Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/20/2002 07:25 AM PST

Hellloooooooooooooooooo........................ ????

Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/20/2002 09:02 AM PST

The Gale Storm question is kind of like asking "Who's the smartest bear in the zoo?"

Anyway, my major epiphany occurred long before DVD's or even VCR's.
It was in 1971, and I was living in New York. It was about 2AM and I was awake. The CBS local channel had something called "The Late Late Show"
This is the show that Phil Silvers referred to in the song of the same name in "Do Re Mi.
It was one of the few places you can see a movie uncut. It did, however, have about 50 commercials.
The movie coming on that night was "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?"
It starred Piper Laurie, Rock Hudson and Charles Coburn.
It was released in 1952.
I didn't recall seeing it.
About 15 minutes (and 4 commercials)into it, it starts getting familiar. And I thought to myself "If Charles Coburn gets squirted with seltzer in this scene, then this is the first movie I ever saw in a theatre." I would have been 5 years old. Sure enough, Coburn got squirted with seltzer, and I was epiphed big time.
Then, in the very next shot, James Dean shows up in a bit part and has a couple of lines.
A double epiph.
And with this week's event, who'da figured there would be an anecdote about someone else named Coburn?

Posted by mark rothman @ 11/20/2002 09:05 AM PST

Happy belated birthday Jason! I'm sorry I missed out on all the birthday festivities, but I was busy, busy, busy (that is three busys) writing that King Lear paper. I wrote 750 words on it, but I never actually read the play.

Posted by Sandra @ 11/20/2002 09:41 AM PST

Was the Studio One 2 part "The Defenders" a pilot for the series of the same name with E. G. Marshall and a pre-Brady Bunch Robert Reed? If so, were they in the Studio One version?

We have regular Ask BK Days and have even had an Ask Guy Haines Day. Can we have an Ask Luckey Day soon?

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 11/20/2002 09:54 AM PST

And I always thought Studio One was a disco (now defunct) in West Hollywood.

Posted by Jay @ 11/20/2002 10:02 AM PST

Questions Part I-

1. Please tell us, in your own words Mr. Kimmel, how you happened upon Mr. Mark Bakalor and his (ahem) talents.

2. With the various extras now available on DVD.. Do you think that your next film... the one that was disclosed to us, will have a karaoke track and on-screen lyrics so we could all sing along?

3. If you were the master of time, space and all dimensions (assuming you are not) - what things that are legal would you make illegal and what illegal things might you make legal? Are there any laws of physics you would change and why?

4. Did you ever own a burp gun? (is that what they are called.. the guns that shot ping pong balls)

5. What is your most vivid college memory?

Posted by Craig @ 11/20/2002 10:14 AM PST

If you could be any kind of tree, what would you be?

Posted by Barbara Walters @ 11/20/2002 11:03 AM PST

I was listening to the Cowgirls CD the other day (which is a fun disc), and a question occurred to me. I've often been frustrated by cds that don't have a track listing on the back of the cd case, which is the case with the Cowgirls disc and is also true of john and jen if my memory is correct. Most other VS discs have listings on the back (where I personally find them most convenient).

So, my question: how is the design of the cd developed? Was the location of the track listing ever something that people felt strongly about? Do you have a personal preference on how the information should be displayed?

Posted by jb @ 11/20/2002 11:05 AM PST

Hey! Yeah - I'm talkin' to you! Where are the questions? Where are the posters? Do you need me to ask everyone to clap so that tinkerbelle doesn't die? I would hate to think that Ask BK day might end if it seems as though there aren't people curious enough to ask questions! Please.. for the love of mike, stan, laurel, Judge Turpin and everything you hold sacred like cheese slices and ham chunks and all that jazz - Ask away!

-thank you and good day-

Posted by The Post Happy Fella @ 11/20/2002 11:11 AM PST

By the way, regarding "Studio One", my most vivid memories are not of any of the dramas but of Betty Furness and her Westinghouse refrigerator commercials. They were live like the show, and often did not go exactally as planned. However the one live commercial that I will never forget was on a different show for Maxwell House coffee. When the announcer (Rex Marshall, I think) poured the steaming hot coffee into the cup, the cup cracked, shattering into many pieces, and the coffee spilled all over!

