Leslie Nielsen?
Posted on 01/13/2024 3:20:22 PM PST by Twotone
~On our Q&A last Wednesday, I played Debbie Reynolds' lovely record of "Tammy" by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. By coincidence, exactly three-quarters of a century ago - January 1949 - another Livingston & Evans song was the Billboard Number One record in America, and on its way to winning an Oscar a couple of months later. The last chart-topper of 1948 and the first of 1949 was the most successful version of a much recorded item that season - Betty Rhodes, Gene Autry, Betty Garrett, the Dinning Sisters and a bunch of others all took a crack at the song, but Dinah Shore's version outsold them all, and still sounds good today:
"Buttons and Bows" was one of three Academy Award winners written by the team of Livingston & Evans. There was "Que Sera, Sera" (our Song of the Week #17), and before that "Mona Lisa", and before either of them their very first Oscar champ:
East is east And west is west And the wrong one I have chose Let's go where They keep on wearin' Those frills and flowers and Buttons And Bows Rings and things and Buttons And Bows...
Livingston & Evans weren't exactly big men on backlot in 1947. They'd had a couple of pop hits but they were relatively new to the movies. As Time magazine reported in 1948:
Two Hollywood tunesmiths were singing the blues. 'Every producer wants a song just like some other song. They want another Stardust. We write it for 'em. But it's tough. We have to please the publishers, the song pluggers, the singers, the disc jockeys and the public. But before we even get that far, we have to keep the musical director, the producer, the star and the director happy...'
(Excerpt) Read more at steynonline.com ...
In what has been in retrospect a brilliant move by the movie producers of “Son of Paleface”, they allowed Dinah Shore to record the song several months before the movie for which it was written came out. Jane Russell and Bob Hope’s version in the movie was whimsical and nowhere near as polished as was Dinah Shores’. Roy Rogers’ song with Bob Hope’s commentary in the movie IMO was the first rap song recorded.
The Paleface was always a favorite movie growing up. Now I can’t get this song out of my head. Guess I’ll have to drag out the dvd & watch it again as I watch the snow come down. We’re supposed to get 10 inches...
I thoroughly enjoyed the Bob Hope version.
No, I don't think I was invited.
:-)
My sweetie left behind a snow-blower. I’ve yet to figure out how to use it, as shoveling is pretty easy. Idaho snow is like powder & easy to move. But 10 inches is a bit much.
In her memoir, Debbie Reynolds hinted that then-hubby Eddie Fisher
was not too pleased Debbie singing “Tammy” was a best-selling record.
He was supposed to be the only singer in the family.
Love those old songs. They were popular when my mom was little, and she made sure I got to hear all the wonderful tunes of that era. She had an LP of the sound track of Tammy and the Bachelor, beautiful music!
Recommended: Dinah Shore singing “Blues in the Night.” Teresa Brewer singing “Mutual Admiration Society.” Peggy Lee singing “Fever.”
I’m partial to Frank Sinatra doing “Blues in the Night.”
I’m the same way. We have a snow blower, and my hubby usually takes care of it. But if he’s out of town I’ll just shovel it.
Unfortunately, we just got a foot of wet, heavy stuff. The snow blower wouldn’t touch it. We had to hand shovel it all. NOT fun.
But we had to get it done before the 20 below zero comes in, or it will all turn into blocks of ice.
Have I mentioned how much I hate winter?
A few weeks ago I watched several Bob Hope movies in a row. I got them off youtube for free, I always loved his movies. Even the bad one with Phylis Diller, Boy did I get a wrong number, it was dumb yes but it was fun anyway.
Bob Hope’s movies were just fun.
Road to Utopia with Bing Crosby was another great one.
I’ll have to watch that one, thanks :)
My favorite has always been The ghost breakers.then Monsieur Beaucaire and then My favorite brunette.
I had lunch with Phyllis Diller. Funny lady. It was at one of the first Bakersfield Business Comferences that was held at the country club I worked at. The waitresses got everyone fed and we all sat down in the Tevis Room to eat. Phyllis Diller was one of the entertainers that day. She pranced in with a plate and said ….do you mind if I eat with you? She kept us laughing all thru lunch.
She was really a funny lady :) Sounds also like she was a humble lady :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.