Happy 70th Birthday, Cher, from Buddy B!

"Stars never die, they just fade away." Pop singer/ superstar Cher certainly refuted that adage by her sheer longevity.

It's been said that after an atomic blast, there'd be nothing left but roaches and Cher. Such is her legend as a survivor.

Today, May 20th, 2016, Cher -- a fellow Taurus -- turns 70. What a wonderful milestone for a timeless icon.

Cher started in show business as half of Sonny and Cher. She was a shy teen at the time but somewhere that all changed.

It was when Cher was appearing on the tv variety series, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Cher was sick of her husband's overly controlling behavior and decided to take her career and her life back into her own control.

Cher has won an Oscar,, a Grammy, an Emmy among other prestigious awards.

She has a transgender son, Chaz, and has long been a big supporter of the LGBT community throughout the world.

They say black don't crack. Neither does white -- if you can afford all the work Cher's had done to her face over the years.

Some people think Cher is a vocal lightweight but she is not I assure you, after seeing her many times live in concert. Her voice is strong, throaty but powerful.

Like Joan Crawford, Cher's incredible career spanning six decades has depended upon her reinventing and adapting of her image for the public.

Happy 70th birthday, Cheilyn Sarkisian!

Rubbing Elbows: My Brushes with Celebrities chapter 16

In the summer of 2015, promoter Nick Lion and I were guests of my Facebook friend, music producer Bob Esty, to see Pia Zadora at the Metropolitan Room in Manhattan.

It was here that I became fast friends with club owner Bernie Furshpan. After he read my review of this show, he started giving me press passes to his shows.

The Metropolitan Room is a New York City treasure, where live cabaret is still very much a lively art. It features established and rising stars alike. Pia is in the first category.

I have long admired her from afar. She is a complete professional in every way.

Don't underestimate Pia's talent. She can sing a mean, operatic "O Solo Mio" that will knock your socks off. She is underestimated as a singer.

Pia's career was faltering when she when Frank Sinatra took her under his wing. They're fellow Hoboken, New Jersey people by birth. Hoboken is right across the river from New York City.  It's an easy commute there by Path train or ferry. I know; I lived there for a year.

Esty's stage direction was expert and it was so terrific for me to meet my Facebook friend, whom I blogged about and interviewed, at last. It was also a thrill to meet Pia after the show.

Ms Zadora makes a mean cocktail she calls a Piatini. Since Nick and I were seated right up front, she had the staff bring each of us one again.

Pia now lives -- and frequently performs -- in Las Vegas. Viva!

She was married to billionaire Meshulam Riklis but they were divorced. She is currently married to a Vegas police detective, Michael Jeffries. She has three kids.

And, so, my my celebrity blog was essentially born as I saw precisely what I wanted to do after writing up my review of this show.

Buddy Beaverhausen's Random Thoughts: Remembering Doris Roberts

Actress Doris Roberts left us on April 17 of this year. I hesitated to put that on my blog then because of the overwhelming number of celebrity deaths early this year. I don't want this turning into an obituary blog.

Doris lived to a ripened age 90. She worked as a stenographer as she struggled to pursue her heart's longing as an actress.

Doris is probably best known as the overbearing mom, Marie, on the tv sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond.

Doris was born in the Bronx, NYC, as Doris May Green. She became a successful character actress and appeared on tv in early tv shows like The Naked City, The Defenders and Ben Casey. She then was featured in films, including one of my favorites, The Honeymoon Killers.

I first took notice of Ms Roberts when she played Dorelda Doremus, a phony psychic and faith healer.

So, finally, Buddy Beaverhausen says goodbye to the late great actress Doris Roberts, star of stage, screen and tv. You are missed band long admired. RIP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiHosxBR-rQ

Buddy Beaverhausen's Random Thoughts on the Changing Face of Blanche Dubois

When they decided to make Tennessee Williams' hit Broadway show, A Streetcar Named Desire, into a film, they brought Marlon Brando, Kim Stanley and Karl Malden along but ditched its original Blanche Dubois, Jessica Tandy in favor of a big name at the time. Hollywood decided on Vivien Leigh. I think they wanted audiences to see Blanche as sort of Scarlett O'Hara going mad.

