Lena and Susan - A Birthday Celebration!

The heavens released two stars of the highest caliber on this day! For the first birth-aversary we have one of my favorite singers, Lena Horne. The woman exuded class with every song that she sang. A minimum of movement was her signature, along with those expressive eyes.



These three photos are from Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall. The episode aired Feb 13, 1964, and featured Lena Horne and Dean Martin. Lena sang the duet, “Every Little Star” with Perry while wearing this outfit.



Even though the quality of this video clip is not stellar, the talent of these three still comes through. Horne eclipses the two males.



The other birth-aversary for today is Susan Hayward, the star of one of my favorite tear-jerking melodramas, “Back Street” (1961). Playing a fashion designer who finds herself as “the other woman,” you can’t help but root for her.



Hayward was able to portray a cool beauty, even with her fiery auburn locks that were perfectly suited for the Technicolor cameras.



“What? It’s my birthday?”  



With a warm, genuine smile, Hayward appealed to both men and women.



They sure don’t make ’em like Lena and Susan anymore!

See more Classic Movie & TV photos at my main website.

Screen Gem Saturdays: Perry & Judy

The February 28, 1966 episode of the Kraft Music Hall featured Perry Como, Judy Garland, and Bill Cosby. These four consecutively shot photos show Perry & Judy getting ready before the show actually started.



According to Scott Schecter's exhaustively researched book, "Judy Garland: The Day-By-Day Chronicle of a Legend," this episode was taped on February 20, 1966 in color. Unfortunately, only a black and white version survives today. Apparently Carol Burnett was in the audience during taping.



Judy sang a medley of "If You Feel Like Singing, Sing"/"It's A Grand Night for Singing" (with Perry and chorus); "What Now, My Love?"; "Just in Time"; "In My Baby's Loving Arms" (with Perry); a medley that included "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby"/"Over The Rainbow"/"The Man That Got Away" (a duet with Bill Cosby); "Bye, Bye, Blues"/"For Me and My Gal" (with Perry); and "Side by Side" with Como as well. For her solo, "What Now My Love?" Judy's gown was covered in feathers. During taping, she folded her arms and clucked, joking "If I have to wait any longer for this to start, I'll lay an egg in this dress!"



The review of this show from the Philadelphia Inquirer had this to say:

"Miss Garland, introduced as 'my little friend, Liza's mother,' was in good form…and scored in a 'singing' medley, in musical answers to Bill Cosby's clue-seeking questions, and i other ditties, alone and with her harmonious host."

See more Judy Garland photos on my Judy Garland web page.