Today is the Day...

Today is the day, October 7th 1959, singer-actor Mario Lanza died in Rome at age 38.

Mario Lanza (January 31, 1921 - October 7, 1959) was an American Tenor and Hollywood movie star of the late 1940s and the 1950s. He was born the son of Italian immigrants as Alfredo Arnold Cocozza and began studying to be a professional singer at the young age of 15.

Mario received his first piano as a surprise gift from his mother and father. He was raised in an atmosphere of opera and and Caruso recordings which his father played every day at  home. He began to sing to the records. The more he listened, the more he sang. Eventually his parents took him to a voice teacher.

Mario sang his first student opera in the role of Fenton in Nicolais "The Merry Wives of Windsor". He recieved great reviews from the Metropolitan Opera as well as from the music critics. Mario was on his way! Mario began to study with the famed Enrico Rosati.

It has been said that upon hearing Marios voice, Rosati looked up to the heavens and exlaimed "I've been waiting for this voice to come along for many, many years?" While performing at the Hollywood Bowl with Francis Yeend in 1947, Mario impressed Louis B. Mayer, Head of MGM picture studios...The best was yet to come!

 MGM hoped that he would become the movie studio's "singing Clark Gable " due to his good looks and powerful voice. Lanza signed a seven-year contract with them. His movie debut was in 'That Midnight Kiss'. The following year, in the 'Toast of New Orleans' his featured popular song "Be My Love" became his first million-selling hit. In 1951, he starred in the role of his tenor idol, Enrico Caruso (1873–1921), in the biopic, The Great Caruso, which produced another million-seller with "The Loveliest Night of the Year."
Lanza became known as tempermental and rebellious. After recording the soundtrack for his film, The Student Prince, he walked out on the project after an argument with producer Dore Schary over his behavior on the set.

During most of his film career, he suffered from addictions to overeating and alcohol which had a serious effect on his health and his relationships with directors, producers and sometimes other cast members. Hollywood columnist Hedda Hopper wrote that "his smile, which was as big as his voice, was matched with the habits of a tiger cub, impossible to housebreak." She adds that he was the "last of the great romantic performers."

In April of 1959 Lanza suffered a minor heart attack, followed by double pneumonia in August. He died in Rome in October of that year at the age of 38 from a Pulmonary embolism after undergoing a controversial weight loss program colloquially known as "the twilight sleep treatment," which required its patients to be kept immobile and sedated for prolonged periods. He left behind his wife Betty, thier four children and a legacy that is still hotly debated today.

Weird Stuff: A Young Myrna Loy at rest

                                         found at Frankensteinia

A moment for John Forsythe

John Forsythe passed away on Friday, April 2. of complications from pneumonia after a yearlong struggle with cancer. He was 92 years old. For all of the years of wonderful talent that we were lucky enough to have shared with him, I offer a moment of silence.

Marilyn the Beautiful

What kind of Fifties Love blog would I have if I didn't share some of my
favorite images of the one and only Marilyn Monroe? I began to fixate on Marilyn way back in the 70's when I was just a little thing. By the time I was 25 I had more images of Marilyn than I knew what to do with. Stacks of books, posters, t-shirts, absolute tons of Marilyn memorabilia. I started coloring my naturally medium blonde hair a beautiful, glowing platinum when I was 14. It took me two and a half decades to get over that little habit...even now I have to force myself not grab for the 'palest blonde' box of Nice-n-Easy when it comes time to wash that gray right outta my hair. Either way I pinky promised my daughters that I would stop so, enuf said. Anyway, please enjoy.

"It's all make believe, isn't it?"

"All little girls should be told they are pretty, even if they aren't."

Curves Ahead; The Incomparable Julie London

She was born Julie Peck in Santa Rosa, California, in 1926, to Jack and Josephine Peck, a vaudeville song-and-dance team. The family moved to San Bernardino, California when Julie was 14. She graduated there from Hollywood Professional High School and soon after took a job as a $19-a-week elevator operator in a department store in Hollywood. She sang at night with a band led by the violinist Matty Malneck. Julies lucky star was in her orbit. A chance meeting with talent agent Sue Carol would help start her movie career. The roles she first recieved were minor such as in Jungle Woman in 1944 and Nabongna in 1945, but she quickly gained popularity with movie goers with her performance in The Red House in 1947 with Edward G. Robinson.

pictured: Julie London and Lon McCallister

Ms. Londons singing and acting was put on hold for a time during a brief marriage to actor, Jack Webb. Julie met Jack Webb when she was fifteen; the two dated off and on until the marriage in 1947. Julie and Jack had two beautiful daughters, Stacy (1950) and Alisa (1952), during their relationship. Webb became a great star with the television series "Dragnet". The pressures of stardom coupled with the fact that webb was a self professed workaholic put an obvious strain on his marriage with Julie and it ended after 6 years in 1953. Webb always spoke highly of Julie and they remained friends throughout thier lifetimes.

Julie and Jack Webb at home

Julie and Jack with baby daughter 1953

After the divorce, Julie became somewhat reclusive and focused her energy on motherhood which was a role she cherished. While still married to Webb, Julie and he had shared a mutual love of Jazz music. and had spent many evenings touring the clubs together. Her love for jazz remained and she met the bandleader, Bobby Troup, during a nightclub visit on La Brea Avenue.. They quickly became smitten with one another and began dating. Bobby clearly recognized julies talent for singing and encouraged it. He believed she could make a career with such a talent. Finally giving in, Julie began singing at different nightclubs. The word quickly got around and Julie London became the most popular female vocalist for 1955, 1956, and 1957 as named by Billboard.

