In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed legendary actress Kim Novak for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Kim doesn't do many interviews but agreed to talk to me about growing up in Chicago. It took several months to land the interview. As a child, Kim said, her parents were hard on her, largely because they feared her emerging good looks would get her into trouble in their rough neighborhood.
So her mother had her wear pigtails into her teens in an effort to keep her plain looking. Her father, a stern disciplinarian, was convinced that her acting career was a result of something bad she had done to win the opportunities. A childhood spent trying to win the love of her parents.
As readers know, I'm a fan of her films, so it was a thrill to answer the phone when she called and hear, "Hello Marc? Kim Novak." You should know that Kim remains a graceful, enthralling spirit who's filled with adventure and mystery. A woman from a different era, when stars were about poise and character.
Here's a fascinating 1960s documentary narrated by Joseph Cotton...
Steve Lawrence. I found this marvelous clip at Todd Gordon's Facebook page of singer Steve Lawrence on Hollywood Palace in 1967. Nifty arrangement in the style of Nelson Riddle...
I'll add this one...
And this one...
Sebastian Sternal. Pianist Dave Thompson sent along this wonderful clip of pianist Sebastian Sternal (pictured above), superb bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jonas Burgwinkel playing All of You...
Billy Ainsworth's daughter, Laura, last week flagged me to her Facebook page, where Curt Wilson posted a video of the Ray McKinley band in the 1949 movie Make Believe Ballroom, with McKinley playing a drum solo on Comin' Up. Laura's dad, Billy Ainsworth, is on saxophone just behind McKinley to the left.
Laura added a publicity photo of the band (top) taken on the set of the film (which seems to have been made in October 1946). She included the flip side of the still, which includes the band's personnel written out by her dad. Included were guitarist Mundell Lowe and Peanuts Hucko.
Click on images above to enlarge.
Online opera. Last week I received the following from Danilo Morandi in Switzerland...
Hi Marc! I don't know whether or not you like opera, but this video has to be the greatest concert of the coronavirus era. Here are Italian artists of La Scala performing together while locked down at home...
What the heck: Here are two of the very best Latin singers, Vitín Aviles (left) and Tito Rodríguez, both born in Puerto Rico, singing Quando Quando and Cara de Payaso, a big hit for Rodríguez in 1962 (apologies for the poor video quality but worthwhile just the same)...
Here's Rodríguez's original recording of Cara de Payaso (Face of the Clown), which has been covered by other Latin artists but never matched...
Here's Aviles singing Dale Cara a tu Dolor (Face Your Pain)...
And here's a terrific album with Aviles backed by Rodríguez's band...
