Showing posts with label kraft music hall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kraft music hall. Show all posts

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Screen Gem Saturdays: Miss Lena Horne



Here are a selection of three sequential images from a negative strip showcasing the incomparable Lena Horne. She was performing on The Kraft Music Hall on NBC, air date of February 3, 1964, which also guest starred Dean Martin.



Sadly, due to her ethnicity and the bigotry of the time, Horne was one of the most wasted talents. Still, we are fortunate to have the legacy of her recordings and those splashy Technicolor MGM musical numbers that she always blew out of the water.



See more vintage & current Classic Movie & TV star photos on my Classic Movie & TV star web page.

Saturday, December 03, 2011

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.