Della Reese was an ordained priest, gospel singer, and actress best known for her role as Tess in the television show Touched by an Angel. And That Reminds Me and Don’t You Know were two of her many chart-topping hits. Reese’s name is still inscribed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
What is the Net Worth of Della Reese?
Della Reese, a singer and actress, had a successful singing and acting career. Her approximate net worth at the time of her death was $3 million. She made a lot of money from the hit show Touched by an Angel. Reese had a successful singing career before becoming an actor, with several songs reaching the top of the charts.
Her Beverly Hills mansion was sold for $7.5 million in November 2014.
Early Life and Education
Delloreese is a kind of Delloreese. Patricia Early, professionally known as Della Reese, was born in Black Bottom, Detroit, Michigan, on July 6, 1931. Her mother, Nellie Early, worked as a Cherokee cook, and her father, Richard Thaddeus Early, worked as an African American steelworker.
Della grew up as an only child because she had some brothers who did not live long enough to see her. Della Reese graduated from Cass Technical High School in Detroit with a diploma. She was the first in her family to graduate from high school, doing so at the age of 15 in 1947. She enrolled in Wayne State University after high school, but dropped out to support her family after her mother’s illness and death.
Television Series, Careers, and Shows
Mahalia Jackson, a gospel artist, discovered Della and encouraged her to pursue a career as a singer. She signed a recording deal with Jubilee Records in 1953 and released six albums for the label. Her specialty was jazz-influenced gospel singing. In 1957, Reese released a song called And That Reminds Me, which went on to top several charts and sell millions of copies. Her fame grew as a result of the song’s success, and she proceeded to release a slew of hit singles. Della shifted her attention to acting after nearly two decades of performing. Her first appearance on television was in her own talk show, Della, which was cancelled after 197 episodes. She was the first black woman to guest-host The Tonight Show Starring Johny Carson in 1970.
In 1968, she made her acting debut in the TV show The Mod Squad. She appeared in her first feature film, Psychic Killer, two years later. Since reluctantly accepting the lead role in the drama Touched by an Angel, her acting career took off like a rocket. Reese’s most recent project was the two-episode series Signed, Sealed, and Delivered, in which he co-starred with Eric Mabius, Kristin Booth, and Crystal Lowe.
Nominations and Awards
Della had won several awards for her performance in Touched by an Angel. In 1960, 1961, and 1999, she was nominated for a Grammy three times. She was honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 7060 Hollywood Boulevard in 1994.
Personal Life
In 1983, Della Reese married Franklin Thomas Lett Jr., a concert producer and journalist. Prior to Reese’s death, they had been married for 45 years. She was married for the fourth time. She had previously been married to Mercer Ellington, an American musician, for less than a year before annulling the union the next year, in 1961. From 1959 to 1961, Reese was married to accountant Leroy Basil Gray.
Vermont Taliaferro, Della’s first partner, was a factory worker. From 1952 to 1958, they were married for six years.
Children are the future
Della had an adopted daughter named Delorese Daniels Owen, who died in 2002 as a result of pituitary disease complications. Dominique Reese, Franklin Reese, and James Reese are her three sons. Franklin Lett Jr., her fourth partner, is the father of her three sons.
Death
Della Reese died at her home in Los Angeles, California, on November 19, 2017. Her cause of death was kept a secret from the general public. She was suffering from Type 2 diabetes.
Age, Height, and Other Facts
- Della Reese died at the age of 86.
- She had a height of 5 feet and 8 inches (1.73 m).
- Reese was friends with many stars like Shirley Jones, Betty White, Eddie Murphy, Oprah Winfrey, and Pat Robertson.
- She became an ordained minister to marry her Touched by an Angel costar, Roma Downey to Matt Burnett.
Date of Birth: | 1931 , July-6 |
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Date of Death: | 2017 , November-19 |
Age: | 89 years old |
Birth Nation: | United States of America |
Height: | 5 Feet 8 Inch |
Name | Della Reese |
Birth Name | Delloreese Patricia Early |
Father | Richard Thaddeus Early |
Mother | Nellie |
Nationality | American |
Birth Place/City | Black Bottom, Detroit, Michigan |
Ethnicity | Black |
Profession | Singer and Actress |
Net Worth | $3 million |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Hair Color | Grey |
Face Color | Brown |
Famous for | Touched by an Angel |
Married | Franklin Thomas Lett Jr, Mercer Ellington, Leroy Basil Gray, Vermont Taliaferro |
Children | Delorese Daniels Owen, Dominique, James, and Franklin Reese |
Divorce | Leroy Basil Gray, Vermont Taliaferro |
Education | Cass Technical High School |
Awards | Image Award, Hollywood Walk of Fame |
Movies | Psychic Killer, Harlem Nights, Dinosaur |
TV Show | Touched by an Angel, McCloud, Insight |
Died | November 19, 2017 |
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