COLD OPEN!
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
"Venus In Blue Jeans" - Jimmy Clanton
(Sept./Oct. 1962, highest chart pos. #7 Hot 100/#10 Cash Box,
performance on June 5, 1965, ep. of Hollywood A Go-Go)
One of the many hit songs written by the great Neil Sedaka, that was
my first BLUE SONG of the show - "Venus In Blue Jeans' - by the
"swamp pop R&B teenage idol" Jimmy Clanton, a record that made
a convincing run at the top 5 in the weeks leading up to Halloween
in 1962. From 1972 to 1976, Jimmy Clanton was a DJ at an oldies
format radio station in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Dell Rat Tom's
old stomping ground, and he and Tom became friends thru
chatting numerous times on the station's request hotline.
Hello and welcome!
I'm Pretty Blue Eyes,
one of Shady's Angels.
Shady's Angels don't
battle bad guys... we
spin great records of
the 50s and early 60s.
To enhance the mood as you
listen to the greatest oldies,
Shady will deck the halls
and plaster the walls
with pictures of
Shady's Angels
...classic pinups by mid 20th
century artists like Gil Elvgren,
Walt Otto, Edward D'Ancona,
Bill Medcalf, Edward Runci,
Art Frahm, Harry Eckman,
Frederick Sands Brunner
and Joyce Ballantyne.
Along with vintage pinup girls, Shady will decorate with
nostalgic record album art, covers of pulp romance mags
and comics, and soft drink print ads of the period.
nostalgic record album art, covers of pulp romance mags
and comics, and soft drink print ads of the period.
So sit back and let
Shady's Angels
entertain you.
Better yet, pick
a partner, head
out to the floor
and get ready
to dance and
make romance!
entertain you.
Better yet, pick
a partner, head
out to the floor
and get ready
to dance and
make romance!
Two days ago, pop crooner Steve Lawrence
turned age 87. To boomers, Steve is best
known as one half of Steve and Eydie...
the successful duo he formed with his
late wife Eydie Gormé. Both Steve and
Eydie recorded solo hits and I'm gonna
play one of Steve's, a record that made
the top 10 in the early weeks of 1960.
The song was written by Teddy Ran-
dazzo & Bobby Weinstein, the team
that composed the hits "Goin' Out Of
My Head" and "I'm On The Outside
(Looking In)" for Little Anthony &
The Imperials and "It's Gonna Take
a Miracle" for the Royalettes. Here
now is Steve Lawrence with my
theme song-- "Pretty Blue Eyes!"
"Pretty Blue Eyes" - Steve Lawrence
(Jan. 1960, highest chart pos. #7 Cash Box/#9 Hot 100,
scenes from June 1963 movie The Nutty Professor)
This just in: Mrs. Shady Blue had a baby!
(No... not really.)
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
As proud father Shady B welcomed the tot into the world, he sang this
hit from '61 by the Brooklyn trio The Echoes-- "(You're my) Baby Blue!"
hit from '61 by the Brooklyn trio The Echoes-- "(You're my) Baby Blue!"
"Baby Blue" - The Echoes
(Apr./May 1961, highest chart pos. #12 Hot 100/#15 Cash Box)
If you're just tuning in,
I'm Pretty Blue Eyes,
one of Shady's Angels,
and the newest member of
The Shady Bunch DJ team
on S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio
brought to you in Futuresonic
Stereo Surround! We're right
smack dab in the middle of a
7-in-a-row commercial free
cruise, so let's get right
back to the music!
Up next, The Polish Prince, Bobby Vinton. Starting in 1962 Bobby
recorded quite a few "color songs" including "Roses Are Red,"
"Blue Velvet," "What Color (Is A Man)," "Petticoat White
(Summer Sky Blue)," "Red Roses For Mom" and the one
that's cued-up on my turntable right now, a top 3 hit
for Bobby in the summer of '63-- "Blue On Blue!"
