Pearl Bailey-My Favorite Anecdote

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 4:28pm

I recall Pearl Bailey missing alot of performances when she did Hello Dolly! on Broadway and also when she did her revival production on Broadway. Was Thelma Carpenter her standby, or was it Bibi Osterwald, I can't remember for certain?

Once, David Merrick and Pearl Bailey were guests on the Mike Douglas show........And Mr. Merrick had Ms. Bailey show the audience the diamond ring he had given her for missing no performances for a long period of time, noting in the past that "she had missed a few."

The night I went to see Pearl Bailey and Cab Calloway, the show started almost a half hour late but they were both there and that performance changed my life.

I also saw "Pearl Bailey's Farewell To Show Business Performance," as it was hailed at the time. The final performance of the revival of her HELLO DOLLY! production on Broadway. She was going to be dedicating herself to UN work having been appointed Ambassador of Love by President Ford. The show started rather prompty and of course she was incredible and Billy Daniel or was it Eckstine? was excellent.

She departed from charachter a few times during this farewell to showbiz performance.........did the Hello Dolly number twice, shlepping up the stairs to do the number again, to great laughter.........It was an incredible time in the theater all around....

As had been her tradition she did what she called act 3 of the show-performing standards such as Chicago, Chicago. She had Cab Calloway sing Minnie the Moocher the first time I saw her do Dolly , she jokingly went "Oh MY God There's DAVID! (referring to Mr. Merrick) and immediately started droning the Hello Dolly song, in jest, as though she feared Mr. Merrick would be angry with her doing an "act three" of songs not from Hello Dolly!.

During her farewell to showbiz performance I recall she had her Horace perform "That Ole Black Magic" and I recall her awesomely performing--and she strictly instructed the orchestra not to try to join in or follow her as she wanted to sing for us acapella,
"Let There Be Peace On Earth and Let It Begin With Me."

It was an amazing experience.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 4:34pm

What other shows has Pearl Bailey done?
I wish I could have seen Thelma Carpenter in Hello, Dolly !

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 5:07pm

Unmasked05, I know she was in HOUSE OF FLOWERS on Broadway and she was in the film of PORGY AND BESS.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/13/05 at 6:30pm

Unmasked05, The divine Pearlie Mae made her Broadway debut in ST. LOUIS WOMAN.

I loved her variety series(it may have been on for just one season) and recall when Bing Crosy and Louis Armstrong guested on the same episode. They did a delightful number, the three of them.............something to the effect of "I don't Wanna Sing That Song," making fun of songs they were well known for and had performed hundreds of times. I loved that show!

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 12:37pm

has Pearl Bailey become unknown to today's generation? how very sad indeed

[Allie]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 12:43pm

I saw a PBS special featuring Pearl Bailey and Carol Channing. It was one of the best programs I've seen from PBS. SO funny!

[wildcat]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 12:44pm

Well, where would they see her? Unless they have access to the old Ed Sullivan shows. Although her special with Carol Channing is out on DVD. I'm longing to see that one...two divas at their peak!

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 12:49pm

wildcat, sadly, you are correct........I wish they would repeat her variety series that was on ABC for just one season I believe....Also, it would be sublime to have all the clips of her appearances on all the talk shows she used to grace with her presence......

I recall her singing OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY with Johnny Carson (that was actually released in the early 1970s on a recording of memorable vocal performances on THE TONIGHT SHOW) and singing CLOSE TO YOU to David Frost........and I remember her cooking macaroni and cheese with Mike Douglas,,,,,,,,and most of her measurements were:

you just put in a Ton of butter child! then you add a ton of cream!......etc..........

I miss her very much.

She can be seen easily in the few films she made, Porgy and Bess and That Certain Feeling come to mind.

[wildcat]

Posted: 2/14/05 at 12:52pm

Carmen Jones!!!!

St. Louis Blues!!!!!!