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Charles Walters book

Neil

By Neil,
in The Danfield Tribune

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Neil Newbie

Neil

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Don't remember much about Alladin's Lamp but "House Guest Harry" is better than I remember, considering the plot (obnoxious house guest who takes over) had been done to death by then.  A staple of a lot of sitcoms.

One question: just WHERE is Kim taking that goat?  To the "Neighborhood Watch" closet?

Charles Walters choreographed most of Lucy's MGM musicals as well. He had been in the original Broadway production of Du Barry Was A Lady. Walters directed Lucy's House Guest, Harry and Lucy and Aladdin's Lamp.

This book has been in the works for years and I've been looking forward to it.

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C L A U D E Newbie

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Charles Walters choreographed most of Lucy's MGM musicals as well. He had been in the original Broadway production of Du Barry Was A Lady. Walters directed Lucy's House Guest, Harry and Lucy and Aladdin's Lamp.

 

This book has been in the works for years and I've been looking forward to it.

Oh yeah, that's where i heard his name, his directing or choreographing at MGM for Judy and others.

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tjw Newbie

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Spent a lot of time the past week curled up with Brent Phillips' new book, CHARLES WALTERS: THE MAN WHO MADE HOLLYWOOD DANCE. I recommend it highly!

 

I had the privilege of auditing a class that Chuck taught at USC film school during the autumn of 1980. Every week he would run one of his films, then the class would discuss it and he'd take questions.  Nancy Walker joined us the night he showed "Best Foot Forward," and Lucy came by the night he ran "DuBarry Was a Lady."

 

I had just co-authored LOVING LUCY, and Chuck graciously showed the book to the oversized audience in attendance  that night, and gave it a big plug.  Now I guess I am returning the favor, because Brent Phillips has written the book Chuck might have written had he had the inclination.  I know he'd be pleased with it -- and I think film fans reading this message will too!

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tjw Newbie

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Here's a photo from that evening back in 1980 -- taken in the auditorium/theatre at USC. Chuck had just shown "DuBarry Was a Lady," and then he and Lucy discussed and took questions...

 

WaltersBall1FB.jpg

 

Unbeknownst to all of us, one of the film's co-stars, Virginia O'Brien, was sitting in the audience.  When someone asked "whatever happened to...", Virginia stood up and said, "She's back here in the cheap seats" -- which got a big applause...

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Lucy must have loved this PIC taken so far back we can barely tell it's HER.   Wonder if you'd mind, Mr Watson, telling us how YOU felt about Lucy's constant FIVE year plan, where she only wanted to live five more years.  Recently, we heard Lucy discuss how her telling that scenario somewhere got her so much feedback from her family, friends and fans.

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Neil Newbie

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Have not read the book yet....Is there much about his later association with Lucy, directing Here's Lucy and two of her specials?  Or is his later less note-worthy work just given footnote status?   According to his imdb credits, his 2 HL and the 2 specials are the last listings.   Hope the book mentions how Lucy reached out to him (or vice versa) and why these 2 particular HL episodes from the 3rd season.  You'd think he would have been more helpful with a musical episode.   I wonder if there are any aspects that make these look different than the other episodes of the time.  

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tjw Newbie

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Have not read the book yet....Is there much about his later association with Lucy, directing Here's Lucy and two of her specials?  Or is his later less note-worthy work just given footnote status?   According to his imdb credits, his 2 HL and the 2 specials are the last listings.   Hope the book mentions how Lucy reached out to him (or vice versa) and why these 2 particular HL episodes from the 3rd season.  You'd think he would have been more helpful with a musical episode.   I wonder if there are any aspects that make these look different than the other episodes of the time.  

 

Brett mentions that  Lucy originally wanted him to direct "Mame," but that in order to get Bea Arthur they had to take Gene Saks as director as well...

 

There is no real insight about the "Here's Lucy" episodes... The regular director was not going to be available, and Lucy knew Chuck was not working, so she asked him to do them.  He apparently came in and watched the three-camera process for a few weeks before taking the reins...

 

As for the specials, Jack Donohue did the first two and Chuck the second two... He loved "Catherine Curtis" but hated the "Three for Two" script but did the best he could with it...

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Lucy must have loved this PIC taken so far back we can barely tell it's HER.   Wonder if you'd mind, Mr Watson, telling us how YOU felt about Lucy's constant FIVE year plan, where she only wanted to live five more years.  Recently, we heard Lucy discuss how her telling that scenario somewhere got her so much feedback from her family, friends and fans.