And this leads me to my ask BK Day question: What memories of the Golden Age of Television do you have that you would like to share with us?

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 11/20/2002 11:22 AM PST

Dear BK,

Have you ever read King Lear? If so, what were you thinking???

Posted by Sandra @ 11/20/2002 12:09 PM PST

testing one two. testing one two. Is this site on? Is everyone just lurking today? Poor Bruce must be at work and feeling lonely. Bruce? Are you there? Can you hear me? Where is everyone?

Sigh. I have nothing to read...

Posted by Mike Checker @ 11/20/2002 12:44 PM PST

Questions. NOT TO BE Overlooked this week please BK.

Is it true that nostalgia is not what it used to be?
Who was your favourite TV Doctor?
Who was your favourite TV Teacher?
Who was your favourite TV Detective?
Did you have a favourite TV family?
Who was the best TV Mum?

Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 11/20/2002 12:44 PM PST

How does the electronic hat work? Is it a computer program someone can download from a website?

Have you ever been mistake for another actor?

Did you ever consider changing your name to be more waspish?

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 11/20/2002 12:47 PM PST

A young friend of mine has his birthday today (21 Nov.) He is 30 today and the tragedy of it all is that he does not like cake. Surely that should not deprive his friends of cake.
Today's listening on Cd as Colin does his 20 minute walking (on machine) is Robert Goulet. Shalom.
I just received a cop of a live performance of "Moving On", the SS show in London a few years back. There is about 20 minutes extra that was not on the studio recording.
Pam. Your parcel will be posted in one hour.
td - your blood is on its way.

Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 11/20/2002 12:49 PM PST

Dear BK,
Have you ever jumped out of a plane? If so, what were you thinking?

Posted by Laura @ 11/20/2002 01:42 PM PST

Dear BK, has a plane ever jumped out of you? If so, what was it thinking?

Posted by Orville Wright @ 11/20/2002 02:36 PM PST

Tom,your package is on its way, too!

Posted by Pam @ 11/20/2002 02:54 PM PST

Mark Rothman.

I seem to remember seeing Has Anybody Seen My Gal? in a theatre, when I was but a wee sprig of a twig of a jig of a laddie. If my memory serves me, you left out the very important fact that near the beginning of the film, we hear one of the characters singing "When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along". And we all know the significance of that song.

[If not, run, do not walk, to your nearest haineshisway.com and purchase Benjamin Kritzer. Now!]

Posted by William F. Orr @ 11/20/2002 03:00 PM PST

Yawn!

Posted by Winkin', Blinkin' & Nod @ 11/20/2002 03:11 PM PST

...and yes, BK, I do have a vague and dim memory, void of all details, of seeing that very show about the Welles broadcast when I was little. (And you must have been littler.)

Posted by William F. Orr @ 11/20/2002 03:16 PM PST

I'm half-jiggy with these posts and would be totally jiggy if there were just a few more for my mental delectation.

I am having very interesting conversations, dear readers, oh, yes, I am having very interesting conversations, and if said conversations were to come to fruition, well, let's just say it would frost some people I might or might not know. Oh, yes, it might just frost them. Then again, it might not because to frost someone they must have an actual emotional center.

Posted by bk @ 11/20/2002 03:30 PM PST

Brrrrrrrrrr!

Posted by Frosty, the Snowman @ 11/20/2002 03:55 PM PST

I remember some shows as if they had aired only yesterday.

"Your Hit Parade" was one of my favorites. What people often forget is that "Your Hit Parade" was sponsored entirely by Lucky Strike cigarettes.

Each show ended with the Lucky Strike circular emblem on the screen. It would open up and there would be the gang -- Dorothy Collins, Julius LaRosa, Patrice Munsel and Snookly Lansom. At Christmas time, the circle would have a wreath around it. I still think of Lucky Strikes and "Your Hit Parade" every time I see a wreath on a door.

And then there was "I Love Lucy" sponsored entirely by Philip Morris cigarettes. The TV advertising campaign had a bellboy who would yell, in a dinstinctive pre-adolescent voice -- "All call for Philip Mo-uh-riss" -- and it would usually include Lucy or Desi calling, "Boy! Over here!" and they would take a pack, open it and light up!