Vivien does a bang-up job as Blanche in the 1951 film and, clearly, is the Blanche most people remember and the one against whom all others will be compared. Elia Kazan, who directed the show on the Broadway stage, also directs the film with style and great dramatic flair.

I saw Streetcar on Broadway in 1982. Jessica Lange was a fabulous Blanche Duboise and put amazing physicality into her performance, especially into her mad scene at the end. She threw herself to the floor and proceeded to crawl around on all fours. It must have been exhausting for her. especially on days when she had a matinee and evening performance to do. Alec Baldwin made a great Stanley and Amy Madigan was equally engaging as Blanche's sister Stella.

Ann-Margret was in a 1984 tv-movie version. While she wasn't half bad as Blanche, Treat Williams was all wrong for the role of Stanley. He just did not have the brute physicality required of the role.

A Streetcar Named Desire is a now-iconic work and a marvel, a masterpiece of American theater. It was withstood the test of time. I'm sure we'll see more revivals in the future. But which actresses today could assay the coveted role of Blanche? And can a musical or operetta be in the works?

Cine Beaverhausen: Money Monster

Money Monster was released on my birthday, May 13th. It stars George Clooney, and Julia Roberts along with a sturdy support cast.

It's a political thriller but mostly quite predictable to the end. However, it's an intense film for mature-minded audiences wary of the onslaught of brainless action films.

The film's masterfully directed by Jodie Foster. The story involves a young man with a gun. nicely portrayed by Jack O'Connell, who lost all his money on the stock market. He comes after tv-renowned Clooney, whom he believes is responsible for his losses. Domestic terrorism of sorts is in focus.

Foster's no stranger to this kind of territory, what having done The Panic Room and Flightplan, that film where her daughter is held hostage on an airplane. Her success has benefitted from her diversity as actress, producer and director. Julia Roberts, who I once considered a romcom lightweight, is particularly good in this.

While worthy of viewing, you can definitely wait this one out till it arrives on video.

Rubbing Elbows: My Brushes with Celebrities chapter 15

Vicki Sue Robinson was a sweetheart. I met her briefly after her show on 42nd Street. It was a terrific show and Vicki didn't disappoint, doing all of her dance floor hits and a couple of numbers from Jesus Christ Superstar She was part of the ensemble cast on Broadway.

Vicki entered, walking down the aisle with a rotating, shimmering disco ball on her head. Best known for her monster hit, "Turn the Beat Around,"

The year was 2000. and the singer was ebuliant on-sstage.At a brief meet and greet afterwards, however, she did seem a bit tired and wary as I shook her hand.

Within a month afterwards, the diva died of cancer complications. Sadly, she must have known this show would be her last.

Her show that night included all her hits including the then-recent hits, the Junior Vasquez-produced "House of Joy" (one of my favorites)  and "Move On."

My friend and I met her husband on the street, "Vicki's not well tonight," he glumly told us. We already prepared for the worst.

I saw the late Tammy Wynette (who had five costume changes) and Laura Nyro, each at The Bottom Line (long after I had worked there). I also met Joan Rivers after her show at Fez in the East Village. Joan was disarmingly sweet and kind after her show. It was my friend Kevin who got us in backstage to meet her.

I developed a complex, fearing I was becoming the Angel of Death!

Nona Hendryx  of Labelle also performed at Fez one night. The late Luther Vandross sat at a nearby title. and blew kisses at her from his seat. I was lucky to have met both artists after the show.

So many memories of the great and the late.

Video Beaverhausen: Diana Ross in Lady Sings the Blues

I remember going to see Lady Sings the Blues when it just opened at theaters. I was attending University of Colorado in 1972 when my friend, Lynne, and I went to a theater on the edge of town. I remember it was windy and the tumbleweed was sweeping all over the ground that night, making our walk to the movies cumbersome at best.

