Dewey and Gold Revue” expressly for her and her professional partner, Al Gold: they toured with it on the Pantages Circuit in 1927/28. Late 1928 found the duo in the out-of-town tryout of Boom Boom, in which Archie Leach (AKA Cary Grant) also appeared as the “Spanish looking villain of the play.” She toured in Good Boy in 1929. In 1931 she was in Heywood Broun’s “co-op” revue Shoot the Works on Broadway, and was one of the New Faces of 1934, the first of Leonard Sillman’s “New Faces” franchise. Henry Fonda was also in that first Broadway show, as was her lifelong friend, Imogene Coca. Early in her career Frances met Leo Lerman who later became editor of Vogue magazine and editor-in- chief of Vanity Fair. Lerman is considered by many to have been the center of NYC social life. Frances and Leo considered themselves “soul mates” until his death in 1994.Frances married stockbroker Orin Zoline in the late 1930’s and retired from show business; she subsequently became a buyer for Jane Engel, a leading ladies wear chain of the era. During this time she also studied at the Art League in NYC. Widowed and remarried in the 1950’s to her second husband Morton Wormser, a passionate tennis player. Young Martina Navratilova lived with the couple when she first came to America in the early 1970’s. Frances was also a talented painter, she was the daughter of noted California artist Alfred James Dewey (1874-1958) the “dean” of the Sierra Madre, California early art colony. Painting was a lifelong passion that continued until very recently.Frances was an open history book. She remembered tagging along with her mother in NYC while she gathered signatures for the women’s right to vote. As a teen she stood in cold foyers with Imogene Coca and Leo Lerman to see any stage play they could for one dollar. She told stories of bowling on a league with Babe Ruth, whispering secret passwords at speakeasy “bars” during the prohibition, visiting the first exhibit of Van Gogh against her father’s wishes, and an impromptu singing invitation for the mayor of New York City in Times Square New Years Eve celebration.Frances had a passion for travel. She sketched and painted many countries of the world. Her first “around the world” trip was on her honeymoon with Morton. She traveled extensively until she was 100 years old. Her last trip was to Maui to meet friends and enjoy the warm tropical climate which reminded her of Sarasota, Florida where she lived for over 25 years. Her adventuresome spirit found her in private planes in the mid 1930’s with her beloved brother, Jim Dewey of Santa Paula and lifelong pilot and friend Bob Phelps also of Santa Paula. One of her favorite stories was flying with Bob in 1939 from NYC to California in a small private plane piloted by 19 year old Bob. Frances was known to hop a train, bus, helicopter, or an airplane at a moments notice. Frances was a major contributor to the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula, not only to honor her brother, Jim, but also to make sure aviation history in Ventura County is preserved for future generations She was always ready to go and to have a good time! In her last days she went out to lunch and stated that she needed to go get new clothes to wear. One of her best quotes was, “Age is not an issue, Enjoy Life!”