Kathryn Grayson died today at the age 88. Miss Grayson was one of the last survivors of Hollywood's Golden Age, perhaps best remembered for her performance as Magnolia Hawks in Show Boat (1951), in which she sang the sentimental duet, "Make Believe," with Howard Keel. Pertly pretty, she was a classically trained coloratura soprano who was equally comfortable with popular music, holding her own against Gene Kelly in Anchors Aweigh (1945); Mario Lanza in That Midnight Kiss (1949); and Howard Keel again in Kiss Me, Kate (1953). Her first movie appearance was in 1941's Andy Hardy's Private Secretary; her last acting role was a recurring part in the 1980s series, Murder, She Wrote.
This clip is from the 1947 movie, It Happened in Brooklyn. Miss Grayson, young and beautiful, accompanied by the young and handsome Frank Sinatra, sings "Time After Time" to the equally young and handsome Peter Lawford.
Oh do we have to lose EVERYthing!??I cannot bear every piece of the past slipping away so I'll wait to hear the music after I make a head count of everyone still alive. Thank you Laura for being our cultural historian..
Posted by: Grace Cavalieri | February 19, 2010 at 04:55 PM
This is one of my all-time favorite songs. I just love it. Thanks Laura. While I like Grayson's singing here, she's never been a favorite. Still, it's sad to have to say good-bye.
Posted by: Stacey | February 19, 2010 at 06:12 PM
Thank you, LO. Like Stacey I love "Time After Time," and "Make Believe" is one of the great Kern-Hammerstein collaborations. The last movie I saw with my mother was "Anchors Aweigh." Farewell to thee, Kathryn Grayson.
Posted by: DL | February 19, 2010 at 06:31 PM