"A rose by
any other
name..."
any other
name..."
This is an
important
date on the
Shady Dell
calendar.
Our dear friend
Margaret Schneider
...who for years inspired us as
"The Oldest Living Dell Rat"
...was born April 18, 1912,
111 years ago today.
Margaret's father built the
Shady Dell and the family
became its first occupants
when Margaret (right)
was one year old.
To celebrate Margaret's
birthday this year,
I posted a few
vintage film clips
I think she'd enjoy.
PETULA CLARK
English pop singing star Petula Clark is 90 years old now - hard to believe.
In the 1960s, the songstress had a string of hits that started with "Downtown."
Many fans don't know that Petula's career started way back in 1942 when she
developed a following and made a name for herself as a child entertainer on
BBC Radio. Petula also started appearing in films during the WWII years.
Today, as we celebrate Margaret Schneider's birthday, I think she and
you might enjoy watching a few of Petula's early film performances.
Please adjust for low audio as you watch this first clip from
a documentary showing Petula as a girl in 1945.
ADJUST FOR LOW AUDIO:
Petula Clark (1945)
In her mid teens in 1948, Petula appeared with
Anthony Newley in the British comedy film Vice Versa.
Petula Clark & Anthony Newley
in scene from Vice Versa (1948)
Now here's Pet singing "Walking Backwards" in
Now here's Pet singing "Walking Backwards" in
another 1948 film entitled Here Come The Huggetts.
"Walking Backwards" - Petula Clark in
scene from Here Come The Huggetts (1948)
In February, 1949, Pet was barely 16 when she again teamed-up
with Anthony Newley in the movie Vote For Huggett. Here's a
scene with Pet singing "In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree"
"In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree" - Petula Clark
in scene from Vote For Huggett (1949)
Later that year, Petula appeared in another Huggetts film,
Later that year, Petula appeared in another Huggetts film,
The Huggetts Abroad, and sang "Doodle-oodle-day,"
"Doodle-oodle-day" - Petula Clark in
scene from The Huggetts Abroad (1949)
In the 1950 British film Don't Ever Leave Me, Petula,
In the 1950 British film Don't Ever Leave Me, Petula,
still a teenager, sang "It's Not For the Want of Trying"
"It's Not For the Want of Trying" - Petula Clark
scene from Don't Ever Leave Me (1950)
Happy 111th birthday, dear Margaret.
We love you and miss you!
Happy 111th birthday, Margaret! You'll have a new guest in heaven this year: David's mom. Although she probably joined you last year, but I sent her a special invite this year. She will party it up with you and Nan.
ReplyDeleteShady, what a lovely playlist and it matches Margaret well. I'm thinking of you and Kathleen today.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteIt's good to know you are still an active blogger, dear friend. You've been missed. Thanks for being the Early Bird this week as I present my annual birthday tribute to Margaret Schneider - The Oldest Living Dell Rat.
Yessum, I imagine those three, Nan, David's Mom and Margaret, could have quite a celebration and exchange many stories. I hope somehow they are aware of your thoughtful efforts and remembrances here on earth as well as mine.
I wanted to post these vintage film clips of Petula Cark this year because the Brit bird is age 90 - a fact that is hard for me to believe.
Thanks again for your early visit and kind comment, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteAfter Passover ended, I needed to take a few days. Weather has also been unpredictable here - 50's for half the week, then it shoots up to the 90s. I don't do well with heat, so I stepped back.
Nan would have been 100 this year and David and I are going to celebrate her with a tea party. Before we go to tea, I was thinking about bringing him to the cemetery and introducing Nan to him. I know it sounds weird; I really wish she was still here to meet him. She would have loved David. David said he has the same wish for his mom, his mom would have loved me.
I'm imagining those three and they are having a grand party. Nan liked photography and I'm sure she's taking photos of the parties. I can imagine those stories too.
Have a great day, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteIt's touching that you and David will celebrate Nan's 100th birthday with a tea party. He is a great guy for wanting to do that and for letting you know that that his mother would have been fond of you. I am assuming that David's mom would be the "baby of the bunch" at that party in heaven, with Margaret being the senor member of the trio and Nan in between. They could tell stories that cross generations and learn a lot from each other, just as we the living do.
