Topic: SALLY OF THE TROPICS (Read 39815 times)

bk · « **on:** November 13, 2003, 12:16:09 AM »

You see, if you skip the notes you don't know what the hell the title means. So, post away, my pretties, about any and all, and also the topic of the day. I'll be back in a bit, oh, yes, I'll be back in a bit.

Sigerson Holmes · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2003, 12:38:53 AM »

Today's notes remind me of something I've been meaning to, but never got around to, looking up. I'm therefore taking this opportunity to ask the resident HHW Streisand experts:

Has Babs ever recorded any of the actual songs that the real Fanny Brice made famous?

Also, inspired by a reader's response to the HHW Halloween "scariest album" topic, I recently won on eBay the Diana Ross and the Supremes "Funny Girl" album.

So for now, my dream cast includes Diana as Fanny and the Supremes as the Ziegfeld Girls. Maybe if I knew the show well enough I could fill out the rest of the cast with other Motown stars. Would Berry Gordy be the appropriate Flo Ziegfeld?

(I may feel differently about all this after I receive the album, though. I'll let you know.)

Tomovoz · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2003, 12:52:20 AM »

As our two leading players Fannie & Nick: Mr & Mrs Matthew Broderick. Jason Alexander as MR Z and for Fannie's Mother Rosie O'Donnell.
I have not checked but I thought that "My Man" was a Fanny Brice number. "Second Hand Rose" may have been too. I don't think Babs has recorded "Rose Of Washington Square" (same writer)which I suspect Fannie sang as well. No doubt some one will set us straight by the time I get back to these notes in about 12 hours time.

George · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2003, 02:13:33 AM »

How about the (predominantly) American Idol cast of Funny Girl:

Fanny: Kelly Clarkson
Nick Arnstein: Justin Guarini
Rose Brice (Fanny's mother): Paula Abdul
Florenz Ziegfeld: Simon Callow
Georgia James (the Anne Francis part): Celine Dion
Ziegfeld Girls: Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce Knowles

Jrand73 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2003, 02:54:20 AM »

I remember Sally of the Circus and Sally Go Round the Roses and Mustang Sally....hey, whatever happened to Sally?

Hmmmmmmmmmmm......

Funny Girl:

Fanny - Kirstie Alley
Nick - Kevin James
Fanny's Mother - Estelle Getty
Mr Z - Carson Daly

Michael · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2003, 04:03:17 AM »

How about

Pia Zadora as Fanny and Adrian Zmed as Nick?

No wait that really did happen!!!

Jrand73 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2003, 04:23:22 AM »

I agree with Mr BK that the sound on the Gypsy cd does leave a lot to be desired. At first I thought it was my system, so I switched, and it was the same.

As to Ms Rosalind Russell - as he wrote, these are work tracks and have not been manipulated at all. I have to say that Ms Lisa Kirk did a great job matching her voice, and I agree that some of the keys are troublesome. I do like the movie and I like the soundtrack CD. It is nice to hear what RR was trying to do, and she is an actress NOT a singer. I am still a bit surprised at some of the notes. I am not convinced that you hear Natalie Wood singing on the soundtrack.

Michael · « **Reply #7 on:** November 13, 2003, 04:26:10 AM »

Regarding yesterday's posting about sleeping your way through a show. It never happened in a musical but it did happen in two plays noth in NYC: Hurlyburry and Good. Walked out on a musical called Street Heat with Glen "whatever happen to" Scarpelli and Vicki Lewis at intermission and I very rarely leave a show even if I have to sleep through it.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 13, 2003, 04:26:15 AM »

Here is your Allison Hayes picture of the day. She is posing with Mr Scott Brady, her co-star in 1956's Mohawk.

Ben · « **Reply #9 on:** November 13, 2003, 04:34:55 AM »

Worst Cast Scenario for Funny Girl

Well, she probably would have been mentioned at some point so I'll do it early

Fanny: Lea Delaria
Nick: Sean Hayes
Flo Ziegfeld: Gary Coleman
Rose Brice: Cher
Georgia James: Jenna Elfman

and I like George's picks for the Ziegfeld Girls so I'll keep them.

Ziegfeld Girls: Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce Knowles

BTW, Kerry and/or MG, (I know you're on the road to Erie PA). How is Sugar doing? Any peeing on the rug or did she come house trained?

Back later.

Danise · « **Reply #10 on:** November 13, 2003, 04:57:56 AM »

A quick Good Morning before I have to zoom off to what should be another very enjoyable day at class. This day will fly by! It was noon before I blinked yesterday.