"Blue On Blue" - Bobby Vinton
(June 1963, highest chart pos. #3 Hot 100 & Cash Box)
Pretty Blue Eyes keeping you company and spinning the best sounds
of the Fabulous Fifties and pre-Beatles 60s here on S-P-M-M... where
we go hunting for the great songs of the past and bring 'em back alive.
Hey, we hit the jackpot! My next record features not one but two great singers.
As you might recall, DJ Hepcat Black introduced The Collins Kids (Larry & Lorrie)
on his radio show in 2018. In January, 1958, Lorrie Collins appeared on the TV
series The Adventures of Ozzie And Harriet and sang "Just Because" with the
show's breakout star, teenage idol Ricky Nelson. Ricky's attraction to Lorrie
was genuine and they dated in real life. Around Halloween, 1960, the duo
recorded "You Are The Only One," but it was released without Lorrie's
vocals as another Ricky Nelson single. Rick's record made the top 30.
was genuine and they dated in real life. Around Halloween, 1960, the duo
recorded "You Are The Only One," but it was released without Lorrie's
vocals as another Ricky Nelson single. Rick's record made the top 30.
CLICK TO START THE VIDEO NOW!
Guess what? I'm gonna play that rare, unreleased
recording of Ricky and Lorrie's romantic duet!
"You Are The Only One" - Ricky Nelson & Lorrie Collins
(recorded Oct. 26, 1960, unreleased)
Pretty Blue Eyes here on the beach, yet also on your radio
thanks to your imagination and S-P-M-M Retrosonic Radio!
Now here is another rare treat.
It's same song, same TV series,
It's same song, same TV series,
same teenage idol... but this
time a different episode and
a different singing partner.
time a different episode and
a different singing partner.
Released as a single, their
version reached the top 30
in the early weeks of 1961.
CLICK TO START
THE VIDEO NOW!
Performing on the last
Ozzie And Harriet episode
of 1960, here are Ricky
Nelson and actress
Linda Bennett!
"You Are The Only One" - Ricky Nelson & Linda Bennett
(Jan/Feb. 1961, highest chart pos. #25 Hot 100/#29 Cash Box,
scene from Dec. 28, 1960, ep. of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet)
As you might recall, the youngest member of the Nelson clan was billed as
"the irrepressible Ricky" in the opening title sequence of his family sitcom,
and you just heard Rick doing the same song with two different beautiful
singing partners, assuring each girl, "You Are The Only One." 😍
I hope you liked volume 1 of
Shady's Angels
featuring yours truly...
Pretty Blue Eyes.
Stick around for more vintage
glamour girls and more great
glamour girls and more great
tunes of the 50s and early 60s
coming your way on our next
show right here on S-P-M-M
...the station with personality.
START VIDEO NOW!
To play us off, The Crickets
from their album Something Old,
Something New, Something Blue,
Somethin' Else! It's another
version of my theme song-
from their album Something Old,
Something New, Something Blue,
Somethin' Else! It's another
version of my theme song-
"Pretty Blue Eyes!"
"Pretty Blue Eyes" - The Crickets
(from 1962 album Something Old, Something New,
Something Blue, Somethin' Else !!!!!!)
Some of these blue offerings are more familiar than others, but my favorite is Bobby Vinton's "Blue On Blue". -Kelly and Pat
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly & Pat!
DeleteIt was a photo finish, dear friend! You and your smooch-pooch, my buddy Pat, crossed the line neck and neck, nose to nose, too close to call, meaning that you and Pat share first place Early Bird honors this week. Welcome and thanks a lot for coming!
I'm pleased that you singled out pop crooner Bobby Vinton's "Blue On Blue" as you favorite song of the blue bunch. Bobby milked the color songs for all they were worth, scoring hits with "Roses Are Red (My Love, Violets Are Blue)," "Blue Velvet" and others.
Thanks again for coming to meet the first of Shady's Angels, "Pretty Blue Eyes," and listen to her radio show. Have a wonderful week, dear friend Kelly!
