Roz Russell On Singing Momma Rose...(I find this interesting)- Page 3

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 11:07pm

Pal Joey,

Great, great story about Ethel!

I have read one biography and it is full of stories like that. Of course, Ethel did have some real tragedies in her life, and as I have said before, there are many who attest to her goodheartedness and loyalty. She wasn't a very educated woman, and I recall comments from the biography that indicated she didn't truly "understand" a lot of the material she was working with...which frustrated the librettist, composer, lyricist, producer, director, you name it. But boy, on stage, she could deliver like there was no tomorrow.

Reminds of that Billy Wilder comment about Marilyn Monroe, who was legendary for being late, "sick," absent, hungover and so forth on the movie set. She infuriated everyone, including Wilder, who once commented (I'm paraphrasing): "My Aunt Minnie is NEVER late, but no one is going to pay for a ticket to see my Aunt Minnie."

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 1:57pm

To be fair, for a woman to survive in the theatre in the 1930s, 40s and 50s SHE had to be either tough as nails (as Ethel was) or had someone who was looking out for her (as Mary Martin had in Richard Haliday.) Look at any big female star of that era..they didn't get to the top by letting people walk all over them. Come to think of it, maybe it isn't so gender specific: any successful businessman HAS to be tough as well.

[justme2]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 2:22pm

"justme2- Just so you know, the combination of the strangeness in your post and your extreme delicacy in phrasing it sent me into a giggle fit. :) "

Thanks lizbennet! I forgot all about this thread and just re-read through the posts after it was bumped up to the top and saw your comment.

I feel I should not suffer alone with movie star biography horror stories and thought that particular Swanson story belonged here, for all to enjoy.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 3:00pm

A friend of mine has all of Natalie Wood's pre-vocals for WEST SIDE STORY, and if that film were made today, they wouldn't have dubbed her. The voice could have used a little "enhancing" and "tweaking" - as they do for just about everyone in movie musicals today, but she had the notes, and on several pieces sounds a lot like...well Marni Nixon, who dubbed her. Her phrasing and acting of the songs, is of course fascinating and powerful.

Of course, the producers on WSS were totally dub-happy. EVERYONE is dubbed in that movie, even the people like Russ Tamblyn who could sing it no problem.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 3:29pm

I LOVE the special features interviews from WSS with Rita Moreno. I grew up thinking that she was the only one to do her own singing in the movie, only to find out she was dubbed, too. She mentions that Anita is just too rangy and she was barely audible on the lower notes. The thing that bothered Rita the most (because she understood WHY they had to do it) was that she didn't feel that the singing matched the emotions that she was portraying in the scene. That's probably MORE of a reason why you should cast someone in a movie who sings AND acts the role. Otherwise, (as beautiful as the dubbed voice might sound) the performance might be disjointed.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 5:24pm

I find that most of the time the dubbed voices aren't needed for the most part. Look at the beautiful and ultra fabulous Ava Gardner in SHOWBOAT. I find her vocals to be more appropriate for Julie than the vocal that was dubbed in. However, I must confess that I have issues with using an actor who can't sing the part. The only person I am okay with 100% is Cyd Charise. God, I love that woman! "I was always being Cyd Charise!"

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/1/05 at 7:00pm

The only thing that turns me off a little about the WSS movie - is all the dubbing. It's a great movie - no doubt about it. But the dubbing is ridiculous. Rita has a mezzo voice - so I can understand her having trouble with A BOY LIKE THAT. But I think she could've handled the other songs. and I'm dying to hear Natalie's lost tracks- grrr.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 6:18pm

A little random.

But I won a copy of 58 telecast of WONDERFUL TOWN with Roz - off of Ebay.

I am so excited to see this, considering the number of raves she got for this role. And plus I love this show in general.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/12/06 at 8:58pm

I know this is old..

But I've been listening to Roz's GYPSY outtakes again. And she is actually quite good on TOGETHER WHEREVER WE GO. It is actually Natalie Wood who is messing it up vocally. I also feel her EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES was workable - she is actually quite good on the parts of the song that have a faster tempo. They should've done another Lisa/Roz mix for that song. The opening of the song should definitely be Kirk, then the faster parts Roz. It would've worked.

[tourboi]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 4:29pm

I think I'd sell my soul to see Charles Busch play Autie Mame.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 4:42pm

No need to sell anything, dear. Busch has played Auntie Mame many times over the years in benefits, in New York and elsewhere. I'm sure he'll pull out her wigs and gowns again sometime for a good cause (he obviously loves the role).