Minnie Pearl

However, she was touring with an Atlanta-based troupe when she created Minnie Pearl. The character was an instant hit and Colley never looked back; she went on to become one of America's first successful standup comediennes. In addition to her work on the Opry, where she debuted in 1940, and its television shows, Pearl frequently toured the country with other performers. She also appeared in a handful of feature films, beginning with the tuneful Forty Acre Feud (1965). Unlike the brash, man-hungry Minnie Pearl, Sarah Colley was a cultured, gracious, and caring woman married to her manager Henry Cannon. The two lived next door to the governor's mansion in Nashville. During her career, Pearl received numerous awards. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1975. A decade later, she underwent a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Upon her recovery, Pearl became a volunteer and spokesperson for the American Cancer Society and in 1987 was awarded the society's Courage Award by President Ronald Reagan at a special White House ceremony. In 1991, Pearl suffered a crippling stroke. On March 5, 1996, she suffered what was diagnosed as either another stroke or a brain seizure and passed away at age 83. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide