George Kennedy, Meg Flather, Carol Channing....and MORE!
When you think of a movie, most people imagine a two hour finished, polished product. But to get to
that two hour product, it can take hundreds or thousands of people many months of full time work.
George Kennedy
Happy February 18th, 2016!
Today is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 317 days remaining until the end of the year. Today, I celebrate three artists who also happen to be fellow Aquarians.
Sandy-haired, tall and burly George Harris Kennedy, Jr. was born in New York City, to Helen A. (Kieselbach), a ballet dancer, and George Harris Kennedy, an orchestra leader and musician. He has German, Irish, and English ancestry.
A World War II veteran, Kennedy at one stage in his career cornered the market at playing tough, no-nonsense characters who were either quite crooked or possessed hearts of gold.
Kennedy has notched up an impressive 200 plus appearances in both TV and film, and is well respected within the Hollywood community. He started out in TV westerns in the late 1950s and early 1960s (Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Rawhide (1959), Maverick (1957), Colt .45 (1957), among others) before scoring minor roles in films including Lonely Are the Brave (1962), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) and The Flight of the Phoenix (1965). The late 1960s was a very busy period for Kennedy, and he was strongly in favor with casting agents, appearing in Hurry Sundown (1967), The Dirty Dozen (1967) and scoring an Oscar win as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cool Hand Luke (1967). The disaster film boom of the 1970s was kind to Kennedy, too, and his talents were in demand for Airport (1970) and the three subsequent sequels, as a grizzled cop in Earthquake (1974), plus the buddy/road film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) as vicious bank robber Red Leary.
Jack Palance was born on this date in 1919. It is also the birthday of Yoko Ono.
Helen Gurley Brown was also born on this date.
Today is also the birthday of Toni Morrison.
Now that she's in her mid-80s, celebrated author Toni Morrison feels aches, pains and regret. (Read MORE)
Meg Flather has been juggling hats for a very long time. As a singer/songwriter, she has released seven albums of original music and won the second Bistro Award for Music Comedy Duo with the incredibly talented, Christian Daizey. As an author, she has written a memoir Home Shopping Diva...Lessons, Lyrics and Lipstick. When she is not making music, she is a passionate educator for TATCHA skincare, working closely with the New York sales team to share the skin smoothing secrets of the Japanese geisha. (Meg had been working internationally in the world of home shopping since 2002. She says, "It is so good to be home in NYC again!"
She is actually returning to the original Barneys New York where she worked in 1996!) It must be a theme, this returning to the 90's for her.
Last March, she won the MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Hanson Award. It seemed to plant the seeds for Stephen Hanks to invite Meg
to take part in his "New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits Series at the Metropolitan Room." So, she dusted off a show that she performed 23 years ago at the Ballroom called, PORTRAITS. Each song tells a story, creates a character or paints a picture.
The entire piece is a loving look back at some of the most innovative folk, pop and musical theater material from the late 1980's and early 1990's.
The whole experience has become profound for Meg. Each and every song has come true in her personal life. It is as if she has created this show THEN to perform it NOW. The support from the MAC community has been overwhelming. She is so thankful to Lennie Watts for his direction and Paul Greenwood and John Mettam for their musical talents. She is beyond thankful to Stephen Hanks for encouraging her to perform the show in the first place. It has all been a real reminder that if you stay open the right opportunities will find you. She guesses that is something we develop with age. We learn to let go. We stop pushing. We sit with the empty space and trust. 23 years later, she has to color her grays more, but oh, does she love "mastering" these life lessons.
Celebrated entertainer Carol Channing has been entertaining audiences for decades—since 1941 to be exact. With her 95th birthday on January 31st, her famous friends are taking part in a stylish gala for the film, television and stage actress, singer, dancer, comedian and voice artist at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert on Saturday, March 5th.