Laura II --I'm so very sorry to hear of you and your friends loss.

BK--I know you won't get it but some lurkers will--did you say SHRILL???

Be safe and have a good day all!

D

Jrand73 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 13, 2003, 05:12:25 AM »

Well I looked at All That Chat and Broadway World.com. Where are they talking about HHW? I need a url please.

Ben · « **Reply #12 on:** November 13, 2003, 05:33:18 AM »

Hey, folks, after you listen to Donald's show, if you want to surf over to BBC Radio 3 Stage and Screen, Edward Seckerson has an interesting interview with Adam Guettel (Floyd Collins, Myths and Hymns and The Light in the Piazza).

Here's the link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/stagescreen.shtml?focuswin

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #13 on:** November 13, 2003, 06:16:38 AM »

In honor of tonight's Broadway opening how about Boy George as Fanny and Rosie O'Donnell as Nick?

"My Man" was originally a French song but the real Francis Borach (Fanny's real name although I may have spelled it wrong) introduced the English adaptation in an edition of the Follies. Since people knew that Nick Arnstein was in jail at the time they assumed that was who she was singing about. Two other songs that Fanny sang and Babs recorded were "Second Hand Rose" (as mentioned above) and "Sam, You Made The Pants Too Long".

By the way, in real life Nick Arnstein was Fanny's second husband, not her first.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 13, 2003, 06:21:55 AM »

Nice new photos Tom from Oz & DR TCB.

Hey, TCB, looks like you opened your closet door and got your ascot.

Craig · « **Reply #15 on:** November 13, 2003, 06:56:21 AM »

What a day yesterday! Oh yes.. a lovely lunch date with a friend and chinese food. Then a few hours running errands. I then had a lovely dinner with Ms. Kerry Butler (who ordered a Frittata and I made her say it over a few times because it's just one of those words that sounds so fun.) We were joined by the very lovely jazz vocalist Michelle Pirret who is hard at work on her second album. Her first, as I mentioned yesterday, had liner notes written by Bruce Kimmel!

After Kerry and I walked to the Virginia Theatre, I had an impromptu meeting with Adam Epstein who was one of the producers of Hairspray and is currently working on bringing Cry-Baby to the stage.

Then it was time for Taboo. Out of professional courtesy (since I was on press comps) I shall not give my review until the curtain goes up this evening. I will say that I sat two rows in front of Rosie and also Madonna...

Jason · « **Reply #16 on:** November 13, 2003, 06:56:43 AM »

I should be arriving at work in exactly 9 minutes. Ain't gonna happen, and I don't really care.

Dream cast for FUNNY GIRL? Let's have a very Sondheim-esque group, shall we?

Fanny: Donna Murphy
Mrs. Brice: Angela Lansbury
Georgia: Bernadette
Nick Arnstein: Mandy Patinkin
Flo Ziegfeld: Len Cariou to be replaced by Geo. Hearn

All of the songs could be changed to minor keys, or even some obscure modal tonality. It would be swellegant...:\

Jrand73 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 13, 2003, 06:57:33 AM »

Actually DR Craig, Madonna and Rosie sat two rows BEHIND you!

Craig · « **Reply #18 on:** November 13, 2003, 07:06:30 AM »

I fixed my typo.. sat, not saw. Was typing fast....

Matt H. · « **Reply #19 on:** November 13, 2003, 07:36:53 AM »

Yep, WEL is absolutely correct about Fanny Brice's numbers and Barbra's singing of them, and let's not forget "I'd Rather Be Blue" from the FUNNY GIRL film which was also a Brice standard. Weren't some of the standards in FUNNY LADY like "Great Day" and "I Found a Million Dollar Baby" also Brice standards?

Speaking of Brice, I've never seen MY MAN (I think it's a lost film) or BE YOURSELF, early talkies that Fanny made, but her wonderful recording of "Cookin' Breakfast for the One I Love" from the latter film that I have on an old RCA LP of songs from the early talkies, is priceless.

Have any of the record companies made any compilations of those early talkie songs for CD release? I love to have them if they're available. That LP of mine is pretty worn out.

Jennifer · « **Reply #20 on:** November 13, 2003, 07:42:50 AM »

Um DR Ben can't they lock you up till at least noon!