I also recall Diana Ross giving a powerful, star-worthy performance she received an Academy Award nomination for her tour-de-force acting.

Lady Sings the Blues is very old-school Hollywood biopic. It was even upon its release. And that's what everyone loved about it. It was a box-office smash. It was also critically praised, generally,

This was Miss Ross' first and best screen acting job. She shimmered like a legendary superstar. Unfortunately, after her debut on the silver screen, the quality of the films she did suffered.

Lady Sings the Blues is the sugar-coated true story of Billie Holiday. The drug and rehab scenes, however, are harrowing and haunting. Lady Day's life was much more troubled. Also, I'm not sure the film makes clear what a huge success Holiday was in her time.

The movie was directed by Sidney J, Furie. Hunky Billie Dee Williams plays Diana's love interest (a fictional character since Holiday was basically a lesbian), and Richard Pryor is wonderful as the character only known as Piano Man, a tragi-comic part.

The film was a real breakthrough for black talent.

Still, this is a wonderful film to curl up with on video. The best-selling soundtrack is still available as well. Music orchestrated by Michel Legrand. Co-produced by Berry Gordy. A Paramount release.

Audio Beaverhausen Recalls Little Eva

Little Eva was a Sixties pop singer from Brighton Beach, Brooklyn who had the good fortune to get a babysitting job with famed songwriting couple Carole King and Gerry Goffin.

She wisely sang lullabies to their baby that, when first heard by her songwriting couple, decided to do a demo with her. They noticed she had a cute way of dancing around the house and wrote a song for her.

That demo was "The Locomotion" and it went on to become a #1 single and discotheque smash. Eva's career was born and more hits were to come. Jump back!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9UK0kWlPhrKuRo_4asgO78UgXFRwkYolyz3VcDjHzLhilC7WfCvXjPNhskIwSE8FT4tF3NW8o1wS54UCsRfBHiwIOec6oBkDVlxQW3E26NQT8jshVpu7lmwahfKhMZyMj9qvC-IiQpo/s1600/Little+Eva+SB+8745_1.tif.jpg

Eventually, Eva's career ran out of locomotion.  Hits grew fewer and her star status waned.

This was always a personal favorite:



When they noticed a shiner on her eyes one day, Eva explained her boyfriend had beaten her up. "But," she added, "HHe only does it because he loves me"  They turned that into a song, later recorded by The Ronettes. Phil Spector, of course, adored it.



Eva died in 1993 of cancer in 1963 but her voice is eternal.

On My Birthday, 2016!

Today is my birthday, thank you. It also happens to be the birthday of Stevie Wonder, Be a Arthur and Dennis Rodman. I was born in good company.

This year, my birthday falls on Friday the 13th. Not to worry as 13 has always been my lucky number.

I know many great Tauruses. My close friend Tracey had her birthday yesterday. My friends Gary Popkin and Greg Sullivan had birthdays this week as well.

Cher's birthday is exactly a week after mine. Ah, if we could turn back time! Grace Jones' is only six days away.

I'll turn 64 tomorrow. What a drag it is getting old -- as The Rolling Stones sang before they grew old! Sometimes I do look in the mirror and wonder who the old man looking back at me might be.

So wish me well, everyone as I continue on my journey! It's been a marvelous trip thus far and I hope to have further fabulous adventures in life.

Kiki & Herb Seeking Asylum at Joe's Pub

Kiki & Herb returned to Joe's Pub this week, so I went with a friend to celebrate my birthday, just two days afterwards. As par usual, they were side-splittingly funny and very entertaining generally.

Kiki & Herb: Seeking Asylum is a wonderful addiion to their body of work. Over the years, they've lost none of their edge. In fact, they've gotten edgier.

Justin Vivian Bond is Kiki and Kenny Mellman is her pianist and comic straight man Herb. They work  well together, very well indeed.

Kiki & Herb have released a few albums though there's nothing like seeing them live. They've toured in the USA and in Europe.

