Throwback Thursday Musical Showcase: Eydie Gorme Sings "As Long as He Needs Me" in 1965

As a tribute to Eydie Gorme on her 10th Yahrzeit this week, we're turning the clock back 58 years to 1965 when Eydie sang As Long as He Needs Me, one of the songs from the Broadway show and movie musical Oliver on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Gormé was born in the Bronx to Sephardic Jewish parents Nessim Hasdai Gormezano and Fortuna "Fortunee" Gormezano. Both her parents were born in Turkey. The Gormezanos spoke several languages at home, including Ladino (also referred to as Judaeo-Spanish). Due to its close relationship with Castilian Spanish, Gormé was able to speak and sing in Spanish. She was distantly related (by marriage) to Neil Sedaka.

In June 2019, her husband and singing partner Steve Lawrence announced that he was in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and that treatment to slow its progression had so far been successful. Last month he celebrated his 88th birthday.

Enjoy!

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#Throwback Thursday    #TBT

Throwback Thursday Comedy Showcase: Mama Cass Elliot Singing Rogers & Hart on the Ed Sullivan Show

Mama Cass Elliot (born Ellen Naomi Cohen) early in her career was part of various folk bands, crossing paths with Zal Yanovsky, who would later form the Lovin’ Spoonful and Denny Doherty. Together, the group formed the short-lived Mugwumps. 

After the group’s breakup, Doherty joined the New Journeymen, with John and Michelle Phillips and convinced John to let Cass join and in 1965, The Mamas and The Papas were officially born. 

The group performed a total of three times on the Ed Sullivan Show with Cass making a solo final appearance on the show at the Hollywood Bowl in 1970 that was a tribute show to the genius of Richard Rodgers.

In this 1970 video clip from the show, Cass sang a medley from The Girlfriend, by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.

Enjoy! 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

 

  #Throwback Thursday     #TBT

Throwback Thursday Stage Clip: Ron Moody as Fagin in "Oliver!"

Oliver!, the musical play and film created by Lionel Bart (born Lionel Begleiter) and based on Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist has always been one of our favorites. We have a personal connection with the production because our grandson Gil played the title role in the Encore Theatre production in Jerusalem in May 2014.

The role of Fagin was played by Ron Moody in the original London production and the movie. In the preface to the novel, Fagin is described as a "receiver of stolen goods". He is the leader of a group of children who he teaches to make their living by pickpocketing and other criminal activities, in exchange for shelter.

Moody, who was born Ronald Moodnick, was a second-generation native Briton whose father came over from Russia and whose mother was proud of her Vilna roots. A very Jewish bachelor, he shared his house with his mother and other family members in the Jewish North London suburb of Southgate.

Moody's portrayal of Fagin just oozes with Jewishness, but not in the anti-semitic way that Dickens portrayed him. On the contrary, he is humanized as a lovable crook who shows real affection for his pickpocketing children.

He reprised his role as Fagin at the 1985 Royal Variety Performance in Theatre Royal, Drury Lane before Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Here is a clip from this performance in which Moody sings Reviewing the Situation, where he considers his past life and wonders about his future.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

   

#Throwback Thursday    #TBT

Standup Comic Rita Rudner Talks About Her New Musical Comedy

Rita Rudner, one of our favorite standup comedians,stopped by the New York Live TV show to tell hosts Sara Gore and Jacque Reid about her new musical comedy Two's a Crowd, working with her husband and more.

As Marina Kennedy wrote in Broadway World,

The NYC premiere of a marvelous new musical, Two's a Crowd is now onstage at 59E59 Theaters through August 25. It has a book by Rita Rudner and Martin Bergman, directed by Mr. Bergman, with music and lyrics by Jason Feddy. Not only is the show humorous with laugh out loud moments but it also has plenty of heart. With Rudner starring, her fans and many more will want to see this delightful production.

The premise for the Two's a Crowd is a clever one. Wendy is a very organized and particular woman in her early 60's who embarks on a solo vacation to Las Vegas to reflect on the problems with her unfaithful husband. But when she arrives in her room, Tom, who seems to be Wendy's polar opposite, already occupies it. Tom is an easy-going type and a recent retiree who is in Vegas to play in a poker tournament. With the hotel being totally booked, the two decide they will have to work out rooming together. But what can these two find in common and will this cozy situation result in an unexpected attraction?

Here's a clip from the show and the New York Live interview.  Enjoy! 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Shalom (Hello) - The Book of Jewish (Jokes) - "Book of Mormon" Parody

Jewish Family and Child, a Toronto social services organization, has been sponsoring nights of Jewish joke telling. They recently enlisted many people from the Toronto Jewish community to participate in a parody of the lead song Hello from The Book of Mormon.

A direct spoof of the original, it has Toronto Jews ringing doorbells and encouraging homeowners to read The Book of Jewish (jokes).

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

 

 

"Fiddler" in Yiddish is a Big Success. What Other Broadway Shows Would be Better in Yiddish?

Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish has been a big success and is now playing off-Broadway. But wouldn't other Broadway shows benefit from Yiddish translation?

At the 2019 Easter Bonnet Competition, the award for best presentation went to the cast of Off-Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof - in Yiddish, which asked the question, “What if other Broadway classics were translated into Yiddish?” 

Their answer was a side-splitting medley of the Yiddish versions of The Book of Mormon, Chicago, Dreamgirls, Hamilton, Legally Blonde, South Pacific, West Side Story and Wicked, culminating with the show’s legendary director, Joel Grey, singing “Git op mayn grus tsu Brodvey” (“Give my regards to Broadway”) from George M!.

The skit was written by cast members Ben Liebert and Adam B. Shapiro with Yiddish lyrics by Mikhl Yashinsky. Records were shattered and inspiring, comical and soul-stirring performances were shared at the 33rd annual Easter Bonnet Competition, which raised $6,594,778 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the highest amount ever for a Broadway Cares event. 

Enjoy! 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.



(A tip of the kippah to Esther Kustanowitz for bringing this video to our attention.)