haines his way

11/16/2002:
"ROAM FREE THE WILD WORLD"

Well, dear readers, here it is, the blessed weekend. I do have to write these here notes quickly because the blessed cleaning lady is coming, but all I can say is, oh the peace, the blessed peace – oh, a Sondheim reference. I got a very good night’s sleep, too. Luckie isn’t coming until two o’clock, so I was not awakened early this morning. Well, let’s get on with it, because soon I will be given the evil eye by the cleaning lady – plus we’ve got excellent questions to answer, an Unseemly Trivia Contest, and so much more.
First of all, hie yourselves to the Unseemly Interview section and read Miss Donna Lynne Champlin’s unseemly interview, which is lovely. She holds nothing back. Of course, why should she hold nothing back, what did nothing ever do to her? Let nothing roam free the wild world. Wasn’t that poetic? Wasn’t that just too too? In any case, you will enjoy her interview, and there are many revealing things in it.
Tonight I must attend a birthday dinner which I really do not wish to attend, however I will attend it anyway because that’s the kind of guy I’m. I will, however, be bidin’ my time – oh, a Gershwin reference – counting the minutes until I can home and do nothing, which is what I prefer to do on these blessed weekends.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because that is the only way we’ll see the answers to your excellent questions. If you don’t click on the Unseemly Button below then you will be stuck here reading these same words over and over again until you want to rip the very eyes out their very sockets and then you will have big gaping holes in your face and no one will talk to you and you will be shunned, oh, yes, you will be shunned. So, click away.

I am so glad you all clicked away, because frankly the thought of you with big gaping holes in your face was not a pretty one. In any case, let’s get right to your excellent questions and, as always, I will hold nothing back because nothing must be allowed to roam free the wild world.
Jrand asks what is the best South Pacific CD to buy? Hmmm. Well, I suppose the OCR, even though the sound isn’t wonderful. I like parts of other recordings, including the recent Lauren Kennedy one, which no one else seems to like at all. But performance-wise, you can’t really do better than Mary Martin, at least for now.
Jose asks if I come from an artistic/musical family. Well, my mother enjoyed singing and my father, at one time, played the violin (yes, Virginia, he played the violin, he tucked it right under his chin – oh, a Sherman Edwards reference) and he enjoyed noodling at the piano. But during my childhood, I would have to say no, they weren’t artistic and/or musical to any great extent. Have I ever seen snow? But, of course. From 1993 to now, I have been in New York at least two or three times during the snow season. Do I like snow? I believe in snow – oh, a King and I reference. I do like snow. One of my fondest snow memories ever: I went to see Blood Brothers with Petula and the Cassidy boys. I was considering recording it and so after the show I was taken to meet Miss Petula Clark in her dressing room. After meeting, the two of us walked over to Sardi’s for dinner. The whole way, there was so much snow, that she just clung to my arm, and I thought, how cool is this – walking with Petula Clark in the snow and dining at Sardi’s? I didn’t end up recording it, but I did end up making an album with her and we became fast friends and I adore her. I saw her at the party for the last STAGE benefit and we just gabbed for a solid hour. Has there ever been a “take” during a recording session that I wish I could have used but that was unusable due to a glitch or problem. Not really, although early on, Vinnie used to sometimes just erase a partial take without asking me, and after four or five times of me casting a nasty glance his way, he learned to ask first – because there are sometimes one or two-line gem performances that are magic, and even though the take was aborted, I might be able to use those bits.
Philip Crosby asks me to cast a production of Follies using all the old MGM stars. Well, it depends on what era the film would have been made. Cheating a bit (she only did one MGM film), I bet Judy Holliday could have been a lovely Sally, and so would Jane Powell. Phyllis is much more difficult to come up with. Judy Garland could have done it, I suppose, and she could also have done Carlotta. I suppose the obvious would have been Howard Keel as Ben and Gene Kelly as Buddy. Jeanette MacDonald could have been Heidi. Marge and Gower could have done the Bolero d’Amour. Carlton Carptenter and Debbie Reynolds, Rain on the Roof. Twenty years ago, Betty Garrett could have really done Broadway Baby, especially with some direction.
Sandra asks if I won the eBay auction I was interested in last Saturday. No. Damn them, damn them all to hell.
William E. Lurie notes that I regularly report on DVDs, CDs, plays and tv shows that I see and hear, but feels I never talk about books. What book am I currently reading and what are a few of my favorite all-time books? Truthfully, since writing Benjamin Kritzer I have read no fiction at all (I’ve read the book on Sunset Blvd. and a large book about the Italian director, Mario Bava) – and, because I’m into the sequel quite heavily, I just don’t want to read any fiction while I’m writing. Some of my favorites (they’re pretty standard great books) – To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies, Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Wanting Seed (by Anthony Burgess), The Chill by Ross MacDonald, Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes by George Hopley (aka Cornell Woolrich), A Kiss Before Dying and Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin, The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham, the short stories of John Collier and John Cheever and Ray Bradbury, The Shining, and many many more.
Steveg asks what kind of audio-visual system I have. I have a widescreen 55 inch Mitsubishi TV (HDTV ready), a nice surround sound system (5 speakers), a progressive scan DVD player. Do I have satellite or cable? Just plain old cable, which I rarely watch. How big is the room in which I watch my DVDs? It’s a very large den, perfect for viewing.
Laura asks what my opinion of Madonna is. As a singer and as a star? You know, there are certain things I’m just never going to “get”, and Madonna is one of them. I don’t like her voice, I don’t like her publicity-crazy persona, and I don’t like people who try so hard to be ever-changing and hip.
Craig asks using only one song from as many states or cities that I can – what are my favorites? California, Here I Come, Ev’ry Street’s a Boulevard in Old New York, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Gary, Indiana, My Kind of Town (Chicago Is), Hooray for Hollywood, A Beautiful Day in Brooklyn, and of course the wonderful Meltz and Ernest song, Crab Cakes in Tarzana.
Kerry asks if there are any ad libs on any of the CDs I’ve produced, or did I know everything ahead of time? Oh, there are always little unexpected things that happen that are unplanned and unrehearsed, like the end of Jason Graae’s Strouse album, but mostly it’s all well-planned out in advance.
Ron Pulliam asks how I feel the fans of the types of recordings I produce ought to react or not react when posting to specialty sites on the Internet? On one site that Mr. Pulliam frequents, it has been suggested that fans get down on their knees and kiss the posterior of the producers of such albums. You know, I’ve said since the day I produced my first album, the buck stops with me – I take full responsibility for what I produce. If people respond to it and like it, great. If they have complaints, that’s fine, too. I have never minded criticism, if it’s well thought out and not whiny. I’ve also had people write me truly angry letters about this, that or the other, and instead of just tossing those letters or shining them on, I addressed their comments and gave the reasons why I did what I did, and in every one of those cases the people ended up writing a followup nice letter, because they’d had someone actually listen to them. I don’t always agree with criticism, but I always listen to it and give it thought. I can’t tell you the awful things people wrote because I’d let Dame Edna sing Losing My Mind. You’d have thought I committed some act of homicide and that I was the lowest form of vermin on the planet. It didn’t bother me that those people didn’t like the performance – I knew going in it would divide people right down the middle, some would “get” it and some would abhor it (Mr. Sondheim “got” it and loved it), and that’s why I did it. It wasn’t safe, and I think it’s fun to take chances artistically, even if you know some people will be offended by said chances. But no one has ever had to kiss my posterior, unless they’ve wanted to.
Arnold M. Brockman thinks that Mr. Stephen Sondheim is the very best lyricist ever. His second choice would by E.Y. Harburg. Who are my favorite lyricists, and why? The why takes hours, but I love Ira Gershwin for his facility with language and cleverness with rhymes, I love Mr. Sondheim for everything, the subtlety, the depth, the word-play, the emotion, the humor and his view of the human condition, I love Miss Dorothy Fields for her wonderful sense of language and clever way with a phrase, I love Miss Sylvia Fine for the same reasons. I am quite partial to Mr. Frank Loesser, he, in fact, is usually very underrated, but he’s just a wonderful wordsmith. And many many others.
Michael Shayne asks if there’s an instrumental version of a song (like Maria by Sondheim and Bernstein), does the lyricist get royalties or just the composer. Whoever is listed on the composition gets royalties – so both lyricist and composer get them. On the CD Out at the Movies the final track is Theme from an Unknown Movie. Is it really an unknown movie, and have I collaborated with anyone else musically. I normally don’t collaborate, but at one time, when I was going to do (and I still may) a revue of my What If songs, I wrote the lyrics to a title song called What If, and I had Claibe Richardson write the music, which he did a wonderful job on. Maybe I’ll print the lyric here one of these days. What was the process of composing the song with Grant Geissman? I seem to remember that I came up with the chord structure and part of the melody first (I was really just noodling at the piano). He joined me and we just improvised until we had something we liked and then we did one take of it and that was that. Of all the albums I’ve produced are there any that I wish I hadn’t produced and which would be my top ten favorites? Oh, I suppose there are a couple I would rather not have done – a singer or two, and a show or two, but you know they’re all my children. As to favorites, I’m partial to Liz Callaway’s The Story Goes On, Lost in Boston 1 and 4, Unsung Musicals, Prime Time Musicals, The King and I, A Broadway Love Story and oh who can choose?
JMK asks if I’ve ever had an incredible idea only to have found out someone else had done it? Oh, certainly I’ve pitched film ideas that I thought were wonderfully original, only to be told they had something similar in development (of course, they say that – but then I never ever see the end result, so maybe they’re lying). I once wrote a spoof of Ray Harryhausen films, called The Seventh Voyage of Howard (which came very close to getting made with Cannon Films) – early on, we heard that someone else had a totally similar film to it. It turned out to be my script, with a different name on it and a different author. Needless to say, we could never find out who or where the “author” was, but we put a stop to that pronto.
And now, Dino at the piano – oh, a Kathryn Kuhlman reference (how obscure, even for me). And now, our Unseemly Trivia Contest question for your mental delectation.
This unsuccessful musical by authors who were accustomed to success, had in its ensemble a player who would go on to win an Academy Award. Also in its cast was a fine jazz/cabaret performer. Also in its cast was someone who would go on to become a major soap opera star. Also in its cast was someone who would go on to star in a smash hit musical a couple of years later, a role they would later recreate on film. That person would also star in a TV series.
Name the musical.
Name the ensemble player who would win an Academy Award
Name the fine jazz/cabaret performer
Name the person who would go on to soap opera stardom
Name the person who would soon star in a smash hit musical on both stage and screen, and name the TV series they later starred in.
Remember, DO NOT POST THE ANSWERS TO THE SITE. Send them to me at bruce@haineshisway.com or by simply using the unseemly Ask BK Button located on our unseemly home page. Good luck to one and all and also all and one. Answers accepted until midnight Monday.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, like nothing I must roam free the wild world, and I must get the hell out of here because I am being given the evil eye by you-know-who. Today’s topic of discussion: Every time we do these favorite songs of a composer topics, I end up replaying albums I haven’t heard in a long time – for example, I pulled out all my Michel Legrand albums yesterday, and have been loving them all over again (I was especially taken with Peau d’Ane, which I hadn’t heard in years). So, what are your favorite Beatles’ songs? I haven’t taken out my Beatles albums for years, and it’s high time I did. Not only what are your favorite Beatles Beatles’ songs, but what are your favorite other interpretations of them, as well – for example, I love Judy Collins’ In My Life, and several instrumental jazz versions, too, like Wes Montgomery’s A Day in the Life. I’ll chime in with my choices later today.

