Sunee Parker, who as Baltimore's only female barber in the 1930s and early 1940s became a local celebrity, died Wednesday of respiratory failure at Burke Health Care Center in Burke, Va. She was 87 and had lived in Mount Vernon.For three decades, she had a leather-backed barber's chair in the Hotel Belvedere, where a future president and entertainment celebrities waited their turn for shaves and haircuts. When the hotel temporarily closed in the 1970s, she moved her business two blocks away, to the first floor of the Horizon House apartments at Calvert and Chase streets. She retired there in 1988.At the height of her renown, she appeared on "What's My Line," a popular Sunday night television show on which a celebrity panel tried to guess the occupations of guests. New York publishing executive Bennett Cerf correctly identified her profession before a national audience. Before the arrival of unisex hair-cutting operations in the 1960s, it was considered unusual for a woman to cut men's hair. It was not until World War II that women became barbers, and there were not many of them in Baltimore for another 25 years.She gave Ronald Reagan, then an actor, a trim in the 1940s. Presidential candidate Adlai E. Stevenson. comedian Jack Benny, boxer Jack Dempsey and singer Tennessee Ernie Ford all sat in her chair in what was once one of the city's busiest hotels."After she was on `What's My Line,' she got a number of offers to work in other cities," said Sandra Zalatoris-Kivowitz, a niece who lives in Lake Ridge, Va. "They wanted her to be in the movies, too."Miss Parker got a mention in Walter Winchell's syndicated newspaper column: "Talent scouts are talking about Sunee Parker, the female barber at the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore who refuses to leave her job for lucrative film opportunities.""Her clientele followed her everywhere," said Orem Wahl, a neighbor who lives on Calvert Street. "She was a real downtown figure. She went to the racetrack once a week."Miss Parker, who wore her hair in a Prince Valiant style, kept scrapbooks of her career, including an Evening Sun article of Oct. 30, 1935 headlined: "City's Only Girl Barber Has Many Close Shaves."She often told her interviewers that she did not date her customers. Asked about her intentions, she replied, "Sorry, I am married to a barber's chair."Her first assignment was cutting hair at the old Park Terminal Barbershop, a neighborhood barbershop near a streetcar barn at Pennsylvania and Fulton avenues in 1935.Born in Thomas, W.Va., she was a graduate of Davis High School in Davis, W.Va. She enrolled in a 12-week barbering course at the Tri-City Barber School on East Baltimore Street, receiving her state license in 1935.She often appeared at barbers conventions and occasionally wore exaggerated hats, such as one that supported a barber's pole. She also traveled to London and Paris to study styling there.A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. today at St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church, Calvert and Madison streets, where she was a member.Survived by nieces and nephews, Miss Parker left instructions in her will that her tombstone was to read: "The barber stylist is in."
sweiland75 Miss Sunee cut my hair as a kid! My dad knew her! Mom studied under her in West Virginia and Norfolk Va! Baltimore where she practiced her trade was her home base. I remember she had a daughter that resembles her. Mom was a beautician from West Virginia herself as I am! "The Barber Stylist Is In!" Sure is!
When this show was done (Oct. 25, 1953), the procedure was for guests to meet the panel before questioning, then sneak out behind John Daly afterward. The panel remained seated during these handshakes. Later, the format was changed; the free guess was abandoned and the introduction was abandoned, and the guests met the panel on their way out. On these occasions the men stood up for everyone (except when time constraints were severe). If the guest was someone they venerated, the women stood too.
When Dorothy asked, "Do you work with men as well as women", the answer should have been "no". She works with men only. As John Daly has said many times, you have to take the question in full, not in part. That's just another way of saying, "Do you work with both men and women?"
Sunee
Parker, who as Baltimore's only female barber in the 1930s and early
1940s became a local celebrity, died Wednesday of respiratory failure at
Burke Health Care Center in Burke, Va. She was 87 and had lived in
Mount Vernon.For three decades, she had a leather-backed barber's
chair in the Hotel Belvedere, where a future president and
entertainment celebrities waited their turn for shaves and haircuts.