Lily Tomlin, Florence Henderson, Alan Cumming, Cloris Leachman and Kristin Chenoweth are among those set to make appearances; tickets are on sale now at McCallumTheatre.com. (Read more HERE)
I have been following my creative bliss for most of my life, and it has not always been an easy path. I find, looking back on this path, that the road of creativity is unfolding for me every day I live, and that it is not an unusual or strange of exotic way of thinking and being, but natural.
-Judy Collins, Morning, Noon, and Night: Living the Creative Life
We'd achieve more if we chased our dreams instead of our competition. - Simon Sinek
Actress and comedian Charlotte Patton brings all of her worldly wisdom to her sensual, provocative, and playful show Celebrating Men (Bless Their Hearts) at the Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street) on February 20 at 7 pm. Patton’s show is Directed by Award-winning cabaret performer Karen Oberlin with Music Direction by MAC Award winner Barry Levitt and Jon Burr on bass. Peter Napolitano contributes as Creative Consultant.
"Patton’s stage persona is that of a good-time gal—a woman who’s always game for a fling . . . and her understated, engaged performance seems to show the darker aspects of her party-girl character’s psyche.”--BistroAwards.com
Here is my MINI interview with Charlotte
What might surprise people about Charlotte Patton? I get the same kind of excitement right before my show as I got just before I parachuted out of a plane – fear topped with exhilaration.
Name what you admire the most about Barry Levitt and what you would like us to discuss if I got the opportunity to interview him! I love working with Barry Levitt because he is an amazing musician, arranger and friend and he never plays the same thing twice so he constantly keeps me on my toes. And there’s absolutely no BS with him so when he tells me I did a nice job of phrasing on a song, I can believe him. If you interview him, ask him about some of the famous people he has worked with. He has great stories!
What can audiences expect with your show and your thoughts on your song selections
I choose songs for the lyrics and how they help me advance the story I’m telling. My audience can expect a good story and a lot of laughs.
What is YOUR daily motivation?
My daily motivation: “Work hard, do the best you can, don’t ever lose faith in yourself and take no notice of what other people say about you.” Noel Coward
In other Entertainment News
The first Cabaret Scenes International Cabaret Festival which is taking place this weekend had a great opening Gala with inductions to the new Cabaret Hall of Fame last night. The cause is for raising funds for Cabaret Scenes Magazine.
Please note the venue and time change as it will now take place at Metropolitan Room, Sunday, February 21, 9:30 pm
Your support as always is very much appreciated.
For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/1PUoGRY
Music at the Mansion Features Author of THE ALGONQUIN KID, Michael Colby February 28th at 3PM with Special Guest Star, Peggy Eason!
NiCori Studios and Productions in association with the Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center announces a new installment of the monthly concert series, Music at the Mansion, on Sunday, February 28, at 3pm. Performers include 4th Wall Theatre, Ami Brabson, Peggy Eason and Michael Colby. 4th Wall Theatre is the theatre in residence at the Westminster Arts Center on the campus of Bloomfield College, in Bloomfield, NJ.
Ami Brabson has had recurring roles in a number
of television shows. She frequently appeared as Mary Pembleton in HOMICIDE: Life on the Streets. Other TV credits include LAW & ORDER SVU, DAMAGES, UNFORGETTABLE, LAW AND ORDER, THE BEAT, THE JURY, WONDERLAND and various Soap Operas.
Peggy Eason is a 2015 MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Award nominee for Outstanding Female Vocalist.
An accomplished vocalist, Miss Easton is classically trained and began singing professionally from a very young age.
She earned her Master’s Degree in Voice and Music Education from the Manhattan School of Music, and pursued a career early on as a lyric soprano, singing in churches, at corporate and private events while working for the Division of Parole for the State of New York.
Michael Colby is the librettist/lyricist of such musicals as CHARLOTTE SWEET (Drama Desk Award nomination), TALES OF TINSELTOWN, NORTH ATLANTIC (Show Business Award), SLAY IT WITH MUSIC (off-Broadway & London), MRS. McTHING, THEY CHOSE ME!, and LUDLOW LADD. He was chief writer for the Drama Desk Award-winning New Amsterdam Theatre Company, and has been a writer for The NY Festival of Song as well as the Theatre By the Blind.
He is the author of the well received autobiographical book The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York’s Legendary Hotel.
Music at the Mansion is a 2012 MAC award nominated series
Tickets for "Music at the Mansion" are $10 per person and are available by calling Oakeside at 973-429-0960. www.musicatthemansion.com
showcasing talented performers from NYC and NJ. The series is hosted by NYC Cabaret singer and Bloomfield resident Corinna Sowers-Adler and will feature Deborah Martin on piano.
WINTER CARNIVAL 2016: The Beaux Arts Society’s Winter Carnival will be held on Sunday,
March 13, 2016 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the second floor of Solas located at 232 East 9th Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues) in Manhattan. Admission is $20.00 (members and non-members) payable in advance and you are expected to purchase two drinks (soda, beer, wine or cocktail).
March 13 Beaux Arts Society Winter Carnival at Solas 4:30PM (Remember Daylight Savings Begins!)
For more info, please contact Dr. Tom Stevens
President & General Counsel
718-357-7075. Tell him I sent you!
With grateful XOXOXs ,
Keeping Entertainment LIVE!
Anita Gillette and Penny Fuller return in a sequel to their critically acclaimed, Sin Twisters! This is Sin Twisters, Too! Directed by the incredible Barry Kleinbort with great musical direction by Paul Greenwood. They will take all of us on a great musical romp through their Broadway careers, which have criss crossed from time to time, resulting in confusing the two!...even though they don't look a thing alike!
This show WILL sell out! So reserve today and be a part of their star studded audience!
http://54below.com/artist/anita-gillette-penny-fuller
 |
| Happy Birthday, George Kennedy |
George Kennedy
Happy February 18th, 2016!
Today is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 317 days remaining until the end of the year. Today, I celebrate three artists who also happen to be fellow Aquarians.
Sandy-haired, tall and burly George Harris Kennedy, Jr. was born in New York City, to Helen A. (Kieselbach), a ballet dancer, and George Harris Kennedy, an orchestra leader and musician. He has German, Irish, and English ancestry.
Kennedy has notched up an impressive 200 plus appearances in both TV and film, and is well respected within the Hollywood community. He started out in TV westerns in the late 1950s and early 1960s (Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), Rawhide (1959), Maverick (1957), Colt .45 (1957), among others) before scoring minor roles in films including Lonely Are the Brave (1962), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) and The Flight of the Phoenix (1965). The late 1960s was a very busy period for Kennedy, and he was strongly in favor with casting agents, appearing in Hurry Sundown (1967), The Dirty Dozen (1967) and scoring an Oscar win as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Cool Hand Luke (1967). The disaster film boom of the 1970s was kind to Kennedy, too, and his talents were in demand for Airport (1970) and the three subsequent sequels, as a grizzled cop in Earthquake (1974), plus the buddy/road film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) as vicious bank robber Red Leary.
Jack Palance was born on this date in 1919. It is also the birthday of Yoko Ono.
Helen Gurley Brown was also born on this date.
 |
| https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Morrison |
Now that she's in her mid-80s, celebrated author Toni Morrison feels aches, pains and regret. (Read MORE)
Meg Flather has been juggling hats for a very long time. As a singer/songwriter, she has released seven albums of original music and won the second Bistro Award for Music Comedy Duo with the incredibly talented, Christian Daizey. As an author, she has written a memoir Home Shopping Diva...Lessons, Lyrics and Lipstick. When she is not making music, she is a passionate educator for TATCHA skincare, working closely with the New York sales team to share the skin smoothing secrets of the Japanese geisha. (Meg had been working internationally in the world of home shopping since 2002. She says, "It is so good to be home in NYC again!"
 |
| Meg Flather receives 2015 MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Hanson Award |
Last March, she won the MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Hanson Award. It seemed to plant the seeds for Stephen Hanks to invite Meg
The entire piece is a loving look back at some of the most innovative folk, pop and musical theater material from the late 1980's and early 1990's.
The whole experience has become profound for Meg. Each and every song has come true in her personal life. It is as if she has created this show THEN to perform it NOW. The support from the MAC community has been overwhelming. She is so thankful to Lennie Watts for his direction and Paul Greenwood and John Mettam for their musical talents. She is beyond thankful to Stephen Hanks for encouraging her to perform the show in the first place. It has all been a real reminder that if you stay open the right opportunities will find you. She guesses that is something we develop with age. We learn to let go. We stop pushing. We sit with the empty space and trust. 23 years later, she has to color her grays more, but oh, does she love "mastering" these life lessons.
 |
| Please visit MegFlather.com for more info |
 |
| Carol Channing, seen here with her publicist, Harlan Boll. |
Lily Tomlin, Florence Henderson, Alan Cumming, Cloris Leachman and Kristin Chenoweth are among those set to make appearances; tickets are on sale now at McCallumTheatre.com. (Read more HERE)
I have been following my creative bliss for most of my life, and it has not always been an easy path. I find, looking back on this path, that the road of creativity is unfolding for me every day I live, and that it is not an unusual or strange of exotic way of thinking and being, but natural.
-Judy Collins, Morning, Noon, and Night: Living the Creative Life
We'd achieve more if we chased our dreams instead of our competition. - Simon Sinek
"Patton’s stage persona is that of a good-time gal—a woman who’s always game for a fling . . . and her understated, engaged performance seems to show the darker aspects of her party-girl character’s psyche.”--BistroAwards.com
What might surprise people about Charlotte Patton? I get the same kind of excitement right before my show as I got just before I parachuted out of a plane – fear topped with exhilaration.
Name what you admire the most about Barry Levitt and what you would like us to discuss if I got the opportunity to interview him! I love working with Barry Levitt because he is an amazing musician, arranger and friend and he never plays the same thing twice so he constantly keeps me on my toes. And there’s absolutely no BS with him so when he tells me I did a nice job of phrasing on a song, I can believe him. If you interview him, ask him about some of the famous people he has worked with. He has great stories!
What can audiences expect with your show and your thoughts on your song selections
I choose songs for the lyrics and how they help me advance the story I’m telling. My audience can expect a good story and a lot of laughs.
What is YOUR daily motivation?
My daily motivation: “Work hard, do the best you can, don’t ever lose faith in yourself and take no notice of what other people say about you.” Noel Coward
Please visit CharlottePatton.com for more info
In other Entertainment News
Please note the venue and time change as it will now take place at Metropolitan Room, Sunday, February 21, 9:30 pm
Your support as always is very much appreciated.
For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/1PUoGRY
NiCori Studios and Productions in association with the Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center announces a new installment of the monthly concert series, Music at the Mansion, on Sunday, February 28, at 3pm. Performers include 4th Wall Theatre, Ami Brabson, Peggy Eason and Michael Colby. 4th Wall Theatre is the theatre in residence at the Westminster Arts Center on the campus of Bloomfield College, in Bloomfield, NJ.
Ami Brabson has had recurring roles in a number
 |
| Michael Colby |
Peggy Eason is a 2015 MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Award nominee for Outstanding Female Vocalist.