Thanks for returning to chat, dear friend JM, and enjoy the rest of your day and week!
Hi Shady,
DeleteYes, David's mom would be "the baby of the bunch." She was 56 when she died. :( Now, that would be a party! I bet all three of them meet every week to swap stories. My Great Grandma (mom's grandma) would probably join too. She would have been 113 on 3 May. When all my grandparents were alive, it was Great Grandma Mary on 3 May, Nan on 4 May, and Pop-Pop (mom's dad) on 9 May. My Great Aunt Millie was 6 May. May was a popular month and technically it still is.
I'm grateful for David. This tea room has "manly" dishes; dad enjoys going to tea with mom and I. They have shepherd's pie and other dishes besides tea sandwiches. I like the tea room because this one offers gluten-free options, so David and I will both be happy. I told David that he reminds me a lot of Nan. Nan was also a Taurus, but she's a May Taurus where he's a late April Taurus. I'm a Cancer and my heart has a special place for Taurus. :3
Next week will be celebrations galore since David is turning 30 on the 26th. We're going out to dinner on the 26th, then I'm throwing him a little party on the 30th. Then Nan's celebration on the 1st.
Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteYour social calendar is packed, dear friend! The month of May is also a b-day bonanza in our family. Mrs. Shady, our granddaughter and our grandson all have birthdays in May. It's exciting that David is about to turn 3-0. I'm sure he will be grateful for the celebrations you are planning as he observes this important milestone in his life. Thanks for telling me about your great Grandma who was two years older than Margaret. That's quite a hen party up in heaven!
Happy TT to you as well, dear friend JM!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteMargaret would love this edition honoring her on 111th birthday. This was quite an enjoyable post. I had no idea Petula Clark is 90 years old. She's older than my mother. She sure was an adorable young girl - cute as button! I didn't know that she got her start in the film industry at such an early age. Thanks for the music and the education on Petula Clark. Have a boogietastic week, my friend!!
I forgot to mention but I do have a TAD post scheduled. I'm swamped and I don't know if I'm coming or going or plain gone! :)
DeleteHi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for remembering to stop by today as I honor our dear old friend Margaret on what would have been her 111th birthday!
Yessum, many boomers would be shocked to learn that Petula Clark is now 90 years old. When she rose to international fame early in 1965 with her monster hit and signature song "Downtown," she was already 32, much older than the teenage idols and 20-somethings that made most of the records marketed to young record buyers. I decided this would be the right year to use these vintage film clips since Petula is age 90. I'm glad you appreciated the songs young Pet sang and enjoyed getting an education about her background as a radio and film star long before she made it big as a pop recording artist.
Thanks again for being here for Margaret. Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend Cathy!
Hi again, dear Cathy! I see you commented a second time while I was composing my reply to your first set of remarks. By all means, I will be over to enjoy your artwork on Thursday. Thanks for letting me know you'll be keeping your TAD with Rain!
DeleteTom,
DeleteIt's funny how often we pass each other in the cyber hall making our way to the other's blog. :) It is hard to believe Pet is 90. She's older than my daddy. He'll be 85 in July. I'm glad you shared Pet's early career life because I didn't know any of this until now. Of course, when she rose to fame in the mid-60s I was very young but I do remember her song "Downtown". Thanks for dropping by to look at my art pieces. Have a terrific Thursday, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for dropping back in, dear friend! I'm always excited to see you.
Thanks for telling me about your daddy. Bless him as he is about to turn 85 this July. Now approaching my mid 70s, I no longer regard people in their 80s as "old." :) I am shocked whenever I see "elderly" characters depicted in movies or TV shows or mentioned in news stories, and it gives their age as 60-something or 70--something. Most of the time, they look a lot older than me, or at least that is how I see myself. :)
Thanks again for returning to chat, dear friend Cathy, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Happy Birthday Margaret! My goodness, Shady, I had no idea Petula Clark went back so far. I only know her "recent" work. I did notice in the film "Vice Versa" that while she is holding a pot that is clearly steaming, Anthony Newley seems to touch said pot without hurting his hands - LOL. Have a terrific rest of your week my friend!