 

This photo was actually taken from the front row of the audience, but it was a huge theatre/auditorium and the lighting was not set up for pictures...

 

Lucy was very honest about not being afraid of death, but she hated the idea of growing old... She was so vibrant and energetic, the idea of having one's body little by little slow down and cease functioning was not at all appetizing to her...

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Lucy was very honest about not being afraid of death, but she hated the idea of growing old... She was so vibrant and energetic, the idea of having one's body little by little slow down and cease functioning was not at all appetizing to her...

Why was she not afraid of death and yet never believed in an afterlife?  As for the getting old part, i'm getting there now myself so i can understand her feelings. 

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Neil Newbie

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Brett mentions that  Lucy originally wanted him to direct "Mame," but that in order to get Bea Arthur they had to take Gene Saks as director as well...

 

As much as I like Bea, having her play Vera was not necessarily essential to the movie.  In hindsight, I would have "released Maudie from her contract" rather than take the Saks-Saks package deal.  I don't know if "Maude" had hit the air before Bea was cast.  But as "Mame" was released, "Maude" was at the end of its 2nd Top 10 season.  Having a big star is a supporting role throws a picture off.

But if not Bea, then who?  "Mame" is cast with too many "TV people" as it is, but they probably would have gone for another one. Mary Jane Croft or Viv?? No.

Jan Miner (Madge the Manicurist) might have been good. 

Elaine Stritch? Now, there's an idea.

Kaye Thompson?  The bio suggests she was approached but "terms could not be reached".

But Bette Davis??  A definite no....but....the camp value would have  been irresistible.  Bette was not as bad a singer as one might expect. (oh, don't get me wrong.  She's bad alright just not as bad as her off-key "Written a Letter to Daddy".)  But can't you just hear Bette reciting Vera's lines?  "During LENT!!"

Saks directs most of  the "Mame"  musical numbers with some flare.  Somewhere (CD liner notes?) the "Mame" number is given its due and one of the best production numbers on film.  I agree.  It's Saks' direction of the non-musical dialogue scenes that are too often stilted and slow-paced, strange considering his Neil Simon connection.  

Walters directed "Unsinkable Molly Brown" with Debbie Reynolds in 1964 which features two of the finest musical production numbers ever captured on film : "Belly Up to the Bar" and "He's My Friend", the latter featuring Kathryn Card's last performance.  Strange that after "Molly" which was by all accounts a solid financial succes ( though not the mega-hit "My Fair Lady" "Mary Poppins" and "Sound of Music"were)  Walters was tapped for just one more feature film two year later, the trifle "Walk Don't Run", also Cary Grant's last movie.   You'd think with "Molly" under his belt, he would have been asked to do one of the many musicals produced by studios in the last half of the 60s, hoping again hope (and striking out each time) that they'd come up with another "Sound of Music".  Perhaps the book explains why the offers dried up.

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I agree with Neil, Bea's part was not exactly BIG in any way so i would have dumped her to get rid of Sachs, but definitely not Davis, that's for sure.  But what few lines Bea has are all delivered perfectly, no wonder she got the Tony for this role on Broadway.  Then, they could have gotten a brilliant director like the one who was supposed to do it but gave up the job when Lucy delayed the picture by breaking her leg.  I played it just yesterday for the Christmas number, but just like Dolly, a great musical with terrific songs but overblown like Dolly where they should have had better direction and inserted bigger comedic bits which would have brought her fans to theaters.  I realize you can't add to a screenplay that easily, but the skating scene in the store and outside is one example of something that could have been a lot better in more talented hands than Sachs.  And yes, the Mame number was the best part of the entire movie.

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I disagree with one small point. (Well, two if you count my strong objection to anyone but Bea in this role. lol) Gene's direction of It's Today and Christmas are awful. The rest of the musical numbers are fine though.

Hmmm ...I disagree with the "It's Today!" sequence: I think it's one of the highlights of the film! :D

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I actually think Bette as Vera sounds quite entertaining! Honestly, anything for a different director.

There would have been constant comparisons to Baby Jane with Crawford and Davis.  I'll never forget Davis' last quote on the subject, I WANTED TO BE IN MAME BUT MISS BALL DID NOT WANT ME, geez, i wonder why?

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