The Hersch Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I've never quite understood why Lola Albright, who was a radiant presence on the Peter Gunn television series in the 1950s and who could obviously sing, didn't have more of a career than she had. Here she is singing "How High the Moon" on a Peter Gunn episode. It's remarkable that they would take this much time for a musical number that in no way advanced the plot in a half-hour drama. Back in the late 1970s (I don't remember the year, 1979 probably, I could look it up), there was a pre-Broadway tryout at the Kennedy Center of a new play by Tennessee Williams called "Clothes for a Summer Hotel", which did not make it to Broadway for reasons that were painfully obvious at the time. I was at one of the performances, sitting in the last row of the orchestra section of the Eisenhower with a couple of friends. During the course of the performance, we all became aware that Mr. Williams was standing right behind us (in a huge fur coat). As the performance ended to tepid applause, one of my friends turned around in his seat and said "Mr. Williams, would you please sign my program?" Which he did. Then the other friend asked for the same, and Williams again consented. I finally said "Oh what the hell, will you sign my program too?" and Tennessee replied, while taking my program and signing it, "I'm not going to keep doing this forever, you know." You may draw your own conclusions as to why I share this anecdote in the present moment. I'm sorry to say that I moved house not long afterward and the program signed by Tennessee Williams was never seen again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I've never quite understood why Lola Albright, who was a radiant presence on the Peter Gunn television series in the 1950s and who could obviously sing, didn't have more of a career than she had. Here she is singing "How High the Moon" on a Peter Gunn episode. It's remarkable that they would take this much time for a musical number that in no way advanced the plot in a half-hour drama. Back in the late 1970s (I don't remember the year, 1979 probably, I could look it up), there was a pre-Broadway tryout at the Kennedy Center of a new play by Tennessee Williams called "Clothes for a Summer Hotel", which did not make it to Broadway for reasons that were painfully obvious at the time. I was at one of the performances, sitting in the last row of the orchestra section of the Eisenhower with a couple of friends. During the course of the performance, we all became aware that Mr. Williams was standing right behind us (in a huge fur coat). As the performance ended to tepid applause, one of my friends turned around in his seat and said "Mr. Williams, would you please sign my program?" Which he did. Then the other friend asked for the same, and Williams again consented. I finally said "Oh what the hell, will you sign my program too?" and Tennessee replied, while taking my program and signing it, "I'm not going to keep doing this forever, you know." You may draw your own conclusions as to why I share this anecdote in the present moment. I'm sorry to say that I moved house not long afterward and the program signed by Tennessee Williams was never seen again. I've thought this through for awhile now, and can't think of any obvious reason for sharing the anecdote, given that you didn't even mention Lola Albright in your second or third paragraphs, nor is there any mention of her when I Google "Clothes For A Summer Hotel." Do tell - inquiring minds want to know! Try and watch "The Bard" if you get a chance. Actually, just go to my post, and watch the two videos I mention that you'll find in my link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hersch Posted February 23, 2015 Author Share Posted February 23, 2015 I've thought this through for awhile now, and can't think of any obvious reason for sharing the anecdote, given that you didn't even mention Lola Albright in your second or third paragraphs, nor is there any mention of her when I Google "Clothes For A Summer Hotel." Do tell - inquiring minds want to know! Goodness me, I've been too subtle. I never thought of that as one of my talents. There's no connection between Lola Albright and Tennessee Williams, or between her and his play "Clothes for a Summer Hotel", at least none that I'm aware of. Tennessee kept writing plays that no one wanted to see any more, and when asked for his autograph for a third time replied with (quite restrained) annoyance that he wasn't going to keep signing, with the implication (at least to me, then) that he also wasn't going to keep writing plays when no audience clamored for them. I was rather startled by how much he seemed to reveal to me, a complete stranger, but I may have been reading things that weren't really there. I had posted gem after gem of 20th-century chanteuses chantoozying, with not a ripple of interest from the multitude that flock to your website, and was suggesting that I wouldn't keep posting these recordings, no matter how beautiful, if no one was interested in hearing them. I will totally resist saying anything remotely like "casting pearls before swine", though; never that. Not a bad anecdote in itself though, right? Having a store of anecdote to draw upon is one of the consolations of growing old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I had posted gem after gem of 20th-century chanteuses chantoozying, with not a ripple of interest Not at all. I enjoy your posts, and love listening to these gems. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Not at all. I enjoy your posts, and love listening to these gems. LIkewise. I remember the first time "this" ever happened on dr.com - about 8-9 years ago, dinwiddie barraged the Washington, DC Restaurants and Dining forum with posts about restaurants from Olney - about ten of them in a week. I thought to myself, 'My goodness,' I'll never sort through these, but I did, and now they're an important part of the whole package. It's the same with these - I've been taking my time getting to them, but when I do, I make sure they're titled and tagged properly, and also read and listen to everything. I'm going slowly because I didn't know who most of these people were, and I'm trying not to overload myself so I actually remember what I learn. Thank you for posting them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hersch Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 Thank you both, Porcupine and Rocks. I was afraid my efforts were wasted. Nice to know people are listening to these recordings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Thank you both, Porcupine and Rocks. I was afraid my efforts were wasted. Nice to know people are listening to these recordings. One thing I learned a *long* time ago, as forum host of eGullet, is that (Rosa Mexicano aside (which I pounded out in twenty minutes at 11PM, shitfaced)), there is no Home Run post. Things are cumulative. You write your best effort, spend two hours doing it, and ... silence. And then six months later, something happens because of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hersch Posted February 24, 2015 Author Share Posted February 24, 2015 One thing I learned a *long* time ago, as forum host of eGullet, is that (Rosa Mexicano aside (which I pounded out in twenty minutes at 11PM, shitfaced)), there is no Home Run post. Things are cumulative. You write your best effort, spend two hours doing it, and ... silence. And then six months later, something happens because of it. I'm sure you're right. My entree into online discussion forums was Usenet in the 1980s, where things were very different indeed. Better, in some serious ways, and very much not better in others, but mostly just different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Please count me among the fans of your music posts, which I've only recently begun to discover and enjoy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveO Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Not at all. I enjoy your posts, and love listening to these gems. ditto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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