Replies: 48 Unseemly Comments

Well, this one should be a given to anyone who reads my posts, but Sergio's wonderful reimagining of "Fool on the Hill," with its tip of the hat to Bacharach, has always been a favorite of mine.
Posted by JMK @ 11/16/2002 10:00 AM PST

As wonderful as all BK's answers were, I don't know if he answered the question "Is 'Theme From an Unknown Movie" really from an unknown movie? I think he headed in that direction and then veered off. Or my comprehension skills deserted me.
Folks, I watched the expanded "Fellowship of the Ring" last night.
As excellent a film as it was theatrically, I personally feel the additional footage (which someone who never saw the film would never in a million years know had been cut) turns the film into a virtual masterpiece.
I have been, in my past, devoted to JRR Tolkien's works and love the trilogy very much. The theatrical movie was, given all considerations, everything one could have hoped for. At least, that's what I thought until i saw the expanded version.
Peter Jackson not only insured that this footage was as polished as the footage he used theatrically, he gave Howard Shore license to rescore various sequences so that the score flowed with the additional footage.
The result is totally and genuinedly breathtaking. I had tears in my eyes, so stunning a difference this footage makes.
What the new footage does:
Establishes with more clarity the nature of hobbits and their way of life
Establishes that elves are leaving middle earth in small groups, making references to "diminishing" and "going West" more cogent.
All the travels of the hobbits with Strider, and later with the companions, take on more dramatic impact as you see the rigors of their travels (i.e., its less a travelogue approach and more like an arduous journey).
The Strider/Aragorn-Rivendell connection is established and deepened -- Viggo Mortensen's characterization of Striker/Aragon really gets fleshed out.
At the door to the Mines of Moria, there is great humor in a few scenes establishing that the Great Gandalf the Grey cannot do everything as he tries various tricks to get the door to open, including pounding on the rocks.
When the companions approach Lothlorien, MAGIC HAPPENS. There is so much that was cut from this sequence..and it's all extremely gratifying to see it was filmed! You see the elves who capture the companions take them on a journey to the heart of elfdom -- you see the kingdom in daylight and nightfall and the music is extremely fleshed out and rich and mystical. It's glorious. Cate Blanchett's Galadriel blossoms into the lady of the wood. We see the gift giving -- we see references to the elf bread -- lembas -- which will sustain Frodo in much of his journey to come; we see the receipt of the elvish rope to Samwise that will save their lives in their ordeal to come; we learn what great gift she gave Gimli that made this elf-hating dwarf become enamored of an elf -- three golden hairs from her head.
THIS FOOTAGE IS EVERYTHING TO A LOTR FAN!!!!!!
And now we have it. I cannot recommend this movie HIGHLY enough in its expanded edition. IT IS A MASTERPIECE OF CINEMATIC STORYTELLING.
Okay, so I loved it.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/16/2002 10:11 AM PST

Well, I've only ever heard one Beatles song, and that was She Loves You Yessiree, Bob as sung by The Plaids.
Posted by Sandra @ 11/16/2002 10:13 AM PST

Beatles: Imagine, I am the Walrus
Favorite non-Beatle Beatles album:
Percy Faith plays the Beatles
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/16/2002 10:15 AM PST

I don't know who the singer is, but I like the version of "In My Life" that is used as the theme on PROVIDENCE.
Off to NEW GIRL IN TOWN. Back later with my comments.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 11/16/2002 10:15 AM PST

Ron: The Percy Faith Beatles album is due on CD within mere moments!
Posted by JMK @ 11/16/2002 11:03 AM PST

Strange, I was just playing a tape of an old mono Michel Legrand LP in my car last evening. RIO, one of his early Columbia Records series of concept albums based on European cities (Paris, Roma, etc) and countries (Spain).
As always the arrangements are utterly original with amazing soloists. His jazzy spins on the over-recorded "Brazil" and "Baia" are especially unique, yet so appealing.
Michel sometimes does go over the edge though, check out his "Blue Danube" on the ALL-over-the-place VIENNA album, probably his most bizarre Columbia LP.
(I never thought I'd be able to post about these albums ANYWHERE!)
I realize probably not many people may be interested in this topic, but I wish we could sometime discuss arrangers, both from this era of recording and from Broadway. (I know we both admire Percy Faith, Bruce).
Arrangers seldom get their due credit, sad because their contributions are key.
BTW Bruce, have you noticed the arrangments on the PEAU D'ANE LP are not the ones used in the film?
The LP adds some kind of soft rock beat to some of the tunes, and which I at first thought was part of the deliberately anachronistic style of the film itself.
Better stop.
Posted by Ross Care @ 11/16/2002 11:24 AM PST

