The Late Great Mitzi Gaynor

Mitzi Gaynor, the singer, dancer, and actress known for such musicals as Les Girls (1957) and South Pacific (1958) and a number TV specials, died today, October 17 2024, at the age of 93.

Mitzi Gaynor was born Francesca Marlene de Czanyi von Gerber on September 4 1931 in Chicago. Her father was a violinist and cellist. Her mother was a dancer. She was enrolled in her first dance class when she was only eight years old. Her family moved from Chicago to Elgin, Illinois and then to Detroit and finally to Los Angeles. She trained as a ballerina while still young.  At 13 she convinced Edwin Lester, general director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera that she was 16 and as a result she got a part in the musical Song without Words. Afterwards in a West Coast production of Jerome Kerns' Roberta she danced a comedy bit. She then appeared in productions of The Fortune Teller, Song of Norway, Naughty Marietta, and The Great Waltz.

It was while she was in The Great Waltz that she was noticed by a Fox producer and she was signed to 20th Century Fox. Having gone by "Mitzi Gerber," 20th Century Fox gave her the stage name "Mitzi Gaynor." She made her feature film debut in My Blue Heaven in 1950. Mitzi Gaynor's film career unfolded mostly during the Fifties. It was in that decade that she appeared in the movies Take Care of My Little Girl (1951), Golden Girl (1951), We're Not Married! (1952), Bloodhounds of Broadway (1952), The I Don't Care Girl (1953), Down Among the Sheltering Palms (1953), Three Young Texans (1954), There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), Anything Goes (1956), The Birds and the Bees (1956), The Joker is Wild (1957), Les Girls (1957), South Pacific (1958), Happy Anniversary (1959), and Surprise Package (1960). Mitzi Gaynor appeared on television on The George Jessel Show, The Frank Sinatra Show, The Dick Clark Show, This Is Your Life, The Donald O' Connor Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show.

In the Sixties Mitzi Gaynor appeared in the movie For Love or Money (1963).  She appeared on television on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Jack Paar Program, The Kraft Music Hall,. Laugh In, and The Merv Griffin Show. Her first television special, Mitzi, aired in 1968. It was followed in the Sixties by the special Mitzi's 2nd Special. It was in 1961 that Mitzi Gaynor began performing in Las Vegas. By 1968 she reportedly earned $45,000  a week in Las Vegas. She would also perform at various nightclubs in the United States and Canada.

In the Seventies Mitzi Gaynor appeared almost annually on TV specials on CBS, including Mitzi...the First Time, Mitzi...A Tribute to the American Housewife, Mitzi...and a Hundred Guys, Mitzi...Roarin' in the 20's., Mitzi...Zings into Spring, and Mitzi...What's Hot What's Not.

Mitzi Gaynor also recorded the albums Mitzi (1959) and Mitzi Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin (1959). She also appeared on the soundtrack albums for the movies There's No Business Like Show Business, Anything Goes, Les Girls, and South Pacific. In the 1990s she was a columnist for The Hollywood Reporter.

It is a mark of how big a star Mitzi Gaynor was that she was the headliner on the February 16 1964 edition of The Ed Sullivan Show rather than The Beatles, who were making their second appearance on the show. The Beatles were apparently fans of Mitzi Gaynor, as they asked her for her autograph. Of course, there should be little wonder that Mitzi Gaynor would be a star. She was an incredible singer and dancer who seemed to be filled with energy. When one saw Mitzi Gaynor on screen, one could not help but notice her. She remained vibrant well into her later years, so much so that it seems hard to believe she is gone. She was active on social media and she maintained close ties with Turner Classic Movies. She had attended the TCM Classic Film Festival and went on the TCM Cruise. Mitzi Gaynor certainly loved her fans, something she made clear in her posts to various social media. She referred to her audiences as "the sunshine of my life." Mitzi Gaynor's fans certainly loved her back, to the point that many of us feel as if we have lost a friend. Few performers were ever as dazzling, as talented, or as loved as Mitzi Gaynor.

Actor John Lasell Passes On

Character actor John Lasell, who played parapsychologist Peter Guthrie on the Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, died on October 4 2024 at the age of 95.

