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[Ginny]

Thursday morning greetings!  We are expecting DS Rob sometime today to pick up a package he had delivered here.  This evening we'll be at the University of Dayton, where I'm on a panel reviewing student presentations in my friend Andrea's grantwriting class.

[Ginny]

Page 2!

[ChasSmith]

I had shredded wheat for breakfast, which I haven't had in years. At one time it was my favourite breakfast cereal. 

I grew up on breakfast cereals and shredded wheat was one of those I ate dutifully but never really liked, preferring all the sweeter stuff instead.  Of course you can sugar it up yourself, but somehow that one never rang my bell.  I don't normally eat cereal these days, but I'd probably like it now.  That said, if I were to go on a good cereal binge (which is exactly what it would be), I'd end up sticking with my all-time favorites -- Frosted Flakes, Raisin Bran, and just a couple of others.  And I actually forget what those other favorites are at the moment.

[John G.]

Midler is out of her element in the heavy-lifting scenes of Gypsy, and she later admitted that she didn't get it. Vocally, she's not bad.

I'm not fond of Russell. I never get the feeling that she could have ever been anywhere near as good as Natalie Wood. Arthur Laurents once said, in his inimitable way, that Russell's "Rose's Turn" was all about the shoes, a pair of black-and-white things that shine so brightly they upstage the performer.

I heard the production was terrible, but Bernadette Peters' version of "Rose's Turn" on the Tonys was a knockout.

If BP had done in the theatre every night what she did on the stage at the Tony Awards it would have been a different show. I saw her Gypsy and I saw the Tony Award performance and they were two completely different animals. She didn't do well in the show. I remember Laurents going on and on about how Rose was a small woman and Peters fit her physically so well. Bullshit. Just because you're right for a part physically doesn't mean you'll do a good job. She was a knockout on the Tonys but she was a mess on stage during the show. It's all supposition on my part, but that's probably one of the reasons why Laurents finally agreed to let PL do Gypsy, because he was not happy with the BP production.

He goes on and on in his book on directing about how upset he was with BP. But he also says he went in after the show opened and helped her with her performance. Perhaps that's what did it.

[Ginny]

TOD - The only time I've seen GYPSY on stage was a local high school production that was awful.  I think too often high schools cast kids who can sing and dance but have absolutely no acting ability.  When I was too young to see the show myself, I remember my parents seeing Ethel Merman on tour in Detroit (maybe pre-Broadway?).  They were quite taken with the "If ya wanna bump it..." lyric.

[Doug R]

BK,
I don't know if it's an advantage or a disadvantage, but I've never seen DEATHTRAP on stage...although I may have read it.  Don't really recall.
Nevertheless, I've seen the movie 2-3 times and I do like it.

I saw the play when it opened in London. Didn't like the film though.

[Doug R]

TOD:

Not seen GYPSY on stage but quite liked the film - especially Natalie Wood.

[Ginny]

It's been a long time since I saw DEATHTRAP on stage or in the movies, but I remember being furious that the movie gives away the surprise ending right up front.  Am I thinking of the right play/movie?

[John G.]

There is a country band named Cole Porter. Ugh.

[MBarnum]

TOD:


I don't know from GYPSY.

[MBarnum]

Although, as a child, I may or may not have been stolen by Gypsies.

[ChasSmith]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Healthy Vibes for BK! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Seriously.  Enough already.  VIBES this thing leaves the building -- NOW.

[Ron Pulliam]

Although, as a child, I may or may not have been stolen by Gypsies.

...or "abandoned" by gypsies?   

[Ron Pulliam]

Peters' "Rose's Turn" on the Tony show left me completely underwhelmed.  I recall someone saying, in this forum, that it seemed too calculated...that it was a performance that screamed "THIS" will show you why I deserve a Tony for "Gypsy".  It didn't, for me.

[Ron Pulliam]

For BK, and anyone seeking an alternative means of prevention:

[Jrand73]

Healthy vibes for MR BK.

[Jrand73]

Congrats to DR GEORGE on the right person getting the job!

[John G.]

Although, as a child, I may or may not have been stolen by Gypsies.

...or abandoned "by" gypsies?   

LOL!