When the hotel temporarily closed in the 1970s, she moved her business
two blocks away, to the first floor of the Horizon House apartments at
Calvert and Chase streets. She retired there in 1988.At the
height of her renown, she appeared on "What's My Line," a popular Sunday
night television show on which a celebrity panel tried to guess the
occupations of guests. New York publishing executive Bennett Cerf
correctly identified her profession before a national audience. Before
the arrival of unisex hair-cutting operations in the 1960s, it was
considered unusual for a woman to cut men's hair. It was not until World
War II that women became barbers, and there were not many of them in
Baltimore for another 25 years.She gave Ronald Reagan, then an
actor, a trim in the 1940s. Presidential candidate Adlai E. Stevenson.
comedian Jack Benny, boxer Jack Dempsey and singer Tennessee Ernie Ford
all sat in her chair in what was once one of the city's busiest hotels."After
she was on `What's My Line,' she got a number of offers to work in
other cities," said Sandra Zalatoris-Kivowitz, a niece who lives in Lake
Ridge, Va. "They wanted her to be in the movies, too."Miss
Parker got a mention in Walter Winchell's syndicated newspaper column:
"Talent scouts are talking about Sunee Parker, the female barber at the
Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore who refuses to leave her job for lucrative
film opportunities.""Her clientele followed her everywhere," said
Orem Wahl, a neighbor who lives on Calvert Street. "She was a real
downtown figure. She went to the racetrack once a week."Miss
Parker, who wore her hair in a Prince Valiant style, kept scrapbooks of
her career, including an Evening Sun article of Oct. 30, 1935 headlined:
"City's Only Girl Barber Has Many Close Shaves."She often told
her interviewers that she did not date her customers. Asked about her
intentions, she replied, "Sorry, I am married to a barber's chair."Her
first assignment was cutting hair at the old Park Terminal Barbershop, a
neighborhood barbershop near a streetcar barn at Pennsylvania and
Fulton avenues in 1935.Born in Thomas, W.Va., she was a graduate
of Davis High School in Davis, W.Va. She enrolled in a 12-week barbering
course at the Tri-City Barber School on East Baltimore Street,
receiving her state license in 1935.She often appeared at barbers
conventions and occasionally wore exaggerated hats, such as one that
supported a barber's pole. She also traveled to London and Paris to
study styling there.A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at
10:30 a.m. today at St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church, Calvert and
Madison streets, where she was a member.Survived by nieces and
nephews, Miss Parker left instructions in her will that her tombstone
was to read: "The barber stylist is in."
Thanks for posting this background info on a guest.
sweiland75 Miss Sunee cut my hair as a kid! My dad knew her! Mom studied under her in West Virginia and Norfolk Va! Baltimore where she practiced her trade was her home base. I remember she had a daughter that resembles her. Mom was a beautician from West Virginia herself as I am! "The Barber Stylist Is In!" Sure is!
That was lovely to read, thank you!
When this show was done (Oct. 25, 1953), the procedure was for guests to meet the panel before questioning, then sneak out behind John Daly afterward. The panel remained seated during these handshakes. Later, the format was changed; the free guess was abandoned and the introduction was abandoned, and the guests met the panel on their way out. On these occasions the men stood up for everyone (except when time constraints were severe). If the guest was someone they venerated, the women stood too.
Yeah, that walk down and three guesses were annoying.
When Dorothy asked, "Do you work with men as well as women", the answer should have been "no". She works with men only. As John Daly has said many times, you have to take the question in full, not in part. That's just another way of saying, "Do you work with both men and women?"
Any idea what year this episode aired? Everyone seems a bit younger.
8:00 Can native speakers really understand the term "Tonsorial Fraternity" even today?
haha that was SO cute! So strange seeing Dorothy introducing John lol
John and Bennet were often pulling tricks on each other. I believe John got the announcer to throw Bennet a curve ball.
"Balty-more"
Why exactly was this switch made ? Was it one of the early episodes ?
I think you're right because the camera operator knew just where to fire the first shot...
ComposerInUK On the grassy knoll!
.hcum yrev uoy knahT And she is attractive; in fact, she reminds me a bit of Margaret Sullavan when she made her appearance on WML.
Steve Allen is so cute, but he'd probably be uncomfortable hearing me say that!
Look how slender they all were. Thinking about it I saw hardly ever an obese person on the show.
Verrrrry interessssting ... "horizontal" here, but not with Miss Edle ...
That lady barber has an 'axeman's' neck
the rule was for men not to stand up when greeting single women?
Married or unmarried: men stood up for every woman