John Lasell was born on November 6 1928 in Williamstown, Vermont. He made his television debut in 1960 in an episode of the anthology series Armstrong Circle Theatre. He guest starred on the shows Hong Kong, One Step Beyond, and The DuPont Show with June Allyson. In the Sixties he was a regular on the soap opera As the World Turns in 1966. The following year he appeared as Dr. Peter Guthrie on Dark Shadows. He guest starred on the shows The DuPont Show with June Allyson, The Twilight Zone, Camera Three, General Electric Theatre, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Tall Man, Wagon Train, Alcoa Premiere, Gunsmoke, Hazel, The New Breed, The Investigators, Ben Casey, Checkmate, Shotgun Slade, Route 66, 87th Precinct, Shannon, Hawaiian Eye, Naked City, The Nurses, Flipper, Dr. Kildare, The Rogues, Peyton Place, Slattery's People, Rawhide, I Spy, 12 O' Clock High, My Favorite Martian, The F.B.I., Perry Mason, The Fugitive, The Invaders, This is the Life, Judd for the Defense, Adam-12, and The Psychiatrist. He appeared in the movies Topaz (1969), Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came (1970), and Helen Keller and Her Teacher (1970).

In the Seventies he had a recurring role as Ben Wedlock on the TV series Dan August and a recurring role on Lassie as Dr. Robbins. He guest starred on the TV shows Storefront Lawyers. The F.B.I., Mission: Impossible, Night Gallery, The Mod Squad, The Streets of San Francisco, Mannix, Cannon, The New Perry Mason, This is the Life, Police Story, and Barnaby Jones. He appeared in the movies The Organization (1971), Honky (1971), and Deathmaster (1972).

In the Eighties, John Lasell guest starred on Dallas and Falcon Crest. His final appearance was in the mini-series A Death in California in 1985.

While John Lasell may always be best remembered as Dr. Peter Guthrie on Dark Shadows, he played a wide variety of roles during his career. He had a major role in the Twilight Zone episode "Back There," in which time traveller Peter Corrigan (Russell Johnson) discovers the man calling himself Jonathan Wellington (John Laseell) is not who he claims to be. He played a U.S. Cavalry officer on Rawhide, a district attorney on Judd for the Defense, an Army officer on 12 O' Clock High, and several other roles. His roles may not have been particularly big sometimes, but he always left a profession.

"Bésame Mucho"

Chances are good that if you know only one Spanish-language song, it is "Bésame Mucho (which literally means "kiss me a lot")." The song has been recorded by artists from Emilio Tuero to Jimmy Dorsey to Jennifer Scott. It could well be the most recorded Spanish-language song of all time.

"Bésame Mucho" was written by legendary Mexican composer and pianist Consuelo Velázquez. She was only 16 years old at the time and had not yet had a romantic kiss. She took inspiration from the piano composition "Quejas, o la Maja y el Ruiseñor" Spanish composer  Enrique Granados's 1911 suite Goyescas. The first recording of "Bésame Mucho" was by Los Cadetes del Swing, which was released in 1940.  It was also performed by Mexican actor and singer Emilio Tuero. It proved to be a massive hit in Mexico, so massive that it would find its way to the United States. American composer, lyricist, and singer Sunny Skylar wrote English lyrics for "Bésame Mucho," although he retained the words "Bésame Mucho." It proved popular in the United States during World War II, and it was recorded by such artists as Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra with singers Bob Eberly and Kitty Kallen, Andy Russell, and Xavier Cugat and His Waldorf-Astoria.

Since then it has been recorded by numerous artists over the years, including Frank Sinatra, Frankie Lane, Ray Coniff, Dean Martin, The Coasters, Dalida, and others. Even The Beatles recorded "Bésame Mucho. " It was legendary R&B group The Coasters' version that brought "Bésame Mucho" to the attention of The Beatles. They included it in their live sets when they were performing in Hamburg. They also recorded it on January 1 1962 as part of their ill-fated audition for Decca Records. They also recorded a number of takes of "Bésame Mucho"at their first audition for EMI on June 6 1962. The Beatles' version song was not released until the compilation album Anthology 1 in 1995.

Here is Los Cadetes del Swing's version of "Bésame Mucho.

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