An accomplished vocalist, Miss Easton is classically trained and began singing professionally from a very young age.
 |
| Peggy Eason |
 |
| a visit to the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan, where Michael lived and which his grandparents owned for 40 years. Credit Yana Paskova for The New York Times |
She earned her Master’s Degree in Voice and Music Education from the Manhattan School of Music, and pursued a career early on as a lyric soprano, singing in churches, at corporate and private events while working for the Division of Parole for the State of New York.Michael Colby is the librettist/lyricist of such musicals as CHARLOTTE SWEET (Drama Desk Award nomination), TALES OF TINSELTOWN, NORTH ATLANTIC (Show Business Award), SLAY IT WITH MUSIC (off-Broadway & London), MRS. McTHING, THEY CHOSE ME!, and LUDLOW LADD. He was chief writer for the Drama Desk Award-winning New Amsterdam Theatre Company, and has been a writer for The NY Festival of Song as well as the Theatre By the Blind.
He is the author of the well received autobiographical book The Algonquin Kid: Adventures Growing Up at New York’s Legendary Hotel.
Music at the Mansion is a 2012 MAC award nominated series
Tickets for "Music at the Mansion" are $10 per person and are available by calling Oakeside at 973-429-0960. www.musicatthemansion.com
WINTER CARNIVAL 2016: The Beaux Arts Society’s Winter Carnival will be held on Sunday,
March 13 Beaux Arts Society Winter Carnival at Solas 4:30PM (Remember Daylight Savings Begins!)
For more info, please contact Dr. Tom Stevens
President & General Counsel
718-357-7075. Tell him I sent you!
Thank you, to all of the artists mentioned in this blog for the gifts you have given to the world and continue to give!
Laughter is much more important than applause. Applause is almost a duty. Laughter is a reward.
-Carol Channing
With grateful XOXOXs ,
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!
Please do what YOU can to be more aware that words and actions DO HURT...but they can also heal and help!
 |
| Happy Birthday, John Warner (Seen here with then wife Elizabeth Taylor) |
Here's to an INCREDIBLE tomorrow for ALL...with NO challenges!
Please leave a comment and share on Twitter and Facebook
Keeping Entertainment LIVE!
TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED DAY
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com
Sarah Rice, Broadway's original Johanna of Sweeney Todd, will sing a Valentine's Day concert of songs from the operetta, classical and musical theatre repertoire, with Paul Jackel, in upstate New York, Feb. 14. - See more at: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/kiss-me-sweeney-todds-sarah-rice-sings-of-love-with-paul-jackel-feb.-14-111546#sthash.bYCP2Q2p.dpuf
Next Wednesday in NYC
Feb 24
March 2nd
FEINSTEIN'S 54 BELOW
Feb 24
March 2nd
FEINSTEIN'S 54 BELOW
Anita Gillette and Penny Fuller return in a sequel to their critically acclaimed, Sin Twisters! This is Sin Twisters, Too! Directed by the incredible Barry Kleinbort with great musical direction by Paul Greenwood. They will take all of us on a great musical romp through their Broadway careers, which have criss crossed from time to time, resulting in confusing the two!...even though they don't look a thing alike!
This show WILL sell out! So reserve today and be a part of their star studded audience!
http://54below.com/artist/anita-gillette-penny-fuller
Richard Skipper is the publicist for Sin Twisters, Too! For press reservations, interview requests, or more information, contact Richard Skipper at Richard@RichardSkipper.com or 845-365-0720
At 18, Anita Luebben had a GS4 Government rating with security clearance. She was a medical stenographer. If you had suggested that three years later, not only would she be on the Broadway stage in Gypsy, but that her job would be saved by the irascible Ethel Merman, she’d’ve thought you mad. Yet, as a pregnant newlywed, exactly that occurred. In the course of a long, colorful, can-do career, young Marvin Hamlish was her audition pianist (She would sing one of his first songs on The Tonight Show), Burt Lancaster cooked impromptu spaghetti in her kitchen, Bill Murray took Anita riding on an elephant. She’s necked with Dudley Moore, tangoed with Richard Gere, and has fan letters to her from Irving Berlin and Neil Simon. And she’s not done! - See more at: http://www.womanaroundtown.com/sections/woman-around-town/woman-around-town-anita-gillette-after-all-a-working-actress#sthash.8Zs2kw9T.dpuf
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