Loretta Clemens Tupper

Loretta Nellie Clemens Tupper (May 6, 1906 – September 17, 1990) was an American singer, pianist and vaudevillian and radio actress., who later added television and film appearances to her impressive repertoire. In her early career she was known as Loretta Clemens and in her later career she was known as Loretta Tupper She featured in numerous television commercials and was famous for playing the old lady in the Fruit of the Loom television commercials from the 1980s. She was a character on the PBS television show Sesame Street called Mrs. Mae Trump in the 1980s. She played small roles in numerous movies. Early career In the early 1930s, Loretta and her brother Jack Clemens played music in a band called Loretta and Jack. They recorded a number of songs including "Stop! You're Breaking My Heart" from the album Jazz Guitar Varieties, written by Ted Koehler and Burton Lane, "(What Did I Do To Be So) Black and Blue" written by Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf and composed by Thomas "Fats" Waller, from the album Jazz Guitar Varieties and "Just A Little Girl" written by S. B. Fishburne. In the early 1930s Loretta was a member of a trio band called The Triolettes, along with Eunice Miller and Marjorie Sullivan. Recordings Title Artist Company Number Speed/Size Recording Date With/From Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Loretta Clemens Tupper Perfect 15827-A 78 10-in. 09/23/1933 (Harry Reiser and his Eskimos)