Yes, Rosemary's Baby is a great book. Good choice Bruce. Have you read the book Son Of Rosemary? It's a sequel to it. Rosemary's son is now grown up and she is older and...well that's all I'm going to say. If you get a chance give it a try because it has an interesting ending.
Posted by Brandon @ 11/16/2002 12:57 PM PST

Questions not answered again! Am I Hurt? Am I Blue? I'll just have to find more interesting questions I guess.
The Beatles: Thanks Sandra I aged substantially after your post!
In My Life. You Won't see Me. If I Fell. And I Love Her.
My favourite Beatle's single was Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever.
Elenore Rigby is a great song too.
Versions: The Judy Collins "In My Life: is great. I always liked the Jose Feliciano version of "Here, There & Everywhere" too.(He just plays and does not sing). "Across The Universe" by Fiona Apple(used in "Pleasantville" is good also.
Re: LOTR. I had decided to not go ahead and buy the new "set". After Ron's comments it looks like I will be spending money again. I love the original release and can't wait for the new film.
Speaking of Percy Faith and such, I have a vinyl version of "She Loves Me" by Frank Chacksfield. Does anyone out there know it?
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 11/16/2002 01:19 PM PST

Francois mon ami, you are a wonder. Should we exchange Hollywood for Broadway?
Posted by Tom Guest @ 11/16/2002 01:20 PM PST

Tom from Oz - sorry, I don't know how I missed it, ask again now and I'll answer it. Spiffy calendar arrived - THANKS!
Ron - if I wasn't clear, Theme from an Unknown Movie is not from a movie - we made it up. I mean, in the sense that it's not really from a movie it could be from un unknown movie, albeit one that doesn't exist.
Posted by bk @ 11/16/2002 01:36 PM PST

Funny thing, of the many complaints that I had vis a vis the theatrical release of "Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring", I don't believe that 'its too short' would have been one of them. My gosh, the movie is at least an hour too long to begin with, and now they've gone and *added* to it??! Yikes!
I believe I'll save my money, thanks.
Posted by Dave @ 11/16/2002 01:47 PM PST

Favourite Beatles songs - "She's Leaving Home", "And I Love Her", "Here, There and Everywhere", "Eleanor Rigby".
Unfortunately right now I don't have time to listen to any of them because I'm on three different sodding deadlines this weekend. Oh well. Back to work.
Posted by Stephen Farrow @ 11/16/2002 02:01 PM PST

Thanks BK. The question was "What are your favourite title themes from James Bond movies?".
I collect them and whilst some are very ordinary, the Madonna one from the new movie is really dreadful. (Die Another Day).
I like the Carly Simon, Dusty Springield, Rita Coolidge, Lani Hall & Sheena Easton themes best.
The McCartney effort for "Live & Let Die" got it right too.
Glad the calendar arrived (it made two trips! The address was right the first time too)
Posted by Tom Guest @ 11/16/2002 02:05 PM PST

In My Life is my favorite Beatles song.
I too, thought that LORD OF THE RINGS needed more, and after many silly arguments in a certain newsgroup, I have popped it into my player, BUT, I am not watching the movie, oh, no! I am spending this cold, rainy Saturday with the Appendeces of the dvd set.
5 and one half hours of interesting and worthwhile documentaries with cast, crew, designers, sword-makers. Maps of Middle Earth! Maps of New Zealand as Middle Earth! Wow!
I had thought that Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was going to get my vote for #1 dvd set of the year, but, LotR has just eclipsed it by a hair - or a hare, if you're in an ALICE IN WONDERLAND frame of mind.
Posted by td @ 11/16/2002 02:54 PM PST