While most of the music was before my time, I do have to say some of those paintings are really impressive. Such vivid colors. A couple really life-like - I had to make sure they weren't a photo.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for hustling over to claim the silver, good buddy!
I'm delighted that you mentioned one of the key components of this new series, the artwork of the great 20th century pinup illustrators. I will be showcasing several examples in each volume. Yes, they are remarkably lifelike. In most or all cases, live models posed for photos that were then brought to life by the sketch artist. A few models appear in numerous pinups. In addition to being colorful and accurately rendered, classic vintage pinups like these reveal the clothing and hair styles, makeup techniques, activities, sporting goods and accessories and makes and models of automobiles that were popular in the mid 20th century.
Thanks again for reporting in, good buddy Alex, and have a super week ahead!
Hi Shady, Well I loved all these songs and like Kelly and Pat, "Blue On Blue," was my favorite. It actually brought tears to my eyes, maybe because of long-lost boyfriends. How exciting you talked with Jimmy Clanton back in the day. I used to call DJs too and request songs. It was a fun time back then getting to know the DJs on your favorite rock station.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way Steve Lawrence sang, Pretty Blue Eyes, better than the Crickets. I thought I knew the woman in the video and yep, it was Stella Stevens. I saw her in a few movies. As for Ricky Nelson, well he was beautiful to look at and I love his voice. I don't remember, "You are the Only One," although I knew many of his hits. My sister Chloe had his albums and adored him. Lots of fun, Shady.
Hi, Belle!
DeleteI'm happy to see you, dear friend! Thank you for coming to Pretty Blue Eyes' platter party, volume 1 of my new series Shady's Angels featuring great mellow love songs of the mid 20th century.
Thanks for letting me know that the Bobby Vinton song was your favorite on PBE's playlist. That song, along with most that will be presented in this series, brings tears to my eyes as I recall the gentler, happier years of boyhood and youth in the 50s and early 60s.
Yessum, from 1972 to 1976, veteran recording artist Jimmy Clanton worked at a Lancaster County radio station that had an oldies format. I belonged to a record collectors club at the time and was an avid vinyl enthusiast with a couple thousand 45 rpm singles and several hundred albums in my collection. I'd call Jimmy on the station's request line and we'd "talk shop" about record collecting and the great songs, artists and groups of the past. He is a heck of a nice guy and will turn 84 years of age a couple of months from now.
Thanks too for singling out Steve Lawrence's version of "Pretty Blue Eyes." The custom made YouTube video features scenes from the hit Jerry Lewis comedy movie The Nutty Professor which was released in June, 1963.
I was thrilled to find those two versions of Ricky Nelson's minor hit "You Are The Only One." Sadly, two of the three artists in those clips, Rick Nelson and Lorrie Collins, are dead and gone. The third, Linda Bennett, is reportedly still with us, and in finding that info, I discovered an amazing fact. Linda's date of birth is listed as December 12, 1946. The episode of Ozzie & Harriet on which Linda appeared was most likely filmed in the summer or fall of 1960, meaning that she was still only 13 years old when she sang that song with Ricky! Does that look like a girl who is 13 going on 14?
Again, thank you very much for joining the fun, dear friend Belle. Take care up there and I hope to connect with you again soon!
Belle, I found new info on actress Linda Bennett. IMDB lists at least four different actresses named Linda Bennett, but two different Linda Bennetts are credited with that same appearance in the role of Terry, Rick's girlfriend, in the December, 1960, episode of Ozzie & Harriet entitled "Rick Counts The Ballots." The D.O.B. listed for the second Linda Bennett (Linda Hauser) is June 19, 1942, which meant that she was age 18 when she sang that song with Ricky. The other IMDB listing therefore, is incorrect in crediting Linda #1 with the O & H appearance. That Linda Bennett, (#1), is also credited with a role in the 1955 sci-fi horror movie that I watched at age 5 - Creature With An Atom Brain - and credited with a guest starring role in a 1961 episode of Leave It To Beaver playing Ginny Townsend, "Wally's Dream Girl."
