Thursday, February 18, 2010

Kiss Me Kathryn

Here's the lovely Kathryn Grayson singing "You, The Waltz and I" from Seven Sweethearts (1942). She died yesterday in Los Angeles at 88.



The Grayson performance I've seen most often is her ornery stage star 'Lilli Vanessi' from her penultimate film, the 3D musical Kiss Me Kate (1953). No, James Cameron didn't invent 3D. If I recall correctly Kathryn does throws things at the screen during her temper tantrums. She even made a blink and you'll miss her cameo in my diva loving music video "She's a B****".

<-- Ann Miller and Grayson in Kiss Me Kate (1953)

I have only seen a handful of her films -- including the Gene Kelly musicals of course -- but I'm always sad when the golden age performers go. Especially the singing stars. Sigh. We shan't see their like again. We definitely shan't hear the likes of Grayson again... since this style of soprano singing is only heard nowadays when someone pops in a Snow White DVD. That wasn't Kathryn's voice... I'm just saying.

Rest in peace, Kathryn. And thank you for the musicals.