Day: January 6, 2007

Vince Beck Postscript

VincentBeck.jpgI hope you’ve seen the post about my late mother’s friend, the character actor Vince Beck. If not, please click here. The New York Times has put its obituary archive online. Here is Vince’s obit.

Published: July 27, 1984

Vincent Beck, an actor and an official of two actors’ unions, died of cancer Tuesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 56 years old. Mr. Beck appeared in television commercials, films and several Broadway and Off Broadway productions.

He made his stage debut in ”A Flag Is Born” on Broadway in 1946. He also appeared in ”Peter Pan,” ”The World of Sholom Aleichem,” ”The Merchant of Venice,” ”Oliver,” ”Irma la Douce,” ”Gypsy” and ”Bells Are Ringing.” He had been president of the New York branch of the Screen Actors Guild since 1983 and third vice president of Actors Equity since 1982. Mr. Beck is survived by a sister, Carol Joyce.

Beatific Beat

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Movies/Wordpress/JAN07/TheSingingNun.flv 320 240]

One more song in French! The most famous and successful French language song in America wasn’t French. It was Belgian. The Singing Nun’s Dominique was #1 when JFK was assassinated.

The short video above has the real Singing Nun, from the Ed Sullivan show one month before The Beatles made their first appearance. Jeanine Deckers of Belgium took the name “Soeur Sourire” when she took her vows. Here’s the song, then the lyrics.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Sounds/Wordpress/JAN07/Dominique.mp3]

Dominique, oh Dominique
Over the land he plods along
Never looking for reward
He just talks about the Lord,
he just talks about the Lord,
he just talks about the Lord

At a time when John Lackland
Over England was the king
Dominic was in the backland
Fighting sin like anything

Now a heretic one day
Among the thorn forced him to crawl
Dominic with just one prayer
Made him hear the good Lord’s call

Without horses or fancy wagon
He crossed Europe up and down
Poverty was his companion
As he walked from town to town

To bring back the straying liars
And the lost sheep to the fold
He brought forth the Preaching Friars
Heaven’s soldiers brave and bold

One day in the budding Order
There was nothing left to eat
Suddenly two angels walked in
With a load of bread and meat

Dominic once in his slumber
Saw the Virgin coat unfurled
Over Friars without number
Preaching all around the world

Grant us now oh Dominic
The grace of love and simple mirth
That we all may help to quicken
Godly love and truth on earth

In 1966, Debbie Reynolds starred in the movie “The Singing Nun.” The lyrics were in English and had not much to do with the actual song. This recreation of Ed Sullivan presenting “Sister Ann” is at least semi-factual.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/JAN07/SingingNun.flv 320 138]

Hmm. How about a TV show where the nun does something crazy — I dunno, how about flying? — instead of singing?

Anni-Frid Benny Björn Agnetha

How did you like France Gall? If you haven’t watched her yet, go back! Go back! OK, you’ve seen her? That was the winning entry in the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest.

Now let’s see who won in 1974. There. That’s more like it. Talent!

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Movies/Wordpress/JAN07/ABBAWaterloo.flv 400 300]

Edit: I neglected to include the original studio recording of the song, because I’d misplaced the CD. But here it be. As you would expect, this was a huge hit in Waterloo, Belgium, according to a friend who attended school there at the time.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Sounds/Wordpress/JAN07/Waterloo.mp3]

French Gaul

Hi, again. Oh? You really liked that video with Petula Clark singing in French? Hey, great!

But now what? You want more singing in French? And it has to be from France? And you even want somebody who is actually named France?? This is getting ridiculous! But let me look.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Movies/Wordpress/JAN07/francegall.flv 400 300]

Hmm … How about France Gall? She won the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest with ”Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son” (“Wax Doll, Sawdust Doll” — or, as some suggest, Wax Doll, Singing Doll”. Or you could go with my favorite, Google’s toolbar translation — “Headstock of Wax, Headstock of Sound”!).

France had a great face for singing. She seemed very pleased with herself that she got all the way through the song without flubbing it.