Matt H. · « **Reply #21 on:** November 13, 2003, 07:44:23 AM »

I forgot to list my FUNNY GIRL cast:

Fanny - Doris Day
Nick - Omar Sharif (wait; he's done it; how about Mickey Rooney)
Mama Brice - Brittney Spears
Eddie - Russell Crowe

Jrand73 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 13, 2003, 07:48:47 AM »

DR MATT - a quick search shows NO Fanny Brice on CD. She is on some OCR cd's of a couple of the FOLLIES editions and her Baby Snooks is on some Old Time Radio collections, but with the exception of "My Man", no one has bothered. But this was done quickly....so she may be out there somewhere....

bk · « **Reply #23 on:** November 13, 2003, 07:51:50 AM »

I got it, Danise, oh, yes, I got it quick.

They don't mention us by name any more - too clever for that, although occasionally my first name gets mentioned or they'll say "initials". Or they'll say "the guy with the fractured psyche who writes at a certain website" or something like that. They (well, it's down to one, really) think they are being too too clever and I say let them think that because it probably brightens their day to do so and anything that makes a brighter day is fine by me.

Excellent casting suggestions so far. I'd at least have Roseanne Barr audition for Fanny, along with her ex, Tom Arnold as Nicky.

Matt H. · « **Reply #24 on:** November 13, 2003, 07:58:19 AM »

Thank you, DR JRand. Just like with DVDs, the companies aren't much interested in what's old but rather with what's new. [sigh]

TCB · « **Reply #25 on:** November 13, 2003, 08:00:28 AM »

Quote from: bk on November 13, 2003, 12:16:09 AM

You see, if you skip the notes you don't know what the hell the title means. So, post away, my pretties, about any and all, and also the topic of the day. I'll be back in a bit, oh, yes, I'll be back in a bit.

Thank you for the reminder, BK about reading your notes which I always enjoy. Maybe I am extra tired this morning. I caught up on the end of last nights posts, and then for reasons known only to Sally of the Tropics or is it Sally Go Round the Mountain I flipped directly over to this morning's post instead of your notes (actually written yesterday). Fortunately, your first post saved me from a life of crime, which might have netted me ten to twenty in Leavenworth, or five to ten in Woolworth.

Kerry · « **Reply #26 on:** November 13, 2003, 08:01:29 AM »

Fanny: Mary Hart
Nick: John Tesch
Mrs. Brice: Julie Andrews
Flo: Buddy Hackett

And yes, Ben, Sugar came housetrained. We've had one or two casualties, and we are all still adjusting to everything. I cannot expect her to do the things Mazal did automatically through her her 14 years. Sugar is very smart ---sometimes too smart. But she is very sweet, and I think we are all very lucky to have each other.

Sally of the Tropics sounds fine to me. I think that was one of the nicknames of a friend of mine, come to think of it. We called him many things: "Tongue of the Ocean," "Welcome Wagon," and many more.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #27 on:** November 13, 2003, 08:19:17 AM »

Ain't it the truth, DR Matt?

Hey what's with all these members who have Zero posts?

Emily · « **Reply #28 on:** November 13, 2003, 08:23:13 AM »

Good Morning HHW!

I have finished my Provinical Politics AND Arab-Israeli Conflict Papers. Survivor is on tonight. I might go see a play tomorrow. My sister is making me fondue chinois tonight for dinner.

In other words... life is good!

I am going to rush home after my next class to work on some journals for Women and the Christian Tradition and a presentation for Conflict, Crisis and War and then I am done done done done done done done for the week.

I have little to no knowledge of funny girl, other than Barbara Steisand was in it, so I'm going to have to pass on the topic of the day.

Laura II - I am so sorry to hear the news about the young man who committed suicide. My thoughts are with you and his family and friends.

Craig - how was dinner with Ms. Butler and associates? Have I mentioned recently that I hate you and you wonderful life?

JMK · « **Reply #29 on:** November 13, 2003, 08:24:18 AM »

Question: does this new "official" release of Gypsy differ from the excellent "bootleg" version offered on eBay about two years ago with great regularity? That one has several bonus tracks of Ros (and Karl and Natalie) doing scratch takes. That same seller also offered an excellent bootleg of Finian's Rainbow with a bunch of bonus tracks. IIRC, BK at some point mentioned he knew this seller, so maybe BK can let me know if these two CDs differ markedly.

I forgot to mention--we finally had to euthanize our sweet collie Ethel last week when her cancer had spread too far to be treated. We are dogless for the first time in our marriage, and it is very strange, very strange indeed.

And, re: Doris of the Thousand Days--if we get another female dog, we had, by mere coincidence, decided to name her Doris (we like "old lady" names for our dogs).

News:

Author Topic: SALLY OF THE TROPICS (Read 39815 times)

Ben

Ben