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Julie London


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Since 1993, I have opened up a new (for me) Julie London album every January 1 to start the new year off right!

This year's album is The End of the World. It came on a CD with Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfaast, and I may listen to that one soon too.

My favorite too is Julie Is Her Name. Vol 2 with Howard Roberts and Red Mitchell isn't bad either.

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A London anecdote by way of trombonist Milt Bernhart. Bernhart was with B. Goodman in '48-'49 when the band was invited over to actor Jack Webb's apartment after a stage show for a party. Webb, a big jazz fan but one whose tastes were exclusively Dixieland, was married to London at the time, and at some point in the evening she went over to the record player, took off whatever Webb was playing (Eddie Condon, I think) and replaced it with a Charlie Parker disc -- something that Webb did not appreciate. Bernhart says that he remembers thinking right then and there that the London-Webb marriage wasn't long for this world. FWIW, I also recall reading that the London-Bobby Troup marriage was an exceptionally good one.

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A London anecdote by way of trombonist Milt Bernhart. Bernhart was with B. Goodman in '48-'49 when the band was invited over to actor Jack Webb's apartment after a stage show for a party. Webb, a big jazz fan but one whose tastes were exclusively Dixieland, was married to London at the time, and at some point in the evening she went over to the record player, took off whatever Webb was playing (Eddie Condon, I think) and replaced it with a Charlie Parker disc -- something that Webb did not appreciate. Bernhart says that he remembers thinking right then and there that the London-Webb marriage wasn't long for this world. FWIW, I also recall reading that the London-Bobby Troup marriage was an exceptionally good one.

thanks for that story! :tup

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Yeah, I can just imagine Sgt. Friday having Bird thrust upon him by this buxom beautifinous bombshell that he found himself somehow being married to.

Puts all those Dragnet/Adam 12 episodes involving hippies, acid trips, and dead babies into a whole 'nother perspective.

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There's that great fun 1956 film by Frank Tashlin 'The Girl Can't Help It' where Tom Ewell plays a musical agent who turned to drinking after his love affair with Julie London broke up. It takes Jayne Mansfield to replace Julie London. Julie London had a couple of singing appearances in the film with her hit version of 'Cry Me a River'.

Lots of very nicely produced musical numbers were featured in the film. The Platters, Little Richard, Fats Domino, the Treniers and other acts. And a younbg Abbey Lincoln in a quite unique decollete-enhanced appearance!

And Jayne Mansfield played the not so dumb blonde girl to perfection...

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  • 1 month later...

In September of 1961, I stayed at the Croydon Hotel while producing a series of Chicago session for Riverside. This was the hotel where, traditionally, the big band sideman stayed while the leaders checked into the Palmer House. In 1961, there wasn't a lot of big band traffic, but the Croydon now housed the casts of musical shows whose stars stayed at the Palmer House.

The Croydon's bar had a pianist who probably knew every song ever written since the 1920s, and he played every night to a very full house. There generally being a number of singers among the hotel's guests, an evening at the Croydon Bar was never less than interesting.

One night when I was there, Julie London came in--it was clear that she came there often and had a good rapport with the pianist. After singing a few songs, she asked, over the microphone, if someone would please go in the men's room and get Henry.

Someone did, and Henry, the men's room attendant, was embraced by Ms. London as he got on the band stand. She asked him to sing a blues, which he did very well.

That's my story, except to say that I recorded Henry Benson a couple of days later, with Little Brother Montgomery on piano, Walter Vinson (of the Mississippi Sheiks), guitar, Pops Foster, bass, and Earl Watkins, drums.

It was the only recording he made. a few months later, cancer got him.

Finally, let me say that Julie London was wonderfully down-to-earth, a really warm person.

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  • 10 months later...

i was just listening to some julie and remembered this thread.

she sure warms the cockles of my heart! :wub:

(i'm not sure what cockles are, but she warms them! :P )

(DON'T GO THERE--it's TOO easy!! :rmad: )

You're right, it is easy and I will go there by way of Woody Allen who when Diane Keaton tells him in LOVE AND DEATH that someone else warms the cockles of her heart, replies:

"Sure, of course, hot cockles!"

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As I stated above, I open a Julie London album every January 1 to start the new year right.

This year's was Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast. I think it was her last album, about 1967 or 68.

A good record, but I could do without the theme song from the Mickey Mouse Club, which she sang sexily. Reminds me of Richard Burton dramatically reading a phone book on the Dick Cavett Show.

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