And Dinah Shore -- the evocative way she closed her show every week on behalf of Chevrolet: "See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet/America is asking you to call" -- ah, memories.

Ask BK: What's the most memorable TV show/Commercial partnership from your childhood?

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/20/2002 04:08 PM PST

YEAH! A night off. Not a day off, but at least a night off. I promised myself this past weekend that since I had auditions on Monday night, and then a 14 hours rehearsal day on Tuesday, that I would not do anything after rehearsal on Wednesday. And that is what I am basically doing. Of course, I am currently on the computer, and I am getting some much needed laundry done.

*Almost as soon as I got into the car after rehearsal, I could feel my body starting to shut down. -Of course, if I had gotten more than three hours of sleep last night... And today we blocked the overture - I lost count after the 20th time I played it. I kept it interesting by trying to play as many additional orchestra cues as possible.

Questions for BK:

-Do you separate your clothes before you wash? And if so, do you separate your colors into sub-color piles? Or just put anything that is not white into the machine together?

Have you tried those new oxygen bleach products?

Since it's a full moon tonight, does a full moon have any sort of effect on you?

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 11/20/2002 04:13 PM PST

Dear Reader Ron Pulliam:

Two important details.

Don't forget the big "Mwah!" kiss that Dinah always blew to us at the end.

And I believe Johnny the Bellboy pronounced it "Phillip Mooh-RAY-yis!"

Also, not to forget, "Oh, we're the men of Texaco. We serve from Maine to Mexico."

Now why can't I remember the things I'm supposed to remember?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 11/20/2002 04:45 PM PST

In the credits for the "Dollars to Donuts" documentary on the TFNM DVD, it reads "Music Arranged and Performed by Grant Geissman." My question is this: Is Mr. Geissman such a multi-talented jack of all trades that all the various and sundried bits of music on the documentary soundtrack are multiple layers of his own playing, or were there additional musicians involved who simply went uncredited (besides Guy Haines' vocals, of course)?

Posted by Jed @ 11/20/2002 05:27 PM PST

Yesterday I clicked on the Unseemly Archive Button, and for the first time (I'm ashamed to admit), I read the very first post on this site. I read Guy Haines' message saying that he didn't have time to contribute to the site, that he had asked you to write a daily journal and that you had asked for a year's supply of Red Vines to write the daily journal and that he said that you could write about anything that you wanted, as long as it wasn't about him. (Isn't that an unseemly paragraph?) My questions:

Now that the first year is over, are you out of Red Vines or did you save some so that they would actually last more than a year?

Were you paid with the year's supply up front or did you get a little bit every once in a while?

Did Guy's bribe of the Red Vines mean that you couldn't write about him for the first year only even though the payment was one year's supply of Red Vines or that you could NEVER write about him?

And finally, if the conversations that you have been having (which you mentioned today) do actually frost the "some people" that you might or might not know, would this be a good thing or a bad thing?

Posted by George @ 11/20/2002 05:31 PM PST

If Guy Haines were to record another album, but his time recording your choices for all the songs rather tha Mr. Haine's, which songs might you have him record?

We have discussed other people's ideas, but not yours.
And I know you say you won't sing anymore because Guy stole your singing style. But you have an understated sexuality in your voice that I'm afraid Mr. Haines has not been quite able to duplicate.

And Tom,

What do you mean your friend does not like cake. That's sacrilege, I say, sacrilege!

Posted by Kerry @ 11/20/2002 05:50 PM PST

Dear BK: As long as everyone is asking television questions: Who is your favorite television chef?

And, in a different direction, are there any movies due out this season you would consider seeing in a theater, rather than wait for the DVD?

Posted by S. Woody White @ 11/20/2002 06:02 PM PST

Just a couple of more days until I see Barbara Cook in concert!

Posted by All excited and stuff @ 11/20/2002 06:25 PM PST

I agree with Kerry, Tom.

What does your friend have against cake?

I think you should find the most scrumdiddlyumptious cake imaginable and take it to the party for everyone BUT him.

And if he should want a piece, tell him he has to be spanked first! 30 whacks!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/20/2002 06:27 PM PST

Tom, well bloody 'ell! that is exciting to hear!