DeleteLinda #2 (Linda Hauser), was in Surfside 6, Dr. Kildare, Flipper and Bonanza.
The other singer paired with Ricky, country queen Lorrie Collins, was the same age as Linda #2 (Linda Hauser), and she appeared in a January, 1958, episode of Ozzie & Harriet playing Ricky's girlfriend. At the probable time of production, usually weeks or months before the air date, Lorrie would just have been turning 15.
Hi Shady, Thanks for the info on the Lindas. I had looked up Stella Stevens after seeing her here. She acted from 1959-2010! What a long career. I remember as a kid reading about her in movie magazines. I used to cut out pictures of stars and glue them in a scrapbook. When I looked at her filmography, I looked at "The Silencers," which starred Dean Martin. I remember my mom taking us to all Dean Martin movies. We just loved him and I really liked Stella.
DeleteWhen you mentioned Wally in your reply I had to smile. He was so cute and funny on that show. Have a lovely week!
Hi again, dear Belle!
DeleteThanks for returning to follow-up with me. Now that my confidence in the Internet Movie Database has been shaken somewhat, I don't know which listings to believe for either of the Lindas. It seems possible that they got some of the credits listed in the wrong column. Bear with me as I continue to work on solving this mystery.
IMDB lists 5 different actresses with the name Linda Bennett. Linda #3 in their listings was born in SLC in 1942. She is credited with playing the role of Terry in the December,1960, episode of Ozzie & Harriet entitled "Rick Counts The Ballots. That fits.
Linda Bennett #1 on the site was born in Kentucky in 1946. The site has production stills from the horror movie Creature With The Atom Brain (1955) showing Linda Bennett #1 as a child actress. Linda #1 would have been 8 years old at the time, so it fits. I have seen that movie several times and remember the important role the little girl played in exposing the zombie-like creatures:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047960/mediaviewer/rm2416647169?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_sf_17
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047960/mediaviewer/rm1728715777?ref_=ttmi_mi_all_sf_76
That same Linda (#1) played "Wally's Dream Girl" in an April, 1961, episode of Leave It To Beaver. Linda #1 would have been age 14 at the time, so that also fits. Oddly, that same Linda Bennett (#1) is listed as the "uncredited" performer on that December, 1960 episode of Ozzie & Harriet, singing the soundtrack song "You Are The Only One." That has to be a mistake, because Linda #1 would only have been age 13 at the time of production. Forgive me for going so deep into trivia, but I have a keen desire to know such details and get the fact straight.
Yessum, Stella Stevens posed for Playboy magazine and became an "it girl" in movies from the late 50s through the 70s. She was the leading lady in the Elvis movie Girls! Girls! Girls! and I liked her in The Poseidon Adventure and the TV series Flamingo Road. She was also in 66 episodes of Santa Barbara. Stella's career continued going strong through the 1970s, 80s and 90s and she remained a busy actress well into the 21st century. Stella will be 84 this fall!
I recently saw Tony Dow as he looks and sounds today. It was surreal "age progressing" Wally to the 2020s. I just watched Tony the other day in the 1983 TV movie High School U.S.A. The cast included many
young stars of the 50s thru 70s including fellow Leave It To Beavers Ken Osmond & Frank Bank, Michael J. Fox, Nancy McKeon, Anthony Edwards, Dawn Wells, Bob Denver, Dwayne Hickman, Todd Bridges & Dana Plato, Angela Cartwright, Crystal Bernard, Elinor Donahue, Barry Livingston and David Nelson (Ricky's brother).
Thanks again for coming back to chat, dear friend Belle!
