Jew York

Stacy, aka Goldy Lox.



ty Ennie

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

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

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.

You Rang?

Great American songwriter Burt Bacharach, 81, as he appeared at the Broadway opening of "Promises, Promises" on Sunday, and actor Ted Cassidy as Lurch in "The Addams Family."

So alike, and yet only one gave us this...

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

Lipstick on Your Collar?

"American Idol" runner-up/cosmetics enthusiast Adam Lambert, and 1960s singing superstar Connie Francis.

So alike, and yet only one knows "Where the Boys Are."

Kay Starr with Wheel of Fortune

Oh, I just can't get enough of these Scopitones! Here's Kay Starr in a revised Jackie Kennedy 'do, with soft porn dancers and playing cards and balloons. Isn't that enough? When, oh when will hairdos like this make a comeback?!

I Need Me Some Dusty

Oh, I love this... here's Dusty Springfield, so weighed down by Aqua Net that she can't get up. This song was recorded in a set that I think is supposed to represent a ruined taco tent, where she serves as the distraught waitress. Or she was supposed to be on "Hollywood Squares" but her square couldn't hang near Rose Marie. Spooky.

Bobby Vee -- The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

More Scopitones, you say? Sure.

Happy Birthday, Yip Harburg

E. Yip Harburg, The man who penned the lyrics to "Over the Rainbow" and the anthem of the Great Depression, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", was born on this day in 1896. Among his many great lyrics are "April in Paris." Yip died in a car accident on Sunset Blvd. in 1981.

Drive carefully, everyone! And now, here's Ella Fitzgerald.



Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?



And since this past few weeks have been filled with tales of tattooed ladies, here's Groucho Marx with Harburg's "Lydia the Tattooed Lady."



for Jacob

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.

Happy Birthday, Debbie Reynolds

Legendary hoofer Debbie Reynolds, fresh from her appearance on "Ru Paul's Drag Race," is in the UK with her "Alive and Fabulous" show, as seen here today on her 78th birthday at The Sofitel Hotel, St James in London. Nice gams!




This odd video was part of the S-Series Scopitone films, made by Harman-ee Productions in Los Angeles, a company owned by Debbie Reynolds. Scopitones were part of a machine that played music videos like jukeboxes played records.

There's no better way to sell a protest song than with a cotton candy bouffant, a sequined gown and heels.


Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

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.

Dame Edna Meets Beyoncé

The hilarious Dame Edna performs her rendition of "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" from her Broadway extravaganza with Michael Feinstein, "It's All About Me," which opened last night.



ty Andy

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!

Goodbye, Peter Graves

Here's Houston's Klein Forest High School Orchestra with Lalo Schifrin's theme to "Mission Impossible."

Happy Birthday, Keely Smith!

Keely Smith made her debut with Louis Prima in 1949, they were married for a while, creating numerous hits. She's 78 today! Here they are with Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin" from the Ed Sullivan show, June 1960.

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.