A triumvirate of Divas

It was the centenary of the birth of the too, too faboo Miss Ann Miller on 12th April...

Ann Miller & Tony Martin - Keepin' Myself For You (Hit the Deck, 1955)

...and the 90th anniversaries of both "La Superba" Señorita Montserrat Caballé (also on 12th)...

Montserrat Caballé - Hijo de la Luna

...and the lovely Elizabeth Montgomery today!

Presenting... Elizabeth Montgomery!

Every one of them sady missed.

A simpering, whimpering child again

Many happy returns to one of the great survivors, Mr Vic Damone.

Celebrating his 84th birthday today, Vito Rocco Farinola was for many decades the mainstay of the Vegas crooner circuit, and in his heyday he was one of the biggest names in American pop.

With a catalogue of over 2,000 songs including An Affair to Remember, On The Street Where You Live, Gigi, Ebb Tide, Why Was I Born and You're Breaking My Heart, the man remained (and remains) wildly popular. He only (reluctantly) retired from performing ten years ago...

Here he is duetting with the much-missed Elizabeth Montgomery on Hollywood Palace in 1966, with a most appropriate number, given the lady's most famous role - Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered:

Elizabeth Montgomery and Vic Damone - Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Magical!

Vic Damone official website

Bewitching...

Now this is how to make an entrance! Arrive on stage at The Hollywood Palace in pink chiffon, surrounded by leaping boy dancers, to rapturous applause...

Presenting... Elizabeth Montgomery!

A magical lady

It would have been the 75th birthday of the lovely Elizabeth Montgomery today.

Although she made many attempts to widen her repertoire in films and made-for-TV movies, Elizabeth will always be inextricably identified with her portrayal of Samantha in Bewitched. Although her many fans loved her for it - and it still has a cult following today - when she left the show in the 70s, Elizabeth refused point blank to talk about it or to twitch her nose for her fans. She felt typecast by the role.

Always a an outspoken champion of women's rights and gay rights throughout her life, in June 1992 Elizabeth and her former Bewitched co-star Dick Sargent were Grand Marshals at the Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade. After she died in 1995, her fan base and the cult of Bewitched carried on, and a big screen tribute starring Nicole Kidman was released. Finally, on 4th January 2008 her work was recognised by the industry with a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Bewitched

Bewitched and Elizabeth Montgomery website