Bassett Family Association Database

Marcella Margaret Bassett

Female 1907 - 2007  (99 years)


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  • Name Marcella Margaret Bassett 
    Born 24 Oct 1907  LaGrange, Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    _UID 923BFF22CA0766419A258BFEF9E69673968B 
    Died 27 May 2007 
    Notes 
    • Dallas Morning News,
      June 3, 2007
      Margaret Bassett Johnson
      (Picture included)
      Margaret Bassett Johnson, 99, Musician, Model, Radio & TV Personality, a resident of Walnut Place, Dallas, died peacefully on May 27, 2007. Born Marcella Margaret Bassett, October 24, 1907 in LaGrange, Missouri, she was the oldest child of Reverend Wallace Bassett and his first wife, Charlotte. A skilled pianist at an early age, Margaret attended Hannibal-LaGrange College in Missouri and Baylor University in Waco, graduating in 1928 and marrying young tenor and fellow graduate Travis Johnson of Troup, Texas. The couple moved to New York City in 1931 to pursue musical careers. In New York, tall, blond Margaret quickly found work as a model and appeared regularly in newspaper and national magazine ads. In 1936, she joined the Bob Hope radio show as "Honey Chile." She turned down a Hollywood contract to remain in New York with her husband where they organized the Song Spinners quartet, providing musical backgrounds for "The Wayside Cottage," a radio show dramatizing early American folk Ballads. Here Johnson emerged as one of New York's top vocal arrangers. In 1943 the Song Spinners had two hit records on the Decca Label, "You'll Never Know," backing up crooner Dick Haymes and their own "Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer." Margaret and the Song Spinners did similar work with Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald, and performed on numerous radio shows of the 40's and 50's, including "Melody Roundup with Roy Rogers and Andy Devine, "The Henry Aldrich Show," "The House of Mystery" and the "I'd Walk a Mile" quiz show with Bill Cullen. From 1949 to 1952 Johnson hosted her own daily television show in New York, the "Maggie Johnson, Television Shopper Show," interviewing guests and demonstrating new household products. By the mid 1950's, Johnson was a prominent composer-lyricist of jingles, creating musical identities for many products including the highly successful "Winston taste good, like a (clap clap) cigarette should." This was named one of the ten job jingles of the twentieth century by Advertising Age Magazine. Margaret retired to Dallas with her husband in 1967 and was widowed in 1970. Then she began her final career as a volunteer pianist for organizations throughout Dallas, giving hundreds of sing-along performances at numerous senior rest homes, including Walnut Place, where she became a resident in 2004. Margaret Bassett Johnson is survived by her brother, Dr. Wallace Bassett of Dallas, her three children, Wallace "Hank" Johnson of Westminster, Maryland, Janet Presswood of Dallas, and Claudia Orpin of Long Beach, California, grandchildren Dan Stover, and Dr. Scott Stover and Joshua Orpin of Dallas, Dr. Amy Lungren and Jennifer Lawton of Lewisville, Texas, Christine Dyer of Vina del Mar, Chile, Mark Johnson of New York, New York, Brian Johnson of Union Bridge, Maryland, and Maggie Orpin of Huntington Beach, California as well as great-grandchildren Peter and Janet Lawton, Nathan, Andrew and Matthew Lungren and Kimberly Orpin. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., June 16th at Cliff Temple Baptist Church, 125 Sunset Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75208.
    Person ID I997  2B Thomas Bassett of Virginia
    Last Modified 20 Aug 2013 

    Father Reverend Wallace Bassett,   b. 31 Dec 1884, Middle Grove, Monroe County, Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Oct 1968, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 83 years) 
    Mother Charlotte (Lottie) Bounds,   b. Abt 1887, Missouri Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 4 Dec 1938  (Age ~ 51 years) 
    Married 25 Dec 1906 
    Family ID F330  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Travis Johnson,   b. Troup, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1970 
    Children 
     1. Wallace (Hank) Johnson
     2. Janet Johnson
     3. Claudia Johnson
    Family ID F331  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart