Threaded Order Chronological Order
| A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: dbg 02:30 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| Last night at the Palm Springs International Film Festival there was a showing of Kaye Ballard: The Show Goes On, a documentary about Kaye's long career as a theater, screen and TV performer, who was also a successful singer, night club artist and musician. At 93, she is retired and living on Kaye Ballard Lane in Rancho Mirage, and she received a rousing standing ovation at the start of the film and much applause after snippets of her singing "Lazy Afternoon" from The Golden Apple, a great "Everything's Coming Up Roses" from a regional production of Gypsy and "Broadway Baby" from Paper Mill's Follies. While I mainly knew her stage work from seeing her in Carnival! and Molly and her very funny role alongside Eve Arden in The Mothers-in-Law on TV, I was amazed to learn she got her start singing and doing comedy with Spike Jones, was part of the company on the Perry Como TV show, was the singer who introduced "Maybe This Time" long before it was part of the Cabaret film, played a step-sister in the Julie Andrews Cinderella, and I'd forgotten she was in the film of The Ritz. She was a delight in talking about her career and projects that might have been had she played her cards right. Among those who spoke about her were Ann-Margret, Donna McKechnie, Woody Allen, Michael Feinstein, Carol Burnett, Jerry Stiller, Carol Channing and many others. The director, Dan Wingate, did a fine job giving a balanced picture of her varied career, and the clips from old shows were often hilarious. I hope the film gets a general release, and I know many who read this board will relish seeing what a great talent Kaye Ballard was. | |
| reply to this message |
| The only time I saw her on stage | |
| Posted by: clothedboysinging 07:49 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - dbg 02:30 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| was at the 1st preview of a musical entitled Sheba; which opened - and closed - in Chicago in July 1974. | |
| reply to this message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: wmgrad1976 06:35 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - dbg 02:30 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| in November 2017, Kaye did a great interview with Rob Schneider and Kevin David Thomas on their podcast "BEHIND THE CURTAIN: BROADWAY'S LIVING LEGENDS." She talks about the documentary and her career. | |
| Link | From Nov. 2017 - BEHIND THE CURTAIN: BROADWAY'S LIVING LEGENDS - Kaye Ballard |
| reply to this message | reply to first message | |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: lowwriter 03:03 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - dbg 02:30 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| I love Kaye Ballard. I had no idea she was still alive! Do they have Ballard singing Sara Lee in the film? | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: fidelio1010 06:50 am EST 01/08/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - lowwriter 03:03 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| We saw here in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Follies and she was fabulous . One day, it must have been about 15 years ago she just walked into our hair salon on 3rd ave and 79th street and asked to get her hair blown out and said,"Don't make me look like one of the old ladies". She was fantastic. I only wish I could have run back home to get my cd for her to sign. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: dbg 03:33 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - lowwriter 03:03 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| Unfortunately, no. Funny you should mention "Sara Lee," because Kaye appeared at my partner's family's restaurant in Omaha (!) back in the late 60's or early 70's, and he happened to mention he remembered her singing a song called "Sara Lee." I know it from And the World Goes 'Round but didn't think it was that old. I can't find any information on when it was written. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: bwaynut 03:18 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - lowwriter 03:03 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| And her autobiography (written with Jim Hesselman), entitled "How I Lost 10 Pounds in 53 Years" is a real hoot !! | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: bmc 06:02 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - bwaynut 03:18 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| I saw her do Sara Lee" on, I think, The Tonight Show(She was a favorite of Johnny Carson). Also a stitch of a song called Ann-Dash_Mar-gar-ret......... Back in the day when there were LP bins everywhere, I went with my father to a Hardware Store, and flipping thru the record bins, I came across an LP(on United Artists records), entitled "Boo-Hoo; Ha Ha. On side one Miss Ballard sang torch songs' .Side two comedy songs, some by Fred Ebb(What's a nice kid like you doin in a place like this"- Side two was a perfect example of "Special Material'...... On the cast album of Cole Porter revisited(It was an off=Bway revue) She did imitations of Sophie tucker and Mabel Mercer-In fact I heard Ballard's imitation of Miss Mercer before I even bought a Mabel Mercer album. ..... Three cheers for Kaye Ballard! | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Last Edit: TheOtherOne 07:19 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 07:15 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - bmc 06:02 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| I believe that "What's A Nice Kid Like You Doin' In A Place Like This" was written for an animated Television version of "Alice In Wonderland." It was broadcast sometime in the mid-60s and while I don't remember much about the show I have never forgotten the song. Sammy Davis, Jr., as the Cheshire Cat, voiced it. I had no idea Kander and Ebb had written it. UPDATE: According to IMDB, it was written by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams so maybe Kaye sang a different song with the same title? Kaye Ballard is a treasure! I look forward to seeing this documentary. |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: bmc 09:09 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - TheOtherOne 07:15 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| the ' nice kid 'must be a different song with the same title----,lines like "it aint nice to see/ a lady like me/singin in a broken down bar." and. spoken ," Al, This band should just disband." it's for a gal singer on the bandstand. ......I finally got to see Miss Ballard in the cast as a replacement in PIRATES of Penzance(other 'replacements, were Treat Williams, Maureen McGovern. Robbie Benson- But George Rosed was still the Poppa | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: dbg 01:38 am EST 01/08/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - bmc 09:09 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| Rex Reed made a mistake in the documentary saying Kaye was so good but "not even nominated for the Tony." She would not have been eligible, since she was a replacement in the cast you saw. She had high praise for Robby Benson. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 10:03 pm EST 01/08/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - dbg 01:38 am EST 01/08/19 | |
|
|
|
| Rex Reed make a mistake? Could never happen. :) Seriously, I was really surprised that in Broadway: The Golden Age they left in his ridiculous statement about Cole Porter writing the score of Kiss Me, Kate on the train to New Haven (or did he say Philadelphia?). |
|
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: dbg 06:19 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - bmc 06:02 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| Kaye talks about the Cole Porter album in the documentary and how popular that show was, and quite a bit about Sophie Tucker. She does some great impersonations, too, including Miss Tucker and Bette Davis. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: huskyital (huskyital@yahoo.com) 07:38 am EST 01/08/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - dbg 06:19 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
|
|
|
| I saw Kaye Ballard on the upper west side doing her one woman show HEY MA.....and she was terrifically funny and poignant.....a first class entertainer. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Posted by: AlexanderKat 10:19 am EST 01/08/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - huskyital 07:38 am EST 01/08/19 | |
|
|
|
| Back in the seventies there was a wonderful venue called The Backlot in West Hollywood where you could see Broadway people for three dollars and a two drink minimum (and the drinks were cheap). I was able to see Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Susan Watson, Barbara Cook, Phyllis Newman and others perform. One of the most enjoyable shows however was Kaye Ballard's. She had the ability to make you laugh one moment and tear up minutes later by alternating her comedic numbers with strong ballads. And I even recall her playing the flute. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
| re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard | |
| Last Edit: Tergod 05:36 pm EST 01/08/19 | |
| Posted by: Tergod 05:35 pm EST 01/08/19 | |
| In reply to: re: A new documentary about the life of Kaye Ballard - AlexanderKat 10:19 am EST 01/08/19 | |
|
|
|
| I hadn't thought about The Backlot in years, AlexanderKat! I saw Eartha Kitt there back in the day and have never forgotten it. It was a great venue to see "ladies of a certain age" who still had tons of talent strut their stuff. | |
| reply to this message | reply to first message |
Time to render: 0.043458 seconds.