Bernice Parks

Born: 1918
Died: 1989
Country: United States
Comments: Multi-talented entertainer and restaurateur born in Boston, Massachusetts. She began her career as a dancer and became the youngest solo ballet dancer with any professional company when she was only 9 years old. By the time she was 14 she was the featured ballerina of the famous San Carlo Opera Company when they performed at the Boston Opera House.

The following year she went to New York City to further her dancing career. However, other opportunities became available and, instead, she began her career as a singer and stage entertainer. By 1937 she was a featured singer with Russ Morgan's Orchestra. Soon she performed solo in night clubs and Broadway musicals including "Beggar's Holiday" with Alfred Drake and Zero Mostel. She was acclaimed not only for her singing but also for including comedy, parody and pantomime into her performances. During the 1950s she recorded for Coral, Mercury and other labels and frequently appeared on major network TV shows.

Her mother, Florence Pike, was the proprietor of Ruby Foo's, a small chain of upscale Chinese restaurants with locations in Times Square (New York City), Montreal, Boston and Miami Beach. After Mrs. Pike died in January 1962, Bernice Parks inherited Ruby Foo's and took over management of the restaurants. An attractive woman, she was often photographed with celebrities at the Times Square location. In August 1966 she married multi-millionaire Wall Street broker, George N. Richard, and dropped out of the public limelight.
Family: Jack Lawrence [US1] Husband