Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Beverly Sills Gala &1953 Medley

[+ WilliamM]

 

Amazing that two Broadway stars were the last performers to pay tribute to Beverly Sills at her farewell to opera gala.

 

Beverly Sills sang a beautiful song at the very end.

 

1981 from PBS. The Gala took place in late 1980.

[craigville beach]

they don't make them like this anymore.

[+ WilliamM]

 

 

Mary Martin should not have gone to Vietnam with "Hello, Dolly." It was too dangerous for the cast and crew.

 

Martin and the company were performing in Japan when the Soviet Union cancelled suddenly. I believe President Johnson called Mary about going to Vietnam ( she was also from Texas) instead of Russia. She did not get a warm reception from American reporters covering the war at a press conference in Saigon. Just.... "Why are you here?"

 

But, I served in Vietnam a few years later, and nobody else (in all the USO shows) added such a personal element by naming several soldiers in the audience.

 

Personally, I am very glad the Korean and Australian soldiers were thanked. They were amazingly brave.

[Marlfox]

 

 

Mary Martin should not have gone to Vietnam with "Hello, Dolly." It was too dangerous for the cast and crew. But, I served in Vietnam a few years later, and nobody else (in all the USO shows) added such a personal element by naming several soldiers in the audience.

 

Personally, I am very glad the Korean and Australian soldiers were thanked. They were amazing.

 

What a terrific clip! Thanks William for posting it.

[+ WilliamM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0QhfT-dgFU

 

 

I saved the best for last.

 

This Ethel Merman-Mary Martin Medley is from the Ford 50th Anniversary special which was broadcast on all three TV networks live in 1953. It was the first time Mary Martin and Ethel Merman ever sang together. For many years a small part of the medley would always be included in the greatest moments in television history. You could buy a record of the duet, but it was decades before I actually saw it at the Paley Center in New York.

 

Now the Medley is available on DVD and on YouTube.

 

In 1953, the idea of two stars singing together for 12+ minutes was never tried before. on TV. The entertainment world included Broadway in the 1950s,, especially for this show and Martin's "Peter Pan."