MOLLY BEE

1939 – 2008

She started as a pig-tailed moppet rocketing to fame singing “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” in 1952.  Country fans adored Molly Bee who had no problem transitioning to adult star.  A great stage personality with a crystal clear voice (and a penchant for yodeling) helped her become a staple in the country music field.  

Molly Beachboard (Molly Bee) was born in 1939 in Oklahoma City.  Her family moved to Tennessee and then to Tucson, Arizona where she took dancing and singing lessons and honed her yodeling skills. 

When her mother had 10-year-old Molly sing “Lovesick Blues” for country singer Rex Allen, he was so impressed that he put her on his radio show.  She was a hit.  In hopes that the youngster could make it in show business, the family moved to Hollywood.  Their gamble paid off.   She was introduced to Cliffie Stone who had a local TV show featuring country artists called “Hometown Jamboree.” It only took one appearance before he made the 11-year-old a regular on his show.  Molly became one of the most popular performers on the program along with Tennessee Ernie Ford.   

At age 12, she was signed by Capitol Records and went into the studio to record some of her first released recordings including her memorable Christmas hit.  By her 13th birthday, her 78’s would start to be released.  First up was the 2-sided “The Kids Who Pay” and “Tennessee Tango.”   But it was her second release, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” that made her famous.  It was 1952---the same year that Jimmy Boyd’s version became a sensation on pop radio stations, but to country music fans Molly’s version was the definitive one.   

Meanwhile, she was becoming so popular on “Hometown Jamboree” that the program was becoming known as “The Molly Bee Show.”  And the personable Molly Bee was also charming audiences in live stage performances throughout Southern California. 

By 1954, she had also become a regular on Pinky Lee's frantic daytime children’s show. Though virtually unknown today, “The Pinky Lee Show” was enormously popular to kids around the country especially since its time period preceded megahit “Howdy Doody.”  The show brought Molly a recognition from a new group---millions of children her own age who would grow up with Molly and remain fans throughout her career. 

The same year she made her screen debut in “Corral Cuties” a musical featurette with Cliffie Stone and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Molly and Ford sang their country duet “Don’t Start Courtin’ in a Hot Rod.” In 1955 she became a regular on Tennessee Ernie’s daytime show.  When Ford went nighttime in 1957, Molly made several guest appearances.  The two remained friends throughout their lives.

Molly’s recording career continued to flourish.  She had many country hits at Capitol Records besides her signature song—two of the biggest being “Five Points of A Star” and “Don’t Look Back.”  But in 1955, she signed with Corral Records where they tried for a more mature image (though she was just 15 years old).  But the next year she dumped the record company for the bigger Dot Records where her first recording had a rockabilly flavor, the memorable  “Sweet Shoppe Sweetheart.”  

By now, she was appearing in large arenas around the country, state fairs and rodeos. She was also a popular guest on television variety shows including Gisele Mackenzie, Ray Anthony, Dinah Shore and Jack Benny.  Also in 1959 she appeared on a Lawrence Welk episode as the guest “Champagne Lady” and in a Bob Hope USO special.