You are experiencing magic, sitting here mesmerized by these two gifted artists. They make it look casual and easy but whatever is coming out of them comes from another place. You won't see the like of this kind of talent and class again.
White and black were not permitted to touch on screen. I thank god for Perry Como who broke that barrier. These are the words from Lena Horne's daughter Gail
I recall the talk when Harry Belafonte and Julie Andrews did a tv special together, and they were so close and had so much chemistry. I am glad the days when talent was managed by our racism are over, mostly.
Elegance personified. Echoing both BlondeRabbitt and NYCguys2007, this clip is all the more extraordinary because this form of musical entertainment is gone today. Something got lost in the transition between the 1960's generation and what we currently display on television now. And I love the very end when Como takes Horne's hand for the curtain call- a small, but significant gesture considering this was still in the age of race relations breaking ground on network television. Thank you.
I couldn't agree more... This video is absolutely priceless! Great performers! They also starred together in the movie "Words and Music" (1949?). Perry wasn't as handsome then... Thanks for posting!
January 20, 1960 Lena Horne, Corbett Monica, Robert Horton. Ray Charles Singers: "Commuters Blues". Perry: "I’ll String Along With You", "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea", "Old Devil Moon". Lena Horne: "My Heart's a Hobo". Perry & Lena duet "Polka Dots and Moonbeams", "Don’t Have to Know the Language" and "Bob White". Perry, Lena & Ray Charles Singers: "Cuckoo in the Clock", "Yellow Bird", "Listen to the Mockin’ Bird" and "When the Red Red Robin". The Orchestra: "Lullaby".
This is interesting-when Lena Horne (I'm a huge fan) did a spot on a Sinatra show the same year she never made eye contact with him. She seems to having a good time here. Lena was "prickly" by her own admission. Perry sang this song (Yellow Bird) a few years later with Liza Minnelli.
i am 16 and i wish i was alive in this time period every thing was so much better and this type of music is my favorite its like all i listen too an i get made fun of all the time
I actually became a Bing Crosby fan when I was 13 years old. I'm now 37. He is still my favorite singer. If you're interested, there are a slew of his recordings on RU-vid.
@MrSluggo666 When my father came from Sicily in 1920 South Italians weren't considered to be really white. A lot of Italian American singers were thus quite open to performing with black entertainers. Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, and Tony Bennett to name a few.
@NYCguys2007 I don't know, when Harry Belafonte and Petula Clark appeared on her TV special together, and she touched his hand, the suits had a fit. They threatened to remove that part, but she stood strong, so they left it in, and this was in 1968. However, on Hollywood Palace, Sammy Davis Jr and Peggy Lipton got pretty close that same year, and I don't believe there was a huge backlash, so I guess you didn't always know what would happen.
@NYCguys2007 I've never seen it before, just a clip here and there. So, she touched his arm? You can tell a lot by body language, so that is something I'd like to see. I read the song was political in nature. I also found out just a day or so ago Chrysler was the sponser who got nervous. Thanks for giving me some extra info on it :) I've been hearing about the whole thing for years now.