Always beautiful

Julie London, Feb. 1957


Julie London, Around Midnight 1960

My favorite LP cover of Julies

Julie London, Your Number Please, 1959

Julies voice has been refered to as "intimate, sleek, and sultry as well as smoky, husky, breathy, haunting, intimate and even "a voice for a smoke-filled room." My favorite is "A molten Mezzo."
While her looks clearly did attract record buyers, her voice was incomparable. Singing close to the microphone, London’s voice sounded controlled yet relaxed. It has been said that "the purity and naturalness of her vocal style tempts one to take it for granted, yet few if any singers have matched it." the anonymous author of the liner notes to London’s second album wrote: "there is an appealing loneliness in Julie, she has a way of getting out on a plane all by herself where no one can reach her". Julies music was so popular that "many male admirers bought her albums simply to gaze upon her come-hither countenance on the dust jacket", according to Hal Erickson (All Movie Guide). London recorded more than 30 albums--among them "Julie Is Her Name," "Lonely Girl," "Calendar Girl," "About the Blues," "Make Love to Me," and "London by Night", Despite all of the wonderful praise, Julie was notoriously shy and uncomfortable with stardom.
She was always very modest and rarely, if ever, took credit for her talent or work. She was a beautiful woman in spirit and heart as well as on the surface

Julie was once quoted as saying: "I'm sure any vocal teacher that listens to me would rather cut my throat than do anything."

Julie and Bobby Troup married on December 31, 1959, they had one daughter, Kelly and twin sons, Jody and Reese. Bobby was also a much beloved stepfather to Julies daughters from her marriage to Jack Web. Julie said about marriage; "I think that`s one of the most difficult things in any marriage - in order to build anything, you must be together. You can`t build anything over the telephone."

Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Troup, 1960 New Years


Julie, Bobby and friend working hard

Julie, Bobby (facing camera) and friend


Always working; Julie and Bobby


Julie and Bobby rehearsing at home as a family member looks on

Along with her new singing career, Julie's film career took off once more and she began guesting on television variety shows, appearing on shows such as Dinah Shore, Bob Hope, Steve Allen and Perry Como. Troup, the songwriter of such hits as "Route 66," even got her to write a couple of songs, the title song for the 1958 film about Alcoholics Anonymous in which she starred and sang, "The Voice in the Mirror." was written by Julie.

julie london and Richard Egan, " the voice in the mirror"

Julie and Bobby were hired in 1972 by Julies ex husband Jack Webb to act in his new television production, EMERGENCY! Julie was nurse Dixie McCall to Troup's neurosurgeon, Dr. Joe Early during the series' run from 1972 to 1977. EMERGENCY!

Julie as Dixie McCall EMERGENCY! 72-79

Julie 1967 (one of my favorites of her)

Julie at the Waldorf Hotel 1968

brought Julie to a whole new group of fans. It was a popular series during its run and has gained a great following by lovers of classic television today with the much awaited release of the show on DVD.
Julie enjoyed playing Dixie McCall and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her work on EMERGENCY! It was family, not career, that was Julie's priority. She was extremely family oriented and a real homebody, She spent as much time as possible with her husband and children at home. In regards to the family home, Julie said;
"I think homes should reflect the individuals and their individual taste rather than someone else`s." She enjoyed knitting, playing games with the kids, swimming, etc. Home truly is where Julies and the heart of her family was.

All the kids staying close to mom !

The Family Bed


Taking it easy at home

Julie in 1957 with Daughters Stacy & Alisa
and family pet

Julie and Bobby enjoying a meal

Dad stokes the fire while everyone else gets warm

Julie and the girls, Stacy and Alisa, Jan 1957

Julie with girls at home 57

Julie with Stacy and Alisa, at home 1957

Julies last music recording, "My Funny Valentine," for the film "Sharky's Machine" was made in 1981 after which she quite happily retired. Julie acted in 24 movies and her last motion picture was "The George Raft Story" in 1961, in which she portrayed Raft's first girlfriend, Sheila Patton. Julies last album was "Yummy, Yummy Yummy" in 1969. (thank you much to Mr. Lopez for that correction!) Julie considered the album "Easy Does It" her very best.

Julie with Ray Danton in the George Raft Story

Bobby Troup LP with his beloved Julie on cover

Julie and Bobbys marriage lasted 40 loving years. Many who knew them said "BobbyandJulie" as if they were one word, and that was the feeling of their life together.
About her husband Julie said once; " Bobby was one of the few people I had ever known who really wanted to do something for me." Julie suffered from a stroke in 1995 and began to suffer from many health problems from then on. in 1996 a sad and painful tragedy struck the family when their daughter Stacy was killed along with her passenger, Stephen Barnicoat, when the pickup she was driving collided with a california state patrol car. She was only 46. Bobby doted on and cared for Julie until his death from a massive heart attack at UCLA medical Center in 1999. Sadly and in a way, not surprisingly, Julie died a year later of cardiac arrest at 5:30 a.m. in Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center in October, (on Bobbys birthday), 2000, leaving behind a legacy and a voice that will be forever incomparable.

The Beautiful Julie London at NY Idlewilde Airport 70's