It is not my wish to have unduly influenced anyone toward the 5-DVD or 4-DVD expanded set (those bookends ARE gorgeous, though).
I'm watching the movie again today. There's more "Bilbo" material, including a scene inside Bag End where Bilbo has a panic attack because he cannot find the ring (which is in his vest pocket). The music is stunning and the all-important effect of the ring on Bilbo is immediately established.
Too long? Too long?
The film seems short to me! The length wasn't any kind of issue so well-made and well-told is the story. Of course, that won't wash with everyone. I know a person or two who hasn't yet made it all the way through GWTW!
For anyone "wavering," I recommend you rent the expanded DVD first.
JMK: Thanks for the news on the Percy Faith album. It's a winner and it's about time!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/16/2002 03:35 PM PST

Has anyone mentioned here
that Ray Conniff has reached
Musical Heaven this past
October 12, to conduct the Big
Band In The Skies with
arrangements by Percy Faith ?
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 03:43 PM PST

When one doesn't like
something, it's ALWAYS too
long !
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 04:09 PM PST

Favorite Bond songs: Goldfinger, From Russia with Love, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, We Have all the Time in the World, Live and Let Die, Nobody Does it Better.
Posted by bk @ 11/16/2002 04:42 PM PST

Favorite Beatles song ?
"Yellow submarine"
I'm joking, I'm joking.... BUT
the French adaptation by
Maurice Chevalier -- Le
Sousmarin Vert -- "GREEN
submarine" -- was quite a hit !
MY choice: Ticket To Ride, the
Carpenters' version.
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 05:27 PM PST

Thank you for the answer to my South Pacific query, Mr. K. For some reason I had an aversion to Mary Martin. Then I happened to win a 45 rpm Extended Play set of the OBC and listened to it. I WAS WRONG!
Just got the Flower Drum Song Soundtrack CD!!! Too bad they didn't extend the Grant Avenue dance track, but it is fun nonetheless.
Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/16/2002 05:41 PM PST

Favorite Beatles song In My Life....but album Sgt Pepper's Lonelyhearts Club band.
Favorite cover....In My Life...by Oliver!
Posted by Jrand @ 11/16/2002 05:44 PM PST

Another favorite Beatles song:
The Ugly Bug Ball...by Birl Ives.
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 05:54 PM PST

I like to go the other way with Beatles song. They "covered" a Broadway song. After Miss Barbara Cook's version I think that the Fab Four's version Till There Was You is great!
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 11/16/2002 05:58 PM PST

Beatles' songs: "Hey Jude" brings back childhood memories of singing along with the song and guessing which chorus was the last chorus. I used to know the exact number, but not anymore...
"The Fool On the Hill" - ...One of those it's so bad it's painfully funny memory from a grade school talent show.
"In My Life" - I don't think I've ever heard Judy Collins version - or at least "actively listened" to it, but I do like Bette Midler's version from For the Boys.
"Eleanor Rigby" - The string arrangement for the song always gets my attention.
BK - Thanks for your Petula Clark story. I remember being pleasantly surprised that I liked Blood Brothers as much I did. Saw it twice in fact with Ms. Clark and the Cassidy brothers - and I always wished Sean's character had more to sing.
Jrand55 - The OCR of South Pacific is definitely definitive even with the aforementioned sound issues. I haven't bought the latest CD incarnation, but I may sometime soon. The complete set that JAY released is good, and, as it is with other titles in that series, it's nice having the complete show on CD. *My guilty pleasure recording of the show was the one that Jose Carreras and Kiri Te Kanawa did for CBS(Sony) - on the heels of their West Side Story for DG. Quite an interesting recording, and even though it does have some inherent faults, imho, there are some really nice things to recommend it should you still see it in a clearance rack somewhere. The Overture is recorded complete, as is the Entr'acte. And Mandy Patinkin is suprisingly restrained as Cable, but Sarah Vaughan's Bloody Mary is quite fun. I would have loved to hear her record a jazz version of the songs with a swingin' band and/or trio.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 11/16/2002 06:39 PM PST

