A truly amazing and phenomenal one of a kind talent I saw him in Toronto in 1973 He did Barbra Streisand then Judy Garland I met him after the show and got his autograph Truly a nice gracious Gentleman
He was the best he actually sang and did not lip sync I was so happy that I got to see him perform Judy live way back when there will never be another like him
Thanks for sharing this - I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim a couple of years before his death, and he was a charming man who led a fascinating life.
Jim Bailey such a tremendous talent, first experienced at Ciro's around 68-69 doing Mae West singing selections from musical "Hair" playing down the strip at that time & it was Mae West...next on Ed Sullivan doing Judy and clearly a unique talent who then dazzled audiences for decades, full Judy In Concert at Shubert Theater with full orchestra then years of performances always in LA venues sold-out events with Studio One Backlot/Roosevelt Cinegril being stand-outs. Wonderful interview...enjoyed performance clips and may Skip E. Lowe & Jim Bailey RIP
Many thanks Alan for bringing this incredible videos to us! I could spend hours simply going through your collection, and remembering these wonderfully talented performers. Cheers from Sacramento!
Used to own an LP of JB doing his act. Could listen to Judy at Carnegie era recording and his and they were spooky so close to her voice and such an understanding of her technique and style.
This gentleman was a true talent superb performance, they don't make them like this anymore, now we have Rupauls Drag race.. lypsyncing for your life..
the fact that he actually got to meet the one and only Judy garland before her passing whilst himself performing as Judy must have been like looking in a very weirded out but a spectacular mirror
The most interesting tidbit from this is that he "dated" Lucie Arnaz! Lots of gay men from that era "dated" women. I'm sure that her mother knew he was gay. Comon, man!
Judy did not die in a hotel. She died in her house in London in the bathroom. Her husband found her there and sat her up. She moaned and he thought she was still alive but it was just the air leaving her lungs. Very sad.
Yes, that’s called pulmonary edema, she had gone to use the bathroom and she liked her privacy, accidentally her medication for sleep she had taken (and for anxiety, she was horribly anxious! As most of us entertainers are) had built up to just be too much for her tiny little body to take and it’s just devastating. Her flat ended up getting sold and I believe it’s been destroyed! How terrible, her last home taken away. London must not have a historical society like we do in New York and Los Angeles etc.
I don't particulerly like to see men in women's cloths, but I have to admit that Jim Bailey does a terrific Judy Garland and I don't believe that anyone has ever or will ever do Judy Garland better.
Saw him several times. So talented. Once saw him at a smaller club, when a table made a big fuss about wanting to add several chairs for friends to sit with them (blocking the view of other patrons which we paid a very good price to see the show) a woman stood up and grandly pronounced, "do you know who I am?" Was Lucie Arnaz. Guess she was young and had much to learn still, but still left me disliking her. That was perhaps unfair of me, but then, I was young and still had much to learn.
The thing about Jim Bailey was..... That there has been no one else ever who does what he did. Yes he was brilliant...but he was also unique. There was only one of him.
Please watch all of this otherwise you will miss Jim Bailey talkimg about Judy Garland. There are more stories about the great Judy Garland than any other star out there. There ought to be a book with all of the stories and sayings about the wonderful Judy Garland.
Impersonators are such an anachronism now. With RU-vid, cable, DVD's and streaming we can see these artists at the flick of a switch we can access the real deal there just isn't the need for this kind of talent. Really great to have an opportunity to hear Bailey discuss his career.
Alan Eichler yes, his talent is undeniable however I think the the hight of these kind of careers (the sixties & seventies) was very much because it gave fans access to those stars when there was little opportunity to see the actual performer, whether because of their passing (Judy) or the rarity of live appearances (Streisand & Lee). Artists like Bailey were trading on our memory of how these performers behaved when on stage or in films. It's a little harder to hold the illusion when we can compare the real performer with the impersonator so much more easily. It's not just Bailey and ilk but all those comedians that used to do voice impersonations of actors on Ed Sullivan for example, that also seem so old fashioned now. P.S. I love your uploads, I've watched a few over the holiday break and they've been really fun & informative. :)
Julius, you certainly have a point but I think people were drawn to Jim more as a LIVE performer. Back in the 60s and 70s yes, people enjoyed Jim and other impressionists because of what they remembered about the great entertainers, but he managed to perform in major venues for 40 years so he must have had something else people were drawn to. Even Jim would say recordings and t.v. dont really do him justice because the illusion is harder to maintain. When people saw him LIVE they didnt get to see up close, so they were drawn in. Jim was always skeptical of t.v. because they tend to get too close so we always pleaded with tv camera crews to not zoom in. Also, with HD it became even harder so Jim learned to soften the make-up. Actually, I was skeptical about putting some of the closer clips on youtube but I did it for those who loved him. One thing I want to say about Skip. E.Lowe is he was always there for us when we were in town and its not as easy as it looks remembering everything about everyone you interview.
Impersonators "as an anachronism" is a misconception and misses the point of their talent being fascinating and celebrated on it's own merit. I rather feel sorry for someone unable to appreciate the specific talent and love for the talent impersonated and interpreted by such performers.
Yes - Martin Short said that Jiminy was a cross between Skip Lowe ( the interviewer here) and Merv Griffin and an old guy who was his childhood neighbor.
I knew that Jim Bailey was part of the inner circles of many golden Hollywood's greats, but not to this extent. "Real" personal friends with Lucille Ball and Judy Garland. I wonder if Babs ever embraced him? Somehow I doubt it, because I think it's pretty much common knowledge that Barbra never "got" the art form. But maybe Jason has change her mind a little.
Gotta say I agree. His voice isn't as thick as hers and he sings in his mask quite a lot which she didn't. He's a very good singer, but there will only ever be one Judy. I'll be honest I don't really get the whole impersonation fandango in the first place. Maybe I have a weird perspective but unless it's being done for comedic effect or trying to learn a technique through imitation, I just don't see the point of it? It's been done properly already, just whack on the Carnegie Hall album and enjoy that etc.. I respect his talent as a singer and a performer - there's no denying he's very good. But.. i mean...I think Judy put it best herself: 'always be a first rate version of yourself not a second rate imitation of someone else'. Sing her songs, take inspiration from her technique or phrasing, or movements, but sing them as yourself 🤷
Yeah he sounds like her. I've seen him in person twice in Hollywood and Palm Springs back in the day . One of the best impersonator I've ever seen. It's pure entertainment and comedic. Very very few people could do what he has done with his talent as a female impersonator entertainer.