I first caught their act, Kiki & Herb Will Die for You, at Carnegie Hall many years ago and immediately became a fan. However, there is nothing better than seeing them in the relative intimacy of a club like Joe's Pub in the East Village. What a great way to celebrate my birthday! Welcome back, Kiki & Herb!

Rubbing Elbows: My Brushes with Celebrities chapter 14

In 1993, I moved to a very tiny studio in Manhattan in 12 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. It was a great place to rub elbows with celebrities.

One day, I ran into Linda Lavin in the lobby. She was ringing a doorbell to be let in as I was leaving, so I let her in. "Why did you do that?" she asked me. "You don't even know who I am." "Of course I do," I told her. "I just saw you on Broadway in The Allergist's Wife and loved you in Alice."

"Oh, that show," she quipped. "But you're a doll," she added, pinching my cheek. "I had so much fun doing Allergist's Wife!"

She had come because there was a celebrity photographer living on the second floor and she had an appoointment with him.

A well-known photographer who worked for Andy Warhol's Interview and, later, Vanity Fair, lived on the ground floor.

On the street outside, I ran into Jon Stewart carrying his very young daughter. I said hello and told him how much I enjoyed his work on The Daily Show at the time. I also saw Sam Shepard, then together with Jessica Lange. I said hi but he just ignored me, though Ms Lange said hi back to me.. I also encountered Jon Voght and received a cold, dismissive reception as he stepped into his car service in midtown.

Susan Sarandon walked with a friend down 8th Street one afternoon. One morning, I saw Rupert Everett walking his dog. I never realized how tall he is (6'4") and he tried to pick me up. He probably tried to pick every guy up. Unfortunately for me, I was on my way to a dentist appointment. Damn, I should have cancelled the appointment!

That area of the west Village was a virtual celebrity magnet. Long after I left The Bottom Line, I spotted Mariah Carey on her way there, going to a performance produced by then-husband Tommy Mottola's show.

I also spotted Cybill Shepherd in SoHo but she totally snubbed me.

The area was rich in celebrity encounters and I appreciated it very, very much. Unfortunately, we inevitably had to part ways after so many rich years of encountering celebrities

Buddy Beaverhausen's Random Thoughts: Donovan Turns 70

Donovan turns 70 today! He is, of course, the iconic '60s pop-folk singer who sang of love, peace, happiness and his wardrobe.

Donovan's songs are eternal/. I have long enjoyed his lovely pop tunes and still give them a listen now and then. They gently transport me back in time.

Born Donovan Phillips Leitch, he was a major star. Radio, concert performances, tv.

It's difficult for me to grasp how old my idols are getting, as well as I.

Here's a song I love that was used in an old GAP ad:



This was probably Donovan's greatest hit:



Happy birthday to my fellow Taurus, born just three days ahead of me, though not in the same year. I've always shared a special affinity with the Scots singer and now I know why!

Rubbing Elbows: My Brushes with Celebrities, chapter 13

Miss Manners

Back in the 1970s, I worked at a law firm then called Kramer, Nessen, Kramer, Davis & Saul. Ruth had been married to a film producer for Joseph E. Levine. He put her in charge of dubbing Levine's foreign films from Embassy Pictures. They included some gladiator howlers and Japanese sci-fi films.

She was very proud of the fact that she worked with Robbie Benson as a child, doing dubbing work. She told everyone she mentored him though I doubt that was ever the case.

Ruth was not a kind woman. She was sharp tongued and a drunk. She would call the office 24/7 and ask the time and if it was a work day. Needless to say, this schtick got tired very fast.

She often came in and in a nasty mood as a result. One morning, she pinned a helpless female co-worker against the kitchenette wall so that she could vomit in the sink. She was sent home that day.

Ruth was a cousin to the etiquette columnist Miss Manners, to whom she bore a strong resemblance.

It was at this point that that I launched my cabaret career as a singer/ comedian. Ruth came to my show but only to disparage me.

