Today's Birthdays 7/15

[do_re_milla]

Posted: 7/15/03 at 6:09pm

Rembrandt Van Rijn 07/15/1606 - painter

Dorothy Fields 07/15/1905 lyricist/book writer – I wish I had the space & time to do this lady justice, IMHO she stands toe to toe w/Berlin, Porter, Hammerstein, Hart & Coward. Just give a listen to “After 40, It’s Patch, Patch, Patch”, “Close as Pages in a Book”, “Don’t Blame Me”, “Erbie Fitch’s Twitch”, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”, “It’s Not Where You Start”, “Make the Man Love Me”, “Pick Yourself Up”, “Remind Me”, “Sunny Side of the Street, “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This”, “What’s Good About Goodnight?”, “Where Am I Going?”, “You Couldn’t Be Cuter”.

Just as I would describe Hart as cynical in love & soulfully sorrowful, I would describe DF as forever hopeful & youthful in her lyrics. Her works include: BLACKBIRDS OF 1928; UP IN CENTRAL PARK; ARMS & THE GIRL (Pearl Bailey, John Conte, Nanette Fabray, Georges Guétary); A TREE GROWS IN BKLYN, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN; BY THE BEAUTIFUL SEA; RED HEAD; SWEET CHARITY; SEESAW; A link is below for a well thought out website on Dorothy.

Murvyn Vye 07/15/1913 performer – orig. Jigger in CAROUSEL

Joan Roberts 07/15/1918 performer – orig. Laurey in CAROUSEL

Albert Popwell 07/15/1926 performer – orig. BEGGAR’S HOLIDAY (Alfred Drake, Zero Mostel, Dorothy Johnson, Malka Farber, Doris Goodwin); THE BODY BEAUTIFUL; HOUSE OF FLOWERS

Lee Wallace 07/15/1930 performer – MOLLY (Kaye Ballard, Connie Day, Bob Heath); THE CEMETERY CLUB

Ken Kercheval 07/15/1935 performer – SOMETHING ABOUT A SOLDIER (Kevin McCarthy, Sal Mineo, Ralph Meeker); FATHER’S DAY (Biff McGuire, Marian Seldes, Donald Moffat, Brenda Vaccaro, Jennifer Salt); HERE’S WHERE I BELONG (Graciela Daniele, Darrell Askey, Bud Fleming); tv’s DALLAS

Linda Ronstadt 07/15/1946 performer, can it be that she’s 57!? – PIRATES OF PENZANCE; CANCIONES DE ME PADRE (even if I hated her singing, which I don’t, I’d have to love her musical taste cause she idolizes Maria Callas.); member of The Stone Poneys, songs “You’re No Good,” “When Will I Be Loved?”

Forest Whitaker 07/15/1961 performer – THE CRYING GAME

Shows which opened on July 15:
Miss Liberty 07/15/1949 – 1 of Berlin’s less popular shows. Starred Eddie Albert (I love this guy); Maria Karnilova, Charles Dingle)

Present Laughter 07/15/1982 – Geo. C. Scott, Kate Burton, Dana Ivy, Christine Lahti, Nathan Lane

(sources: IBDB, NYT On This Day, & 440.com’s Those Were The Days

Dorothy Fields