My favorite "South Pacific" is the OST in the film. The brilliant orchestral performance under the inspired leadership of Alfred Newman, with all the underscore he fabricated from both the R&H melodies and his own fertile mind. Mitzi Gaynor and Ezio Pinza's vocals are superb. The choral work is phenomenal. And the reprises of the various songs within the film are magical.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/16/2002 06:54 PM PST

Dear Ron:
It was not Ezio Pinza in the film. he did it on stage. It was Giorgio Tozzi dubbing for Rossano Brazzi.
Also Bill Lee (Christopher Plummers' singing voice in The Sound of Music)dubbed John Kerr and Juanita Hall who sang the role on stage was dubbed by the actress who did it in London: Muriel Smith!
The rest of the cast with the exception of Ray Walston were also dubbed by the "Ken Darby" singers among them were:Betty Wand (partially dubbed Rita Moreno in West Side Story) and Thurl ravenscroft who was best known as the voice of Tony the Tiger on the TV commercials
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 11/16/2002 07:10 PM PST

Way to go, Michael !
Did you know that Thurl
Ravenscroft -- who's still well
and alive ! Ain't that grreeaattt
?-- and Bill Lee were, for many
years, part of a quartet called
The Mellowmen, and backed
up many singers like Doris
Day and Rosemary Clooney ,
and did loads of work for the
Disney Studios ?
I'm sure you know.
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 07:42 PM PST

While we're on the subject of
Giorgio Tozzi, I wish they --
DRG are you reading ? --
would put to CD a nice and
very ignored recording of
ROSE MARIE with Mr Tozzi and
Julie Andrews.
Yes, Virginia, Julie Andrews !
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 07:48 PM PST

And... speaking of DRG
records, they have a nice cd of
songs -- demos -- sung by
Frank Loesser himself, Nancy
Andrews and some male
singer they can't identify
themselves !!!
I'll tell you who's that singer;
yes, I will, Virginia. I will.
My, it's Tony himself: Mr Thurl
Ravenscroft.
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 07:52 PM PST

The London recording of
South Pacific with Gemma
Craven is not bad either. Not
bad!
Oops, I should refrain from
posting; looks like I'm
squatting the site. SORRY!
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 07:58 PM PST

While on the subject of South Pacific, how about the studio cast recording with: Frank Sinatra. Jo Stafford, The McGuire Sisters, keely Smith, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr, Dinah Shore, Debbie Reynolds, The Hi-Lo's and Rosemary Clooney!!
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 11/16/2002 08:36 PM PST

Nice to a positive comment about the Kiri South Pacific. I thought Mandy's "Younger Than Springtime" was great. I am late reading this but "The Ugly Bug" made me smile. BURL. Led me to thinking about the 1960 song "Little Cricket"- The Royal Teens. (Not to be confused with Cricket Blake - for those old enough to remember.)
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 11/16/2002 08:39 PM PST

As some people might now the two best cut songs from South Pacific were The Loniless of Evening and My Girl Back Home. The Former was used in the 2nd TV version of Cinderella, and the latter was reinstated for the film version and filmed but cut from the TV version.
But there are two other songs written for but not used.
Will You Marry Me was later used in Pipe Dream.
Suddenly Lucky music was reused in The King and I as Getting To Know You.
Other trivia:
To date: South Pacific is the only show (play or musical) to sweep the four acting catagories (Lead Actors/Supporting Actors)
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 11/16/2002 08:41 PM PST

Thanks BK for the Bonding.
Francois, do you know Spike Milligan's "Purple Aeroplane" and Peter Sellers version of "A Hard Day's Night"?
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 11/16/2002 08:42 PM PST

The Trivia is amazing. I enjoy it so much I have not the time to check on this week's quiz.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 11/16/2002 08:43 PM PST

Anyone ever hear Peter Sellars sing George Gershwin? It's a classic.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 11/16/2002 08:49 PM PST