Happy Monday morning Shady! The pin up pics are so fun to see and so colorful and typical of that time period. Oh how I wanted to be a blue eye blond back in my youth! My dear second brother that passed away last year got those traits. Anyway, the songs were ones I knew...well a few I knew. Oh that cutie Ricky but so fickle! I watched his real life wife on a few old shows that run on METV. I watched the reruns of Ozzie and Harriet and all those sitcoms were so much better than what we have today. Plus the stars that came out of them were also heart throbs of the era with their songs. I always loved "Blue on Blue" and glad to hear it this morning. Just a final thought...were those the same Crickets that sang with Buddy Holly? Inquiring minds want to know. Have a good week Shady!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThanks a lot for coming early for the official launch of Shady's Angels, dear friend! Please remember this: Shady's Angels don't battle bad guys. They spin great records from the 50s and early 60s for your listening and dancing pleasure.
I'm glad you appreciate the pinup art. Shucks, YaYa. You should not have envied blue-eyed blondes. You look like Sophia Loren's prettier sister! Yessum, I have not forgotten that you suffered the loss of your dear brother last summer.
I thought Ozzie & Harriet was one of the most genuinely funny and enjoyable TV series ever. The dialogue was delivered in an extremely natural manner, not like rehearsed lines, and that set it apart. I'm glad you remember and like O & H and other sitcoms of the period that remind us of "the way we were," or at least the way we wished and wanted to be.
Yessum, those are Buddy Holly's Crickets, originally called The "Chirping" Crickets. After Buddy was killed, the band went on recording and performing with Earl Sinks as their new lead singer. They also backed The Everly Brothers on tour and recorded an album with Bobby Vee on lead. I have posted (or will post) some of those songs.
Thank you again for your kind visit and great comment, dear friend YaYa! Have a safe and happy week up there in Ashland!
Happy Monday! I was fish food yesterday...so exhausted that I fell asleep while talking to my friend out west. Harley still has skunk smell on his snout vut that will last for a long time the homes smells good, thankfully.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing the pin ups and only one gal among all these painters. The songs are so much fu to listen to as they bring back a bygone Era. I loved both songs at the top and the one from. THE Nutty Professor is a good one. But he would have pictured her naked xkr sure.
Baby Blue is a sweet song but love Blue on Blue by Mr. Vinton.
Ricky did love the girls but I prefer his singing with Linda because she is more than just from the background. Did you know that many people who bought the Ozzie and Harriet home hve had many strange events happen and most believe it is fro. OZZIE's ghost.
The last song is pretty and seems to be the right one to end with.
I enjoyed listening and watching the videos from here. Always entertaining
Hi, Birgit!
DeleteI'm excited and delighted to see you, dear friend! Welcome to volume 1 of my new Shady's Place series Shady's Angels, this edition of the show hosted by vintage pinup girl Pretty Blue Eyes.
I was sorry to learn that my bow-wow buddy Harley rubbed elbows with a skunk the other day. If that awful smell stays on his snout, I wonder how that will affect his appetite or his ability to enjoy food. I hope it'll be AOK. I'm glad you got rid of the smell in your house.
Yessum, I was very pleased to find that remastered clip of nice guy Jimmy Clanton singing his 1962 hit "Venus In Blue Jeans" on an early 1965 episode of the TV music show Hollywood A Go-Go.
How about the expressions on Jerry Lewis' face as he imagined Stella posing in a variety of alluring outfits? I agree that he probably had R and X rated images of her in mind as well. Everybody seems to love Bobby Vinton's tender love ballad "Blue On Blue." Thanks for saying so.
How about The Rickster crooning "You Are The Only One" to two different girlfriends? That dawg! No, I never heard that the Nelson house is believed to be haunted by Ozzie. Does the ghost wear Ozzie's sweater? :) Is Ozzie's ghost always wandering around searching for next-door neighbor Thorny :)
I'm delighted that you enjoyed your latest visit to Shady's Place. Thanks for coming and have a wonderful week, dear friend BB!
