Evelyn Daw was born Evelyn Pearl Shuck on November 16, 1912, in Geddes, South Dakota. She was the daughter of Walter and Edith Shuck, both of whom came from pioneer families that had settled in South Dakota. From an early age, Daw showed a talent for performance, singing in her church choir and appearing in school plays throughout her childhood.
After graduating from high school in 1930, Daw attended Dakota Wesleyan University for one year. She then moved to Los Angeles to further her musical education, focusing on voice training. While studying, she supported herself by filling in as a soloist at two Los Angeles churches, continuing to refine her vocal abilities and gain performance experience.
Daw became involved in operettas staged by local theater groups in Los Angeles. During one such production, a musician arranged an audition for her with film director Victor Schertzinger. The audition and subsequent screen test led to her casting in the musical film Something to Sing About (1937), in which she appeared opposite James Cagney. She was signed to a contract with Grand National Films, but the opportunity was short-lived when the studio went into receivership, leaving Daw abruptly without a salary or further film prospects.
She made one additional film appearance in the musical Western Panamint’s Bad Man (1938), but this marked the end of her screen career. Daw then returned her focus to stage and musical performance.
In 1940, she served as a general understudy for the stars in the stage production Three After Three. During the summer of 1941, she performed with the Palmerton Players at the Whalom Theater in Massachusetts, taking on a wide range of roles—from comedic youthful characters to leading roles such as the title character in No, No, Nanette. She returned to perform there during subsequent summers throughout the 1940s.
Daw’s musical career also included prestigious concert work. She sang with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and performed in New York City with the Schubert Brothers. Beginning in 1941, she toured extensively with the J. J. Shubert Opera Company, remaining with the company for eleven years. After relocating to San Diego, she continued performing with the Old Globe Theatre.
Following the conclusion of her performing career, Daw transitioned into teaching, becoming a piano and voice instructor in Covina, California. Through her teaching, she passed on her musical training and experience to a new generation of students.
Evelyn Daw was married to Dr. Stewart H. Smith Sr. The couple had four children—two daughters and two sons. She died on November 29, 1970, in San Diego, California, at the age of 58.
