Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Here's Czech singer Ondřej Havelka and his Melody Makers with "Beat Me, Daddy, Eight to the Bar."



Here's Fred Astaire (with Fred Clark) in "Daddy Long Legs." Nice furniture!




James Brown... Papa's Got a Brand New Bag! From Shindig!




Beat Me Daddy, another way. Here's Maurice Rocco. The dancer is Mandy Lee.

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Elvis, in June of 1977, two months before his death at 42.



Judy, early '60s. Live orchestra, no autotune.



Frank, c. 1970.



Jolson, the original tweeter, 1935.

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

The very young Sassy One... Miss Sarah Vaughan with Perdido.



From a far more innocent time... Woody Allen on "Candid Camera."




Ah, summer. Time for a beer. Thanks, woolydoozer.




June is bustin' out all over. From Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel," 1958.

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Chexy's Saturday Matinee

It's Memorial Day weekend, so here's some folks entertaining the troops.

Judy Garland, introduced by Bob Hope.



And here's a few clips of Bob Hope and the soldiers over the years. In one of these clips, he's 87.



Today would have been JFK's 93rd birthday, so here's his brother-in-law, Peter Lawford, and Marilyn Monroe to sing him Happy Birthday. Everybody! (for GL)



And here are the trailers for "This is the Army," and "Hollywood Canteen." Surprise guest stars!

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

How about a little gorgeousness to ease you into your Saturday? Here's the work of Claude Monet.



The Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra with Erik Satie's Gymnopedies #1.



From 1962's "Gypsy," You Gotta Have a Gimmick, music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Natalie Wood as Gypsy, Faith Dane as Mazeppa, Roxanne Arlen as Electra, Betty Bruce as Tessie Tura. Costumes by Orry-Kelly. (for Gail W.)



Billie Holiday toward the end, with "Strange Fruit," which began as a poem written by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish high-school teacher from the Bronx, about the lynching of two black men.

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Here's a little gem from the Ed Sullivan Show... with Sammy Davis Jr. and Ella Fitzgerald.



Gnarly, dude!



Your Chexy has been eating a vegetarian diet for two weeks, and I feel great!




Here's Ruby Keeler and Lee Dixon in 1937's "Ready, Willing and Able."



ty Decaying Hollywood Mansions

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

From the Ziegfeld hit show that was turned into 1936's hit film, "Showboat," based on the novel by Edna Ferber. Here's Helen Morgan, Irene Dunne, Hattie McDaniel and Paul Robeson with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man."




And now, a clip that'll make you glad you're alive. The relentless fabulousness of "The Continental," sung by Erik Rhodes and Lillian Miles, it was the first Oscar-winning Original Song -- from 1934's "The Gay Divorcée." Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Art direction by the outrageously great Van Nest Polglase and Carroll Clark.




Mary Wells on "Shindig!" with "My Guy," circa 1964.

And because it's nearly Mother's Day, here's that "Mommie Dearest" mashup with Abba.

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

May Day! May Day!

Here's Mae West with "Willie of the Valley," from "My Little Chickadee."



May you stay "Forever Young." Here's Joan Baez.



The voice of Mae Questel -- Betty Boop sings "Ain't Cha" from 1932.



Watch for Anna May Wong at the end of this 1937 Technicolor masterpiece, "Hollywood Party."

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Dean Martin, King of Cool, who actually never drank when performing. Sinatra as the voice of God. c.1960.



"RuPaul's Drag Race" season finale is Monday night! Before there was Ru, there was Jim Bailey... as Judy Garland in a 1970s TV special.




Okay, everybody on the Love Train! Here's the line dance from "Soul Train," to the O'Jay's. 1973. And yes, that's me in the orange plaid pants.




The last role of Orson Welles... "Transformers."




More "Soul Train" you say?! Of course! Look for me in the wig at 2:28.

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Now here's some entertainment... Ella Fitzgerald and the great Jimmy Durante.



The late Australian screenwriter Ivan Goff was born on this day in 1910. Here are a couple of great scenes from a screenplay he co-authored, "Man of a Thousand Faces," the Lon Chaney story, starring Jimmy Cagney and Dorothy Malone.




Here's Albuquerque's own Vivian Vance, perhaps the best sidekick a girl ever had, showing off her sensational singing chops with "Lily of the Valley."