"Sweet vanity production," she told me, :But I've worked with professionals..... And you just don't have it."  Ruth was a mean-spirited old drunk.Unaffected by her comments I went on yo perform at a number of popular clubs at the time, included. And for the record, my act was not a vanity production. I auditioned, was paid and never mounted any of my shows myself.

Ruth died, tragically, when she fell down, drunk, at home and hit her head on the coffee table. She bled to death on the floor. Such a tragic end. Very William Holden-esque.

I attended her funeral in Manhattan with co-workers. She was not spoken of kindly by her daughter, a psychologist,  and her son, a lawyer. They were scarred, physically and psychically, when Ruth passed out with a lit cigarette in her bed one night when they were just children. Ruth got out unscathed by bolting out the doorShe only thought of herself, uncaring about the welfare of her kids. Even the rabbi, speaking at her grave, damned her. My friends and I were taken aback as we'd never experienced anything of this sort before.

Ruth fancied herself to resemble Rosalind Russell. No one had the heart to tell her otherwise.

Ruth walked with a cane at the time I knew her. She was crippled when she drunkenly crossed the street in the middle of the block against the light.

And that, my friends, is the story of Ruth. Miserable life, tragic end, not remembered lovingly by friends nor family.In death, I hope she's found some sort of peace at last.

Cine Beaverhausen Wallows in The Shallows

The Shallows opens June 29th. If the preview I caught tonight is the final edit, this film should appeal to all suspense thriller and horror fans.

It's very tense and involves a woman being attacked by a great white shark. She is able to cling to a narrow raft for safety after first climbing to safety on a rock.

It's sort of Jaws on the cheap but, nonetheless, a well-made nail-biter.

Bake Lively is our damsel in distress and she does a remarkable acting job. The flick is directed with verve by Jaume Collet-Serra. He's ventured into the horror and suspense territory before with films like Orphan and the 2005 remake of House of Wax with Paris Hilton that was pretty bad, actually. But here he is provided with a good script to work with.

Here he has a good script to work with and it makes a difference. At least catch this film on video when it arrives. A scary summer treat!

Trailer at the link below:

http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/the-shallows-blake-lively.jpeg

Audio Beaverhausen Takes a Detour with Cyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper has done several theme-based albums, displaying her diversity in doing blues, disco and pop standards.

In the meanwhile, the songbird has won Tony and Olivier awards for writing songs for Kinky Boots with Harvey Fierstein.

She has kept her career thriving, reaching new heights. She is fearless.

Today I received Lauper's latest effort, Detour. Of course, it's a long awaited event. A Detour tour is in the works.

Detour is a mix of country and bluegrass. Ms Lauper told Rolling Stone magazine that she wanted "the beat to be dirty and sexy." Indeed, she got results courtesy of producer Tony Brown. There is a seductive sultriness to the album.

Duets with Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill and Jewel are a delight to listen to.

Song selections show impeccable taste. The album kicks off with the original "Funnel of Love." I was pleasantly surprised to hear Cyndi cover "Misty Blue." Her version of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's "You're the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly" is hilarious.

Make a detour this weekend to buy this album. Or get it Amazon.com. CD version comes with liner notes, credits and photos enclosed.

Metropolitan Room's Tribute to Dana Lorge

A trouper to the very end, Dana Lorge had a long career in the cabaret community. For a long spell, she hosted a weekly variety show at Bernard and Joanne Furshpan's Metropolitan Room in Chelsea, NYC.

Bernie gratefully downloaded the show for all he who could not attend, and that includes myself.

Dana was a regular fixture on the cabaret scene. She was funny on-stage and beloved by all off.

Dana discovered very late that she had lung cancer. Her death sent tremors though the cabaret community. She is sincerely missed and loved by family, friends and fans. Her original song "I Was Beautiful" is a cabaret classic.

As an actress, Dana (pronounced Dan-ah) had supporting roles in films like Mel Brooks' The Producers and Moscow on the Hudson, among others.

I met her several times after shows at the Metropolitan Room and found her very charming. So, RIP, Dana. NYC cabaret mourns and misses you very much.