ReplyDeleteHi, Janet!
DeleteI'm delighted to see you, dear friend! Welcome to this year's tribute to Margaret Schneider, the Oldest Living Dell Rat, and the "First Baby of the Shady," as we observe her 111th birthday. I called Margaret "First Baby" because she was only a year old in 1913 when her family moved into the Dell house to become its First Family, with so much rich and colorful history waiting to unfold as years passed by.
Yessum, it's surprising that Pet Clark is 90, but she was already approaching her mid 30s in the mid 1960s when she began her streak of records that were hits on both sides of the pond. Good eye on that scene from Vice Versa. Poor Anthony died way back in 1999 at the age of only 67. At the time of his death, he was residing on the east coast of Florida, not terribly far from where I live.
Thanks again for coming over early to attend Margaret's b-day party, dear friend Janet. Enjoy the rest of your day out on the coast, and please remember to take my buddy Benny out for his walk! :)
I just realized Margaret and one of my aunts were born fourteen days apart! Clearly 1912 was a good year!
ReplyDelete~Kelly (and Pat)
Hi, Kelly & Pat!
DeleteThanks for arriving early, dear friend(s)! I am pleased to have you in attendance for this year's party honoring Margaret Schneider as we remember her on her 111th birthday. Thanks for sharing that one of your aunts was born around the same time. Keep in mind that the Titanic sank in April of that year, only three days before Margaret was born.
Thank you again for being here on this important date on the Shady Dell calendar as we celebrate the very long life and legacy of Margaret Schneider. Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend Kelly!
Tom, what a wonderful post and tribute to Margaret. I remember her so well and I think her story and that of the Dell is so fascinating! I'm sure she would enjoy these clips and songs today. I was stunned to realize that Petula Clark is 90! No way! I always loved the song "Downtown" as it reminded me of going to Downtown Chicago in the day when it was actually safe to walk the streets and go to the clubs. Thanks for this birthday post and Happy Birthday Dear Margaret up in Heaven. I fee privileged to be invited today! Tom, have a great rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteI'm delighted to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming by again this year to help me remember and honor Margaret Schneider on the 111th anniversary of her birth.
I'm very happy to know that you have fond memories of Margaret and remember the stories she shared with us via her daughter in the 2010s. Next month marks 6 years since our wonderful old friend left us, and I will have another tribute to her on that date.
Yessum, in that first video, you saw 12 or 13 year old Petula Clark singing on BBC radio in 1945, with cutaways of her playing games and sports, walking her dog, visiting the zoo, etc. All of that footage was collected 20 years before she rose to international fame as a pop recording artist. Whenever I think of of how Petula, a woman in her 30s, successfully reached teenage audiences and record buyers with her singing in the mid 60s, I am reminded of country and pop artist Sue Thompson who was even older, in the 35 to 40+ range, when she put together a string of crossover hits in the early to mid 60s. Sue died in the fall of 2021 at the age of 96.
Thanks for reminiscing about your youth and how great it was to feel safe in the city and in clubs. I always appreciate these glimpses of your early life.
Thank you again for being on hand for my 2023 birthday salute to Margaret. I can tell that it moved you, and that means a lot to me. I hope you and Jack are both feeling fine after your recent bout with illness. Smooches to my sweetie pie Annabelle. Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend YaYa!
Happy birthday, Margaret. I knew nothing of Petula Clark as a child star, but those clips make me want to see those movies. Since you linked the two, was Margaret Schneider a fan of Petula?
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
DeleteI'm happy to see you, good buddy! Thanks for making another midweek visit to attend this year's birthday party held in honor of our dear friend and Shady Dell V.I.P. Margaret Schneider.
