The Cult Entertainment Icon Celebrates Spring – and Wayne Powers!
“Uncle Floyd” Vivino
Not unlike Soupy Sales and long before Pee Wee Herman, Floyd Vivino took New Jersey – and later the country – by storm with his cult “Kiddie TV Show” for adults, which ran for an amazing 24 years, spawning a record album and many singles.
TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HENRY MANCINI’S 93rd BIRTHDAY.
I can’t let today go by without acknowledging one of my greatest mentors and benefactors, never to be forgotten.
Upon arriving in L.A. back in 1976, I was greatly blessed to work for Henry, eventually administering all his music publishing for a short time before moving on to build my performance career – the original purpose in my relocating to the west coast.
Add some “culture” to your life. It’s the perfect day to take a moment and focus on truly artful verse:
“There was a young lady called Harris,
That nothing could ever embarrass;
Till the bath-salts one day
In the tub where she lay
Turned out to be plaster of Paris.”
– Ogden Nash.
(Okay, so it’s a limerick, not poetry in the purist sense. But at least it doesn’t start with, “There once was a girl from Nantucket…”)
March 12th is the birthday of one of my dear friends and colleagues for many years, Scoey Mitchlll. And I always try to remember my buddy’s birthday.
During the 1960s and 70s, Scoey was a trailblazer for African Americans in the world of standup comedy, appearing regularly on the Ed Sullivan Show and so many other variety shows and game shows. He also went on to blaze more trails, however, behind the camera as a successful writer / producer / director. Continue reading “Still Scoey After All These Years”
HAPPY 96th BIRTHDAY, Carol Channing, the great star of Broadway, film, television, recordings and even a Super Bowl half-time show!
The enchanting Ms. Channing.
The last time I saw Carol was quite a few years ago. I was performing at Vine St. Bar & Grill, a then-famous Hollywood jazz show room. We followed Anita O’Day, who loved our music and invited me to come see her perform the next night in Beverly Hills. Continue reading ““Hello Dolly” – An Evening with Carol Channing”
… Quite a while ago, I was interviewed by author/broadcaster Bob O’Brien (Bob Leszczak) about my experiences doing two short-lived TV series on NBC back in the 1980’s, (“Me & Mrs. C” and “13 East”).
Bob was very knowledgeable about the shows and we had a delightful chat – but that was, as I said, quite a while ago and I had completely forgotten about it.
Well, Bob’s latest book is now out and “Single Season Sitcoms of the 1980’s – A Complete Guide” is just as advertised and more – an amazingly complete guide to a wide array of comedy shows no longer forgotten and I’m very pleased to be a very small part of this impressive work.Continue reading “BY THE BOOK…”
During the 1960s and 70s, Scoey was a trailblazer for African Americans in the world of standup comedy, appearing regularly on the Ed Sullivan Show and so many other variety shows and game shows. He also went on to blaze more trails, however, behind the camera as a successful writer / producer / director. Continue reading “Still Scoey After All These Years”
