Odessa Warren Grey

Odessa Warren Grey (August 13, 1883 - April 28, 1960), a prominent milliner, entrepreneur, and performer in Harlem, New York. She is best known as the star of a recently rediscovered silent film, Lime Kiln Field Day (1913) where she co-stars with Bert Williams.

Little is known of Odessa Warren's early life. According to her entry in Frank Lincoln Mather's Who's Who of the Colored Race: A General Biographical Dictionary of Men and Women of African Descent (1915), she was born in Greenfield, Ohio on August 13, 1883 to Edward A. and Sadie K. (Tyre) Warren. However, the 1900 Federal Census lists Edward and Sadie Warren as having been married for six years (or since 1894), with daughter Odessa aged 17.

Odessa Warren exhibited a number of talents from an early age. An accomplished seamstress, clothes designer and milliner, she also was a dancer and singer in minstrel shows, vaudeville, and the musical productions that heralded the beginning of the tradition of African-American musical theater. She, with her cousin, actress Madge Warren (born Madge Wadkins), were in the traveling companies of Williams and Walker's The Policy Players(1899-1900). After Madge left the stage to marry the world lightweight boxing champion Joe Gans, Odessa continued on the boards, and in 1902, joined Williams and Walker's production of In Dahomey.

In 1903 this production, with music by Will Marion Cook and lyrics by Paul Laurence Dunbar moved to New York City, where it became the first black musical to open on Broadway. When the show went to London, she went also, returning to New York City with the company on the S.S. Aurania in June 1904. In 1906, again with her cousin Madge (who was separated from her husband) Odessa Warren was in Ernest Hogan's show Rufus Rastus.

Odessa Warren continued on the stage while attending to the costume needs of the women of the theatrical profession. In 1908, she announced her retirement from the stage, in order to "confine her labors in the direction of business pursuits." She decided to go full-time as a milliner after making the "Bon Bon Buddy" hats for the women of the "Williams and Walker Show, and was praised in the highest terms by the management for her work."

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