I have to admit with shame i'm
completely ignorant when it
comes to the Beatles.
"The Ugly Bug Ball" is a real
song tho.
I'm not that smart to make that
up; it's a Sherman Brothers
funny ditty for Summer Magic,
starring the one and only
Hayley Mills.
Birl was a slip of the key.
Yep, Burl Ives was in that film
too, as well as Dorothy
McGuire who left us not too
long ago......
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 08:55 PM PST

Magnus & Fosca like the Sherman Bros songs too. They hope to hear the BK produced album in their lifetime.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 11/16/2002 09:05 PM PST

Don't we all here ?
I don't know the Sellers and
Milligan works but I can guess
that they're quite a riot....
Posted by François @ 11/16/2002 09:26 PM PST

Once a lonely caterpillar sat
and cried,
To a sympathetic beatle by his
side:
"I've got nobody to hug,
I'm such an ugly bug!"
Then a spider and a dragon fly
replied,
"If you're serious and want to
win a bride,
Come along with us,
To the glorious
Annual ugly bug ball."
Come on let's crawl,
Gotta crawl, gotta crawl
To the ugly bug ball
To the ball, to the ball.
And a happy time we'll have
there
One and all
At the ugly bug ball.
While the crickets clicked their
tricky melodies,
All the ants were
fancy-dancing with the fleas.
Then up from under the
ground,
The worms came squirming
around.
Everyone was glad! What a
time they had!
They were so happy they
came!
Posted by Richard & Robert S. @ 11/16/2002 09:48 PM PST

Dear BK -- I hope you enjoyed your day off today. A whole day with nothing you HAD to do.
Posted by Laura @ 11/16/2002 09:55 PM PST

Of course it was Giorgio Tozzi singing for Rossano Brazzi in the film of "South Pacific" -- along with Mary Martin, right?
: )
Thurl Ravenscroft's voice is also linked with the 60s animated TV musical "The Grinch That Stole Christmas".
Was he the vocal for Ken Clark's "Stewpot" in the movie of SP?
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/16/2002 11:32 PM PST

Yes, Ron, he did do the
Stewpot vocals. I can only
dream that my low bass voice
will give me even a small
percentage of the work his has
given him in his 88 years! Of
course, that's not a career path
I'm pursuing, but hey, I can still
do local voiceover work while
I'm teaching! In fact, one of my
teachers here at my university
is known (well, at least his
voice is known) throughout the
Northwest as the United
Furniture Warehouse guy
we've heard on ads for over 10
years now.
Posted by Jed @ 11/17/2002 12:01 AM PST

One learns so many things on this site that one never even thought to want to know.
For your further elucidation, check out:
http://members.aol.com/bejacob/thurl.htm
Posted by William F. Orr @ 11/17/2002 03:27 AM PST

I like to watch the video of the SP recording sessions with Kiri and Jose - although the video of Jose in WSS telling LB how the songs should be sung is interesting too.
I have the "complete" and it is good. Love the comments about all the singers. Stewpot onscreen was Ken Clark who was also the star of Attack of the Giant Leeches and had a good supporting role in a Robert Wagner war film Between Heaven and Hell.
He costarred in that film with Mark Damon who once dated a famous television lawyer 8-D.
Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/17/2002 05:44 AM PST

Giorgio Tozzi anecdote:
I was the head writer for the Odd Couple TV series for its last 3 years.
Tony Randall's passion is opera, and he was always trying to arrange for big-time opera singers to appear on the show.
It happened 3 or 4 times.
These opera stars invariably couldn't act, or at least play comedy.
The last time this occurred was when Giorgio Tozzi appeared, playing a character, as opposed to the usual "playing himself"
Tony still tried to work in a song for him. During rehearsals, it became apparent that without accompaniment, Tozzi was incapable of staying on key. The mantra in the writer's room was "We've had all these opera singers who can't act, now we've got one who can't sing."
Posted by mark rothman @ 11/17/2002 07:57 AM PST

I didn't read anything there was too much I just felt like seeing a message of mine on the Internet. Anyways, good work to whoever could be bothered typing all that stuff.
Posted by Joe Blow @ 03/30/2003 02:21 AM PST

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