Watched Remember WENN next. Victor and Betty want to turn Betty's epic blending of Shakespearean plays "When In Rome" into a three-day marathon to beat a big record. The entire cast winds up saying "And If I Die Before I Sleep" when they try to do whatever they can to stay awake. There's treachery afoot from the man who is supposed to be covering the story (John Ratzenberger) and his nurse. With the cast half-ready to drop, it's up to Victor, a sick Maple, Mr. Eldridge, and Gertie to learn what this nasty newspaper man is really up to. (And a personal note - for all the problems with the 4th season, this makes up for a lot. The wild shenanigans that go on in this one makes it my personal favorite episode of the entire series.)
Hilary proves she's her own best friend when she becomes "Hilary's Agent" to land the role of Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra. The problems start when she has to produce said agent and dresses the part. Now she's playing two roles when the producer (Daniel Benzali) turns up to talk to her. (Honestly, Eugenia gets by far the best line in this one!)
Did some paperwork, then spent a lot of the morning and early afternoon messing around online. Listened to CDs while I worked. Broadway star Barbara Cook performed some of her best-known songs during her concert at Carnegie Hall. My favorites were the original version of "My White Knight" from The Music Man (she was the original Marian Paroo on Broadway) and "Magic Moment" from the flop The Gay Life. We also got a charming "When I Marry Mr. Snow" and lovely "Time Heals Everything.
I got bored with sitting around 1:30 and headed out to lunch. Yeah, it really was that hot. The smothering heat came at me in waves. It was too hot to have lunch anywhere but Capitol Pizza around the corner. They have water ice along with the pizza. I had a slice of broccoli, a slice of mushroom, a cherry water ice, and a Diet Pepsi while ignoring the true crime show that was on, then the dull Hollywood gossip show.
Put on records when I got home. I really regret having cleared out the DVD version of the Barry Manilow Copacabana TV movie, as I now can't seem to find it online. At least I found the soundtrack. There's three additional songs here, all for Tony, that didn't make it to the West End. "Changing My Tune" and "Big City Blues" are additional Copacabana chorus numbers. "Cal Me Mr. Lucky" is a bit snazzier. While the charming "Who Needs to Dream" number obviously doesn't come off on a record, we do get Tony's "Sweet Heaven" and the big "El Bravo."
La La Land is a different show business story all together. Even on the LP, it's still hard to beat that dynamic opening "Another Day In the Sun." "A Lovely Night" is just as adorable here, and Stone comes across especially strong with "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)." There's some nice instrumental jazz tracks too, notably "Mia & Sebastian's Theme" and the famous "Planetarium" dance in the stars.
Switched to Up In Central Park while writing. I go further into this 1948 tale of a newly-arrived Irishman who helps a young reporter expose corruption at Tammany Hall in the 1870's at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
Worked on Hilary and the Beasts next. Hilary's version of the story turns her into Hilary Booth-Bloom, who has just slunk back to Pittsburgh in January 1930 to discover her family in vastly reduced circumstances. Her father Mackie, a renown actor, lost his wealth in the stock market, and they now live in a tiny brownstone house on an ordinary residential street instead of a glittering New York penthouse. She's still licking her wounds from her beloved husband Jeff divorcing her and marrying Czech actress Pavla Nemcova. Her siblings Betty and C.J handle their reduced circumstances far better. She doesn't mind writing radio shows and taking care of the family, and he'd rather work on the electrical wiring of a theater than at Carnegie Mellon. Vivacious Maple is trying to get a job with the Crimson Follies, but Hilary wants her to marry someone wealthy who will take care of her.
Mackie's thrilled when he gets a role in a Shakespearean production across town. Hilary points out that the theater is falling apart, but Mackie's just glad to have a role. He even offers to get his children gifts. Maple wants a new dress. Betty asks for books, C.J tools. Hilary only wants one perfect rose. She used to grow them in a rooftop garden, and they remind her of Jeff. Besides, it's winter. Her tiny bare garden isn't growing now.
Switched to Buzzr during dinner. The first Match Game episode was from the second week in 1973. Bob Barker, Richard Dawson, and Della Reece were joined by the only Waltons cast members to appear on the show. Michael Lerned seemed to enjoy herself, but poor Richard Thomas looked like a deer caught in the headlights. The second episode jumped way, way back to one of the few 60's episodes to exist. This black and white show featured an all-star special with Joan Fontaine, Betty White, and Peggy Cass playing Bennett Cerf, Henry Morgan, and Robert Q. Lewis.
Finished the night with more records and CDs. The LP Beauty and the Beat! expertly melds the smooth sounds of the George Shearing Quintet with an aching Peggy Lee. "If Dreams Come True," "Isn't It Romantic?", and "They'll Be Another Spring" are especially good here.
The second disc on the John Denver Definitive All-Time Greatest Hits set is pretty useless, just a few unreleased tracks. (They couldn't have gotten those on the first disc?) That first disc, though, features some of Denver's most beloved songs. Among my favorites of his are "Calypso," "Country Roads," the aching "Fly Away," "Poems, Prayers, and Promises," and the unlikely "Perhaps Love" with Placido Domingo.
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