Dallas Actress Celebrates Nearly Eighty Years as Entertainer

Although Dallas performer Ada Lynn made her stage debut over seventy years ago, she is still going strong today.  Her career began at the age of seven when she won a talent contest.  She then toured the vaudeville circuit from coast to coast.  With her supportive Mother as chaperone, she shared the bill with such notables as Bela Lugosi, Cab Calloway, The Mills Brothers, and The Ink Spots  What was it like going from town to town as a entertainer back then?  "It was incredible training," she replied.  "You did five or seven shows a day, and got an immediate reaction from your audience.  You tried different things in your act.  If something got a laugh, you left it in.  I was also vibrant and energetic, so I made a lot of contacts."

Miss Lynn also appeared in Hal Roach's famed "Our Gang Comedy" shorts and supported Shirley Temple in two of her films, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and Heidi.  She played Lee Harvey Oswald's mother in Oliver Stone's critically acclaimed JFK.  Lately, she has returned to her stage roots and acted in productions all over the country.  Miss Lynn has played 'Yente' in Fiddler on the Roof over 500 times.  "I'm a born matchmaker off-stage as well," she beamed.  "I fixed up eight happy couples—one of them gay."  Miss Lynn has also done extensive work in local Dallas Theatre as well.  She was one of the Dallas Divas! at Lyric Stage and has made a guest appearance with the renowned Turtle Creek Chorale.

As of late, Miss Lynn has made a direct return to her vaudeville roots by devising a new comedy act.  Entitled Luck, Laughter and Love:  Keep Moving, Keep Dancing and Keep Social Security, she has updated some of her old routines for modern audiences.  She has enjoyed great success with her new act at Retirement Homes, Synagogues, and other venues.

"I have a wonderful, supportive family," she explained to me.  "I raised four children and everyone has been very encouraging."  It was that sort of climate that caused Miss Lynn to give something to her fellow artists—she has sat on the Boards of SAG, AFTRA and Equity.  "I wanted to make sure actors are treated well," she informed me.

I asked Miss Lynn what was her secret behind her 70+ successful years as an Entertainer?  "I'm getting older, but not old," she smiled. 

Photo Credit:  Steve Riley

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