BK Questions:
We frequently speak about musical theater composers and our favorite songs here, but, I can't recall broaching the subject of classical music, opera and operetta. So, therefore, I venture forth with the following:
Of the standard crew of classical composers do you have favorite symphonies, cantatas and/or oratorios?
Who is your favorite classical composer?

If you like opera, do you have a personal favorite, from the classical age of opera?

Is there any particular aria which you would like to hear sung by a member of The (esteemed) Bruce Kimmel Players?

Operetta, too, had a "Golden Age," (Romberg, Herbet, etc) do you have a favorite operetta?
On the same note (A#), would you like to hear Debbie Gravitte sing BABES IN TOYLAND's "Mary?"

Finally, Gilbert and Sullivan. Are you a fan? Do you have any favorites from the oeuvre of G & S? (...and have you seen Kultur's dvd of PIRATES OF PENZANCE? and any thoughts of it?)

Thanks,
td, who is now going to watch the machismo that Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale can muster against a slew of fire-breathing dragons creating a REIGN OF FIRE.....

Posted by td @ 11/20/2002 06:27 PM PST

Ron---

You got half the cast of YOUR HIT PARADE wrong. Julius LaRosa were never part of the cast. He was with Arthur Godfrey for a long time until Godfrey fired him on a live broadcast for "lack of Humility". And neither was Patrice Munsell. She made many appearances on Ed Sullivan and The Voice of Firestone, but not YOUR HIT PARADE. The two other singers who were on with Dorothy and Snooky were Russell Arms and Gisele MacKinzie. Others who appeared over the years included Eileen Wilson, Sue Bennett, June Valli, Tommy Leonetti, Jill Corey, Alan Copeland, Virginia Gibson and Johnny Desmond. But the core that most people remember were Dorothy, Snooky, Russell and Giselle.

The American Tobacco Company who made Lucky Strikes introduced a filter cigarette they called Hit Parades and for a while that brand was the sponsor. The cigarettes were never as popular as the show and Luicky Strikes became the sponsor again. For a while the co-sponsor was Richard Hudnet hair products.

By the way, when Your Hit Parade was on radio in the 1940s, Frank Sinatra was one of the regulars.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 11/20/2002 06:46 PM PST

Dear Reader Kerry,

Break a leg tomorrow... No, I mean, keep your feet on the ground... No, I mean... You know what I mean.

Posted by Sandra @ 11/20/2002 08:36 PM PST

My young friend will eat (and likes) cake made by my Colin. Chocolate hazelnut torte made with our own homegrown hazelnuts. I guess he has been carefully torte. The cake has an orange glaze beneath its rich chocolate icing.
td - Naturally I did not listen to BB as I was recording. I'd rather play "I wanna be loved by you" on disc or put my shoes on the table. Tell me it's not true.
My father's only superstition was about new shoes being placed on the table. He said it would mean there would be an argument. There usually was - about shoes on the table.
Superstitions may be an interesting topic for the future. (especially if Kerry gets to break a leg).

Posted by Tom from OZ @ 11/20/2002 08:56 PM PST

I can't stay long as I have an audition for The Phantom of the Opera tomorrow! Well...I'm going to try to crash an Equity audition tomorrow. We'll see if I get in. I'm really nervous because I don't have my resume updated or a headshot printed out yet or anything. It's all very stressful. Wish me luck getting some sleep (and getting past the AEA monitor!)

Posted by Jason @ 11/20/2002 09:21 PM PST

Message to Dear Reader Jason: If you don't know what you are doing, just do it with confidence!

Posted by Laura @ 11/20/2002 09:32 PM PST

Oh, and Jason -- break a leg!!

Posted by Laura @ 11/20/2002 09:34 PM PST

Thanks D.R. Laura ;-)

Posted by Jason @ 11/20/2002 09:35 PM PST

With all the support from this site you are way ahead. Break as many legs as you want. It might help if you broke those of the other auditioners I guess. Thinking of you Jason

Posted by Tom from OZ @ 11/20/2002 09:59 PM PST

But I got the bit about the Lucky Strike emblem...and it opening up...and the wreath around it Christmas time...right?

Right?

Giselle McKenzie...short, brunette haircut. I remember her well! What the hell was I thinking of Patrice Munsel for? Giselle...Munsel...Giselle...Munsel...?????