Video Beaverhausen: F/X Channel to Present Feud with Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon

This is perfect news arriving, as it does, just days before the anniversary of Joan Crawford's death.

Thanks to producer Brad Pitt bringing this property to the F/X cable channel, this tele-film is expected to come to us later this year.

Susan Sarandon will play Bette because she has Bette Davis eyes and Jessica Lange (hot off American Horror Story) will portray Joan. The mini-series will be a behind-the-scenes expose of the feud between the two stars on and off the set of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane in 1961.

Inspired by the Henry Farrell novella, this is anticipated to be powerhouse tv entertainment. This is turning into a divine year for the entertainment, entertainment industry and cable.

Pitt is producer and put his considerable muscle behind this effort. Stanley Tucci, Alfred Molina and  Judy Davis among others.

This has the potential to blow the roof off the house. Not to be missed. Alert to the film's legion of gay fans.

Cine Beaverhausen: Being Chariie

Being Charlie is an unpredictable tale about a troubled young ma. I admire it for its candidness.

I think readers already know that Buddy is my nickname but my birth name is Charles. I certainly never had a substance abuse problem of the sort depicted in this film.

The film, shot in Utah, is directed by Rob Reiner. Cary Elwes (who was in Reiner's The Princess Bride) is in this. Always good to see.

Expertly executed and delivered. Being Charlie opens at theaters this Friday. There's nothing like being Charlie, I can tell you from long experience. This film is for anybody who's ever felt alienated or disenfranchised in their youth. Young Nick Robinson is wonderful in the titular role.

I very much recommend this film to everyone seeking a tonic to the juvenile action fare released recently. Beautifully done. Bravo!

Opens in theaters in the USA on Friday.

Video Beaverhausen: Joan Crawford as Sadie Thompson in Rain

What do you do on a rainy day at home, with rain predicted all week, but watch Joan Crawford in Rain and be grateful that you're not stuck in Pago Pago during rainy season.

There's a monsoon going on reflecting all the turmoil going on inside the characters and their enacted drama.

While Crawford was always critical of her performance in this 1932 film, it has stood the test of time beautifully. It's an early talkie but there are remastered videos available.

Rain is a pre-code melodrama based on a Broadway play that was, in turn, adapted from a W. Somerset Maugham story.

The film is still relevant with its tale of false Christian values and religious hypocrisy. Walter Huston plays a missionary who moves to Pago Pago with his wife. He meets Sadie and hopes to reform her. And seduce her.

Sadie, you see, is what's politely referred to as a "good time girl." She likes the sailors -- and they like her

Joan, who started her career in silents, knew all her life how to make great use of her eyes and lips to steal scenes. She consistently put that technique to good use.

This is a marvelous movie classic that's not to be missed.

Rubbing Elbows: My Brushes with Celebrities chapter 12

It was at the Metropolitan Room in Manhattan where I met Julie Budd, She has a residency there and aways brings in a full house regardless of the weather.

Though she has fawning gay fans in her crowds, I was rather taken aback by her homophobic stance when I blogged about her show and mentioned that my friend, promoter Nick Lion and I went to a gay bar, The Monster in the West Village, after her performance that night. Julie felt it was sleazy and

Julie had a promising career as another Barbra Streisand. They expected her to be a superstar singing sensation and she should have been. But maybe show biz has room for only one Barbra.

Still, Julie is basically a lovely individual and sweet soul. Richard Skipper does a wonderful job promoting her.

NYC cabaret is where established stars meet the upcoming ones and the wannabes. It makes for an interesting mix and mingle.

Incidentally, I'd like to bid a fond farewell to Dana Lorge who passed away from lung cancer just around the time I was putting this chapter together. We had met in passing several times at shows at the Metropolitan Room She was a lovely woman and did a magnificent job hosting her variety show at the club.

Dana had a rather eclectic group of her guests in her show. She was diagnosed with cancer briefly before her final presentation at Metropolitan Room. A trouper to the end, I pray she rests in peace.