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{{Short description|American dancer}}
'''Doris Ruby''' (1927 – December 16, 1951) was a 24-year-old dancer from [[Sunnyside, Queens]] who died in the [[1951 Miami Airlines C-46 crash]]. She was a popular nightclub entertainer.<ref name=dead>''List of Dead in Crash of Plane in New Jersey'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 17, 1951, pg. 2.</ref>

==Club performer==

She opened at the [[Apollo Theatre]] in [[Harlem]] in late April 1951.<ref>''Walter Winchell ... In [[New York City|New York]]'', [[The Washington Post]], April 27, 1951, pg. B13.</ref> Ruby appeared with [[Fran Warren]] and [[Danny Thomas]] at the [[Latin Casino]] in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], in early May.<ref>''Walter Winchell ... In New York'', Washington Post, May 27, 1951, pg. B9.</ref> She teamed with
George Price and Betty Reilly at the Capri in [[Atlantic Beach, New York]] in mid-June.<ref>''Walter Winchell ... Of New York'', The Washington Post, June 13, 1951, pg. B13.</ref> She was romantically linked to Paul Thomas, brother of Danny Thomas, at this time.<ref>''Walter Winchell ... Of New York'', Washington Post, June 25, 1951, pg. B9.</ref>

==Untimely death==

Ruby was booked to dance at the Vagabond Club,<ref name=miami/> on [[Biscayne Boulevard]], in [[Miami, Florida]], the week after her death. She had most recently appeared at the [[Cafe Society]]
in [[New York City]]. She appeared briefly on [[WABC (AM)|WJZ]] prior to preparing for her fatal flight to [[Florida]]. WJZ had broadcast from Howie's Restaurant on the [[Avenue of the Americas]] between 52nd and 53rd Streets in Manhattan.<ref name=miami>''Dancer Killed in Crash, On Radio Here Yesterday'', ''The New York Times'', December 17, 1951, pg. 22.</ref> She had been in Hanson's Drug Store, [[51st Street (Manhattan)|51st Street]] and [[7th Avenue (Manhattan)|7th Avenue]], only a few hours prior to boarding the
plane. This was a popular celebrity hangout.<ref>''[[Dorothy Kilgallen]]'', [[Lowell Sun]], December 22, 1951, pg. 16.</ref>

Gregg Sherwood, showgirl and best friend of Ruby, tried to discourage her
from flying the night before her death. Sherwood told Ruby that if she had ten days before her Miami opening, she could likely get a cancellation on a better airline.<ref>''Walter Winchell, Dancer Doris Ruby Took Off For Miami By Air Despite Friend's Advice; Died'', New Mexican, December 23, 1951,
pg. 4.</ref> 56 people died on the nonscheduled airliner which crashed in [[Elizabeth, New Jersey]].<ref name=dead/>

The [[American Guild of Variety Artists]] held a benefit for Ruby's family, who were destitute following her death. She was their main support.<ref>''Walter Winchell ... Of New York'', Washington Post, December 21, 1951, pg. B13.</ref> [[Walter Winchell]] reported that Ruby might have flown to Florida earlier if the last night club she appeared in had paid her on time. [[AGVA]], the actors' union, paid her out of the owners' bond (to guarantee wages). This occurred belatedly, a week after she made flying plans.<ref>''Walter Winchell ... Of New York'', Washington Post, December 26, 1951, pg. B11.</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruby, Doris}}
[[Category:American female dancers]]
[[Category:Dancers from New York (state)]]
[[Category:People from Sunnyside, Queens]]
[[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States]]
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:1951 deaths]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1951]]
[[Category:20th-century American dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women]]

Doris Ruby - Revision history

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