Well It's 1950's and 60's so I didn't think I would know any of these and I was right. But I did recognize Ricky Nelson's name. lol I know I've heard a song or two of his before.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
Hi, Mary!
DeleteHey, your comment went right through this time, dear friend! I hope that means the Blogger gremlin has finally learned his lesson and will not keep blocking you. Thanks for coming by!
Yessum, it seems like your mother didn't expose you to any of these songs when you were young. If, like you, she wasn't into easy listening teen-pop, then it's easy to understand why.
Ricky Nelson is certainly an artist whose catalog is worth investigating, if for no other reason than to familiarize yourself with one of the top recording stars of the 20th century. Rick was also an actor, and his TV series, Ozzie & Harriet, is an example of one of the best family-oriented sitcoms of the 20th century.
Thanks again for your prompt visit and comment, dear friend Mary! FYI - I will miss your Saturday and Sunday posts this week because I will be on a 9-day blogging hiatus, completely off the grid. I just wanted to let you know in advance. Have a super week!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteShady's angels are heavenly! I have most of these vintage pinup girls in my collection. I really enjoyed your music set from the 50s and early 60s. There's nothing blue about your blue themed song set. Shazam, most if not all of the titles featured I know! Stella Stevens was a real pretty gal. I loved watching those old Jerry Lewis films as a kid and I recall seeing The Nutty Professor. Ricky Nelson had such a silky smooth voice. I could listen to his music all day!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks so much for dropping in for show #1 of Shady's Angels, dear friend!
Yessum, I figured you would recognize and get a kick out of the various pinup girls I selected to represent your volume 1 "hostess with the mostess" - Pretty Blue Eyes.
I am also pleased that you enjoyed the easy listening teen-pop love songs of the 50s and early 60s on PBE's playlist, featuring a number of songs with "blue" in the title. There are so many that I think they could fill a month-long A to Z run.
I'm glad you spotted Stella Stevens in one of her greatest roles as "Miss Purdy" in the 1963 hit The Nutty Professor. That same year, Stella had a prominent role in the film The Courtship of Eddie's Father, and the year before she was the apple of Elvis's eye in Girls! Girls! Girls!. As I told friend Belle (above) I also liked Stella a lot in The Poseidon Adventure (1972).
My ears agree with yours on Ricky Nelson. I could listen to his singing all day long. He was fabulous when known as "Ricky," and he recorded great songs when he turned into "Rick" in the early 60s. If not for The Beatles knocking his career for a loop in 1964, his subsequent recordings would probably have charted much higher. In the late 60s, Rick made a strong comeback (as did Elvis at the same time) with his Stone Canyon Band. Like Elvis, Rick left us too soon.
Thanks again for your visit and fine comment, dear friend Cathy!
Hey there, my friend. Sorry for the late appearance. I just got finished watching the January 6th hearings. Wow.
ReplyDeleteI didn't recognize the Pretty Blue Eyes song until I heard Steve Lawrence start to sing it. I like his version better than the Crickets.
I also wasn't familiar with the Ricky Nelson song but he's just cute to look at so whatever he sings is good with me!
I've gotten some typing in which is a good thing so I gotta keep it short. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Hi, Janet!
DeleteThanks for coming and welcome to the party, dear friend! Pretty Blue Eyes is playing soft, easy favorites just for folks like you who don't like the hard stuff.
Yessum, the Jan. 6 hearings are must see TV. Thanks for breaking away and dropping by for some entertainment aimed at taking your mind off of depressing subjects in the news.
You aren't the only friend to prefer the Steve Lawrence version of "Pretty Blue Eyes" over that of the chirping Crickets. Thanks for letting me know.
Yessum, The Rickster was easy on the eyes and ears, and he also had plenty of street cred, doing more than capable covers of songs originally recorded by Fat Domino, Chuck Berry, Little Walter, Dorsey Burnette, Ray Charles and other blues, R&B and country greats. No wonder he became a teenage idol.