I used the Petula Clark clips this year simply because the English warbler has now reached the ripe old age of 90, and because the clips go back quite a few years. I am not sure if Margaret ever heard of Pet, even after she soared to international success with "Downtown." I remember that Margaret appreciated music and liked to go dancing during the Charleston era, but I don't remember her ever mentioning a favorite bandleader, band, group or solo artist.
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, good buddy Kirk!
Happy Birthday to Margaret! She was such a lovely woman, I admired her. I'm glad I got to know her through your blog. I loved the clips from Petula's movie career. I didn't know she had been an actress and I think she is a lovely one. She reminded me a bit of Judy Garland and Deanna Durbin. I loved watching those movies when I was a child. Since she was in British movies, I don't suppose they made it to the U.S.
ReplyDeleteLife was simpler back in those days. It wasn't all good, but there seemed to be an innocence to that time. I came here to listen this afternoon but was called away to eat dinner with Dan. I was just going to turn the computer off when I saw your blog on the screen. This was such a lovely post, I'm sure Margaret would have loved it.
Hi, Belle!
DeleteI'm excited to see you, dear sister friend! Thanks for coming to Margaret's party!
Yessum, English child singing and acting star Petula Clark does indeed bring to mind Judy Garland and Deanna Durbin. Thanks for drawing the comparison. I never heard of any of those British films, and I am thankful that we can now access clips and in some cases entire movies on YouTube. Yessum, as you listen to the dialogue in those movies and to the gentle songs Pet sings, it reminds you that they represent a more innocent time.
I take it you stayed up very late to visit and comment on day one of the party, and for that I am grateful. I'm pleased to learn that you like what I put together for this year's birthday tribute to Margaret. On May 26, I will run another post containing nostalgic songs as we mark the six year anniversary of Margaret's death.
Thank you again for your kind visit and wonderful comment, dear sister Belle. Get some rest now and enjoy your Wednesday and the rest of the week!
Happy birthday to her. What a nice tribute.
ReplyDeleteHi, Mary!
DeleteThanks for coming to Margaret's b-day party, dear friend! Your comment was published this time with no problem. Seems the blog gremlins are taking another vacay. :)
My birthday and death date tributes to Margaret Schneider transport you back to the mid 20th century and earlier to see and hear what fashion and entertainment were like when Margaret was young. Stay tuned for my next Margaret tribute coming up late next month.
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Mary!
Hello Mr Shady. Hope you remember me? Because I remember you ^.^ https://youtu.be/FacDkraAvlI Theo Thunderbutt and this cat are sending love from AB, Canada :)
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteYessum, I certainly do remember you, and hope you remember Margaret Schneider - The Oldest Living Dell Rat - whom I am honoring this week. Thank you for stopping by on the anniversary of Margaret's birth 111 years ago.
I hope you and my buddy Theo Thunderbutt are doing well and that spring is coming to your chilly part of Canada. Hugs, smooches and LUBBINS, dear friend cat!
I just noticed that my comment didn't take. I would gave seen this earlier but I forgot my phone yesterday when I went to work.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful tribute to a sweet lady that I am glad to know she read a couple of my comments. I didn't realize Petula Clark's career started so young and that she is 90! I thought she would be around 75. I know I saw her in a couple of films and the one, Vice-versa I believe I saw. This was so much fun to listen to.
Wishing you a beautiful day but just make sure you font stray in someone's yard.
Hi, Birgit!
DeleteI'm mighty pleased to see you, dear friend! Thanks for making time to attend the birthday party in honor of Margaret Schneider - The First Baby of the Shady. I wonder what's going on with the blog gremlins on your site and on mine? It's getting frustrating, isn't it? Thanks for persisting and getting your comment through.
Yessum, you are correct. You were one of Margaret's favorite people. She loved to look at her daughters iPad and read your comments about her life stories. Thanks for recalling that wonderful memory for us.
I am also glad you enjoyed these vintage clips of Petula Clark as a girl and teenager appearing in a mid 1940s documentary and in a series of late 1940s films co-starring with Anthony Newley.
I'm delighted to know that you had fun at Margaret's 2023 birthday party. Thanks again for being here for Margaret and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend BB!