[Matthew]

I've only seen Gypsy on stage once.  That was last year.  Rose was played by a 28 year old actress who really did a fine job, but there is something to say for life experience and maturity - not to say she was immature, but I think you understand what I mean.  That said, with me not really knowing the show at all, I found it dull.  I haven't see either movie all the way through either.  In fact, the only time I've seen parts of the Midler version was a long time ago in a gay bar.  While I love a lot of the score, I was just never into it like I guess I should be as a musical theatre person.  People say it's the epitome of musical theatre, but I don't get that.  Chock it up to ignorance, I suppose.  I've experienced all the "Rose's" from recordings and such, and never understood why Bernadette Peter's played the role.  She does nothing for me past her performance of the Witch in Into the Woods and I find her CD of Gypsy in it's proper place on the shelf between Midler and LuPone. 

[Jrand73]

GYPSY.....   I have loved the musical since the first time I saw it at the movies!!  So terrific....all the dancing and the songs!  And I love Rosalind Russell as Rose.....

I think it was said here once....perhaps by MR BK.....that she is the only first class actress who has played the role....Lansbury and Daly, nothwithstanding....

And I love Natalie Wood.....Karl Malden....eh....

And actually the film Electra is Roxanne Arlen who spent many years as Bud Collyer's sidekick on Beat the Clock...... and she was married for awhile to Red Buttons....   

I loved the soundtrack.  A few years ago, a CD was released that included several of Russell's singing tracks....now available only as an MP3 release at Amazon....but it is interesting to hear....  The listing says the last few tracks are Lisa Kirk, but they are indeed Russell.  And I think the Rose's Turn is closer to the soundtrack mix than the one that was originally on the LP, with a bit more Russell mixed in with Kirk.

Some sources say there is a bit of Rose Marie in there some place as well.

Has anyone noted the Ethel Merman caricature in the dressing room?  Or did I have another hallucination?

[Jrand73]

I have all of the recordings, and the soundtrack is the one I play most.  The one I listen to least is the Peters album.....


"But I-I-I-I-I......at least gotta TA-ryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy"

Try is actually a one syllable word....

[Ron Pulliam]

I love, love, love the movie "Gypsy".

Saw it a few times in its initial run.  Have owned every home video incarnation and watched it dozens and dozens of times.  Never tire of it.

A very odd thing about this movie:  How did a virtual no-name conductor at that time (Frank Perkins) get the plum job of being music director when Warners had Ray Heindorf doing "The Music Man"?  Heindorf had handled more than one musical film at a time in his past.  Why would he pass on one of the theater's most glorious scores?  Any number of versatile folks with immaculate credentials/expertise were available at the time.

I was once told (as a rumor, mind you, rather than as a substantiated fact) that the reason Perkins got credit was that they actually hired some folks still contracted at MGM to work on the music.  The rumor continued that it was Roger Edens, wunderkind of the Freed Unit at MGM, who was conducting the orchestra in the opening of "Gypsy".   Edens worked his magic on Warners' "A Star is Born" with Judy Garland, but was uncredited.  Instead, all credit went to his partner, Leonard Gershe (who was not under contract to MGM).

Officially, though, it's a phenomenal score for a musical movie and I've always considered the orchestral performance second to none. 

While I'm talking early 60s, I'll doff my hat to the Capitol soundtrack album to "Bells Are Ringing" -- one of the most captivating soundtrack albums I've ever heard.  The musical performance, conducted by Andre Previn, is fantastic.  The recording has a brillant sound quality.  It's a total joy to me.

[ArnoldMBrockman]

And the word of the day is: WASSAIL!

And The Song Of The Day Is:  HERE'S TO US

[Jrand73]

That is the story I heard as well DR RLP......

[bk]

I'm up at a good hour today and got my eight hours of sleep with some really weird dreams.

[bk]

I cannot stomach the Bette Midler version of Gypsy.  I didn't say Russell was the only first-class actress to play Rose, as I feel several were, but I do love her performance.  The overture is truncated quite a bit for the film.  As to Frank Perkins, he had written a hit song (Stars Fell on Alabama) and was quite active at Warner Bros. in TV - 77 Sunset Strip, The Roaring Twenties, Hawaiian Eye, and Bourbon Street Beat - he also wrote the music for The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Mary, Mary, The Couch, and Palm Springs Weekend.

As to Deathtrap, yes if one hasn't seen or read the play then I suppose one could enjoy the film on some level, although I don't think I would have.

[Jrand73]

Must have been in the CD liner notes.....

[Ron Pulliam]

Must have been in the CD liner notes.....

Or...did I tell this same rumor here many years back?   Ah...the memory, the memory...Quo Vadis, the memory?

[MBarnum]

Although, as a child, I may or may not have been stolen by Gypsies.

...or "abandoned" by gypsies?   

Oh, I hadn't thought of that!

[John G.]

Let's move on.