Thanks again for making time for a visit, dear friend Janet. Enjoy the rest of your week and I hope to see you back here later in the month after my hiatus!
Hi dear friend,
ReplyDeleteShady's angels - I love it! I'm not familiar with these songs, but you have included one of dad's favourite performers: Ricky Nelson. I'll have to play this for him and see if he recognizes the other songs. He probably will. This is his era too. :)
I'm back in appeals and had fun listening to this playlist today while working on typing some briefs. You made the day fly, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for coming by and checking out vol. 1 of my new series Shady's Angels, dear friend! I'm glad you like the concept.
Yessum, by all means let your dad see and hear these two performances by Ricky Nelson, rare videos that I was excited to find on YouTube. He might also know a few of these other love ballads of the pre-Beatles years 1960 to 1963.
I'm always happy to provide a playlist for your work and play activities. Thanks again for joining the fun and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI'll share this playlist with dad this weekend. Weekdays are usually harried, but we have a chance to sit down on Saturday and Sunday mornings. :) He probably is familiar with some of these songs. He was 5-8 years old from 1960-1963.
After the day I had today, I am looking forward to sitting down and listening to this playlist again!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteYou're right, dear friend. Your dad might be a bit too young to remember some of these songs. However, a couple of them were big enough hits that they are still being played and covered in the 2020s, and therefore he might be familiar with them. I hope he gets to hear them this weekend and hope you will put them to use whenever you need to unwind.
Thanks again for coming and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend JM!
Having seen it so many times, I can tell you that every one of those Stella Stevens clips is from The Nutty Professor. But Stella was in a lot of 1960s movies, including two with Jerry's former partner Dean.
ReplyDeleteThat aside, the Steve Lawrence song itself interests me. Obviously, Lawrence was never going to be an all-out rock-and-roller, yet either he or his management wanted that teenage audience. By that time, teenagers either were, or on the verge of becoming, the largest segment of the record-buying public. The milder Ricky Nelson-type of ballads was something Lawrence and artists like him could do, and that seemed the way to go in early '60s, as the wilder stuff receded into the background. Of course, the Beatles ruined all of that, though I imagine Steve Lawrence could have done a decent cover of "Yesterday". Who knows? Maybe he did.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteI'm happy to see you, good buddy! Thanks for coming over to meet and greet Pretty Blue Eyes, the first of Shady's Angels to serve as hostess of my new series dedicated to pop love ballads of the Eisenhower 50s and pre-Beatles 60s.
Yes, Stella Stevens is best known to me for her prominent roles in The Nutty Prof and Poseidon Adventure, but she has a long list of credits that spans six decades. I was surprised to discover so many acting credits in my research.
I appreciate your thoughts about Steve Lawrence. As I stated in the text, Steve turned age 87 this past week. His wife and singing partner, Eydie Gormé, was seven years older, and took ill and died nearly nine years ago. The new genre called rock & roll came on strong in the mid and late 50s but, as you pointed out, the U.S. music market underwent an "adjustment" of sorts that lasted from approximately 1959 until the start of 1964 when The Beatles invaded and The British Invasion surf-rock, Motown, garage rock and other major trends dramatically changed the landscape. From the late 50s through early 60s, "the doldrums" to rock lovers like me, many hits on the pop chart were the easygoing variety like the songs that will be played in this series by members of Shady's Angels. (SPOILER: Farrah didn't make the cut.) Innocent teen-pop love ballads like "Pretty Blue Eyes" and benign instrumentals suitable for play on The Lawrence Welk Show were plentiful on the chart during the period. It was a good time to be Ricky Nelson, who proved that he could rock & roll, satisfying that segment of the record buying audience, and that he could also croon a tender tune with the best of them, making him popular with parents as well as their teenage kids.
Thanks again for coming to PBE's platter party, good buddy Kirk. Enjoy the rest of your week, and please note that I will begin a 9-day blog hiatus this Friday. Take care!