Judith Riecker and Maria Bahas in Rehearsal for Ann Arbor Civic Theatre Production of 'Gypsy,' December 1964
Ann Arbor News, December 9, 1964
Caption
On Stage - Getting ready for the opening tonight of the musical comedy "Gypsy," Judith Riecher (right, above) as Madame Rose talks and gesture with Maria Bahas, playing Gypsy Rose Lee, at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre (this photo.) At left is Cathie Patton, who plays a Hollywood Blonde in the Civic Theatre production. Curtain time is 8 p.m.
Year
1964
Month
December
"Judith Dow Towsley was a daughter of the late Ann Arbor philanthropists, Dr. Harry Towsley and Margaret Dow Towsley, who funded construction of several public buildings in the town, and at the University of Michigan. (Her mother, an heiress of the Dow Chemical Company fortune, also was active in local and state politics). Judy was wed three more times after her first marriage, to the late James Riecker -- and was known successively as Judy Riecker, Judy Manos, Judith Dow Alexander, and Judith Dow Rumelhart. She used the stage name, "Judith Dow," during a brief stage career in New York City, where she adopted the full-throated singing style and manner of the late Kate Smith, who was famous for belting out American patriotic favorites -- especially her signature song, "God Bless America." - Wystan Stevens