Big finish! Here's the delicious Lyda Roberti in 1934's "College Rhythm" with "Take a Number from One to Ten." Love the costumes!



In memory of Mary Santiago

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Bet you didn't know your Chexy loves boxing. How about a few knockouts?



After the magic of "Beatles Week" on "American Idol," I felt like hearing some REAL Beatles.




Here's something you won't see on "American Idol." Dame Shirley Bassey with "This is My Life." 1990.




Here's some music to listen to while you go on with your internet business. Thievery Corporation with Omid (Hope).



For MT

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Here's one of my favorite bands, Gotan Project, with "Mi Confesion" from their album "Lunatico." I have no idea what's going on here, but I like it.



Here's Hungarian singer Csondor Kata with Cole Porter's "Night and Day." I have no idea what's going on here, but I like it.

Here's the Trio Lescano from the movie L'Argine. I have no idea what's going on here, but I like it.

Here's Bing to wish y'all a Happy Easter. I have no idea what's going on here, but I like it.

Chexy's Saturday Matinee -- In Technicolor!

From 1934's "Kid Millions," here's one of the earliest Technicolor sequences, starring Ethel Merman and Eddie Cantor. "Get me 16 pigtailed milkmaids!"



Here's some more early color process, Dufaycolor. From "Radio Parade of 1935" -- here's American blues singer Alberta Hunter. This really gets good when the drum sequence starts!



More Technicolor fun, from 1950, a film by Chevy. "Miamah!"




Arrrrgh! Pirates! Can't get enough Technicolor! From MGM in 1935, the Fanchonettes.

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

The brilliant Jonathan Winters in a Jack Paar "Tonight" show appearance.



The Delfonics -- La La La La La La La La La means I love you.






Lesley Gore -- with "You Don't Own Me," circa early '60s.




Let's go back to 1976 with Lou Rawls on the Midnight Special singing "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine." I'm not braggin' on myself, baby!

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Let's kick it off bigtime with "Jumpin' Jive" from 1943's "Stormy Weather," with Cab Calloway and those unbelievable Nicholas Brothers!




From Groucho Marx's "You Bet Your Life," here's the precious Gladys Bentley.



She's been in the news a LOT lately, that lovable octogenarian, Betty White. So why not play some "Password"?! From 1963, with the delicious Jack Paar, and host (and Betty's husband) Allen Ludden.




Gladys Knight and the Pips, from 1973.



TY JAR

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Forty years ago, this was the #1 song. Here's BJ Thomas with "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head."


Here's some trippy video from Duane E. Roberts.




Miss Nina Simone, from what I think is a 1960 appearance on "Toast of the Town" with Ed Sullivan. Here's "Love Me or Leave Me."




A little gem... James Dean's first screen appearance in "Has Anybody Seen My Gal?" from 1952. Mr. Smith played by Charles Coburn, and the lovely Piper Laurie as Millie.

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Happy 78th birthday, Elizabeth Taylor! Here's the great Dame on "What's My Line?" in 1954.



"Wheel in Miss Clark, please!" Petula, with "It's a Sign of the Times," circa 1968.




Miss Lauryn Hill, live in Tokyo in 1999, with "Sweetest Thing."




Here's Parkthoven playing Cosma's "Sentimental Walk" from the movie "Diva."



For former Chexydecimal London Bureau Chief Andy. Welcome home!

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Oh, I'm in the mood for some implosions. Here's most of Old Las Vegas going down.



I'd like to see some more, wouldn't you?



How about 50 more?



Joni Mitchell, from 1970, with "Big Yellow Taxi."

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Here's some folks dancing in skimpy clothing in an Italian ballet tribute to Eleanora Duse.



And now, Tony Bennett and his hairpiece sing "My Funny Valentine."


Here's Gotan Project, live, with La Revancha Del Tango.



And to take us out, here's Herman's Hermits from 1967 in a really wrecked vid, with "There's a Kind of Hush."

Chexy's Saturday Matinee

Happy 93rd (I think) birthday to Zsa Zsa Gabor. You can really get a good idea of her acting talents from this trailer for 1958's "Queen of Outer Space."

No tribute to Zsa Zsa would be complete without this 6-second clip, also from "Queen of Outer Space."



Okay, grab your wigs and false eyelashes and Miracle-Gro dresses... here's Dusty Springfield from 1967 with "I Wish You Love."