Russell Arms? Ohmigosh. I remember that name. Did Julius NEVER do "Your Hit Parade"????

Sigh. Those shows were many, many, MANY years ago.

But, as we all know, it's not the years...it's the mileage!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/20/2002 11:37 PM PST

Ok, this is late, but oh well. I was enjoying the adult company of my "Annie" cast this eve when I was surprised to hear TFNM come up in conversation. Everyone at the table had seen it and loved it.

My quick question to BK - what is the origin behind the song "Everybody Wants to Be Sondheim", what show did it come from and how did Mr Haines feel about recording it.

Yeah, it's late, nothing makes sense. Cheers :)

Posted by Matthew @ 11/20/2002 11:56 PM PST

My question for BK:

Two or three years hence, when you have won your Tony (for The First Nudie Musical: The Musical) and you have won your Oscar (for the soon-to-be-filming movie, whose topic I believe has not yet been disclosed to the public) and your new record company is up and running to universal acclaim (except for those who will be "frosted" by its existence), will you still be here for us, your loyal Hainsey/Kimlet Dear Readers, who have stuck by you through thick and thin, through fat and lean, through wide and narrow, through endomorphic and ectomorphic, or will you, as have so many, cast us aside like so much fish as you scurry from your Barbara Walters interview to your date cum National Enquirer photo session with Julia Roberts? Huh?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 11/21/2002 02:30 AM PST

Giselle MacKenzie has a CD out and to tell the truth, so does Polly Bergen. Oh my what an evening of music that is....of course I include my CD of the greatest hits of Gale Storm - the smartest bear in the zoo. 8-D

Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/21/2002 02:44 AM PST

Oh...and I remember Dorothy Collins bursting through the Lucky Strike circle wearing a form-fitting white blouse and holding a pack of Luckies and declaring..."...so round, so firm, so fully packed...." I think she was talking about the Luckies.

Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/21/2002 04:21 AM PST

Neither reference book I used (see - it's not all from memory) listed Julius on YOUR HIT PARADE. However as I recall he and Russell Arms do look a little alike.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 11/21/2002 05:57 AM PST

...and there was a rumor that Dorothy Collins had a tatoo on her chest, because she always wore high collars.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 11/21/2002 05:58 AM PST

Oh, and although Dorothy was known to dance a bit while she sang on Your Hit Parade... sometimes she stood in the middle of the floor.

What killed Your Hit Parade? Was it rock'n'roll? I remember Giselle in an elegant gown with a chorus of boys in top hats and tails trying very hard to do a different arrangement of "Hound Dog".

Posted by William F. Orr @ 11/21/2002 06:20 AM PST

Yes I think rock and roll killed YHP. The last year I think they tried to go with some younger people and it didn't work.
My favorite Gisele album is
Live at the Waldorf Astoria and her Christmas album...what a singer!
Do you think Dorothy's tattoo read: LS/MFT?

Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/21/2002 06:24 AM PST

I remember Giselle MacKenzie, interestingly enough, as Mama Rose in GYPSY, so it's hard for me to picture her as anything other than a big musical theatre actress. That's what I get for growing up in the San Fernando Valley. Actually, she was quite good in the few things in which I saw her.

Posted by Robert Armin @ 11/21/2002 06:46 AM PST

OMG Robert - when Giselle did GYPSY at Starlight in INDY they cut a "bad" word after opening night. Giselle stormed the producer's office the next day - slammed his door and broke the window and declared that they were producing the "Methodist" version of GYPSY! 8-O

Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/21/2002 07:14 AM PST

Ah so glad I ran into this discussion page! I loved "Hit Parade" as a kid. We'd gather 'round the TV EVERY Saturday night as a family...with a bowl of popcorn and one of those 6 oz bottles of Coke (before super sizing) and guess what songs would be in what position, and who would sing the #1 song. Gisele MacKenzie was THE favorite around our house, but we enjoyed all the Hit Paraders. It was so fine when Gisele got to sing her very OWN hit on the show, "Hard to Get." In the entire history of the program on radio & TV, Gisele is the ONLY Hit Parade performer to get that honor. In 1957 when the producers decided a new cast was needed, everyone was scheduled to be dumped...a ROYAL bummer, except Gisele, who had resigned to do her own NBC Show produced by Jack Benny's company. I keep in touch with both Gisele and Russell, and they are happy and living in California. Gisele still sings like a lovely bird from time to time, and Russ does some directing and other theater work, although he no longer sings. Gisele did a lot of summer theater besides "Gypsy"..like "Hello Dolly," "Unsinkable Molly Brown," "Mame," "Auntie Mame," "King and I," "South Pacific," and many others...and I saw them ALL! I am one heck of a Gisele fan...she's a splendid angel of a person! Besides her Waldorf and Christmas albums, she recorded a wonderful album of sad songs for Mercury ("Losers' Lullabies"), an album of French folks songs ("Dominique"), an album of French pop tunes ("Mam'selle Gisele"), a nice selection of tunes with a combo ("Gisele MacKenzie Sings"), a lavish RCA set of pop songs with Axel Stordahl and his orch. ("Gisele"), and a splendid series of children's albums where she did all the voices and sang all the songs ("Alice in Wonderland," "Cinderella," "Babar" and a lovely album of sleepy time songs ("Gisele sings Lullaby and Goodnight"). She cut a long series of singles for Capitol before appearing on "Your Hit Parade" when she switched to RCA and its sub labels like Vik and X.
take care,jim

Posted by Jim Stewart @ 01/29/2003 08:02 PM PST

Ah so glad I ran into this discussion page! I loved "Hit Parade" as a kid. We'd gather 'round the TV EVERY Saturday night as a family...with a bowl of popcorn and one of those 6 oz bottles of Coke (before super sizing) and guess what songs would be in what position, and who would sing the #1 song. Gisele MacKenzie was THE favorite around our house, but we enjoyed all the Hit Paraders. It was so fine when Gisele got to sing her very OWN hit on the show, "Hard to Get." In the entire history of the program on radio & TV, Gisele is the ONLY Hit Parade performer to get that honor. In 1957 when the producers decided a new cast was needed, everyone was scheduled to be dumped...a ROYAL bummer, except Gisele, who had resigned to do her own NBC Show produced by Jack Benny's company. I keep in touch with both Gisele and Russell, and they are happy and living in California. Gisele still sings like a lovely bird from time to time, and Russ does some directing and other theater work, although he no longer sings. Gisele did a lot of summer theater besides "Gypsy"..like "Hello Dolly," "Unsinkable Molly Brown," "Mame," "Auntie Mame," "King and I," "South Pacific," and many others...and I saw them ALL! I am one heck of a Gisele fan...she's a splendid angel of a person! Besides her Waldorf and Christmas albums, she recorded a wonderful album of sad songs for Mercury ("Losers' Lullabies"), an album of French folks songs ("Dominique"), an album of French pop tunes ("Mam'selle Gisele"), a nice selection of tunes with a combo ("Gisele MacKenzie Sings"), a lavish RCA set of pop songs with Axel Stordahl and his orch. ("Gisele"), and a splendid series of children's albums where she did all the voices and sang all the songs ("Alice in Wonderland," "Cinderella," "Babar" and a lovely album of sleepy time songs ("Gisele sings Lullaby and Goodnight"). She cut a long series of singles for Capitol before appearing on "Your Hit Parade" when she switched to RCA and its sub labels like Vik and X.
take care,jim

Posted by Jim Stewart @ 01/29/2003 08:03 PM PST

Ah so glad I ran into this discussion page! I loved "Hit Parade" as a kid. We'd gather 'round the TV EVERY Saturday night as a family...with a bowl of popcorn and one of those 6 oz bottles of Coke (before super sizing) and guess what songs would be in what position, and who would sing the #1 song. Gisele MacKenzie was THE favorite around our house, but we enjoyed all the Hit Paraders. It was so fine when Gisele got to sing her very OWN hit on the show, "Hard to Get." In the entire history of the program on radio & TV, Gisele is the ONLY Hit Parade performer to get that honor. In 1957 when the producers decided a new cast was needed, everyone was scheduled to be dumped...a ROYAL bummer, except Gisele, who had resigned to do her own NBC Show produced by Jack Benny's company. I keep in touch with both Gisele and Russell, and they are happy and living in California. Gisele still sings like a lovely bird from time to time, and Russ does some directing and other theater work, although he no longer sings. Gisele did a lot of summer theater besides "Gypsy"..like "Hello Dolly," "Unsinkable Molly Brown," "Mame," "Auntie Mame," "King and I," "South Pacific," and many others...and I saw them ALL! I am one heck of a Gisele fan...she's a splendid angel of a person! Besides her Waldorf and Christmas albums, she recorded a wonderful album of sad songs for Mercury ("Losers' Lullabies"), an album of French folks songs ("Dominique"), an album of French pop tunes ("Mam'selle Gisele"), a nice selection of tunes with a combo ("Gisele MacKenzie Sings"), a lavish RCA set of pop songs with Axel Stordahl and his orch. ("Gisele"), and a splendid series of children's albums where she did all the voices and sang all the songs ("Alice in Wonderland," "Cinderella," "Babar" and a lovely album of sleepy time songs ("Gisele sings Lullaby and Goodnight"). She cut a long series of singles for Capitol before appearing on "Your Hit Parade" when she switched to RCA and its sub labels like Vik and X.
take care,jim

Posted by Jim Stewart @ 01/29/2003 08:04 PM PST

Ah so glad I ran into this discussion page! I loved "Hit Parade" as a kid. We'd gather 'round the TV EVERY Saturday night as a family...with a bowl of popcorn and one of those 6 oz bottles of Coke (before super sizing) and guess what songs would be in what position, and who would sing the #1 song. Gisele MacKenzie was THE favorite around our house, but we enjoyed all the Hit Paraders. It was so fine when Gisele got to sing her very OWN hit on the show, "Hard to Get." In the entire history of the program on radio & TV, Gisele is the ONLY Hit Parade performer to get that honor. In 1957 when the producers decided a new cast was needed, everyone was scheduled to be dumped...a ROYAL bummer, except Gisele, who had resigned to do her own NBC Show produced by Jack Benny's company. I keep in touch with both Gisele and Russell, and they are happy and living in California. Gisele still sings like a lovely bird from time to time, and Russ does some directing and other theater work, although he no longer sings. Gisele did a lot of summer theater besides "Gypsy"..like "Hello Dolly," "Unsinkable Molly Brown," "Mame," "Auntie Mame," "King and I," "South Pacific," and many others...and I saw them ALL! I am one heck of a Gisele fan...she's a splendid angel of a person! Besides her Waldorf and Christmas albums, she recorded a wonderful album of sad songs for Mercury ("Losers' Lullabies"), an album of French folks songs ("Dominique"), an album of French pop tunes ("Mam'selle Gisele"), a nice selection of tunes with a combo ("Gisele MacKenzie Sings"), a lavish RCA set of pop songs with Axel Stordahl and his orch. ("Gisele"), and a splendid series of children's albums where she did all the voices and sang all the songs ("Alice in Wonderland," "Cinderella," "Babar" and a lovely album of sleepy time songs ("Gisele sings Lullaby and Goodnight"). She cut a long series of singles for Capitol before appearing on "Your Hit Parade" when she switched to RCA and its sub labels like Vik and X.
take care,jim

Posted by Jim Stewart @ 01/29/2003 08:05 PM PST

Ah so glad I ran into this discussion page! I loved "Hit Parade" as a kid. We'd gather 'round the TV EVERY Saturday night as a family...with a bowl of popcorn and one of those 6 oz bottles of Coke (before super sizing) and guess what songs would be in what position, and who would sing the #1 song. Gisele MacKenzie was THE favorite around our house, but we enjoyed all the Hit Paraders. It was so fine when Gisele got to sing her very OWN hit on the show, "Hard to Get." In the entire history of the program on radio & TV, Gisele is the ONLY Hit Parade performer to get that honor. In 1957 when the producers decided a new cast was needed, everyone was scheduled to be dumped...a ROYAL bummer, except Gisele, who had resigned to do her own NBC Show produced by Jack Benny's company. I keep in touch with both Gisele and Russell, and they are happy and living in California. Gisele still sings like a lovely bird from time to time, and Russ does some directing and other theater work, although he no longer sings. Gisele did a lot of summer theater. take care,jim

Posted by Jim Stewart @ 01/29/2003 08:07 PM PST