Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Our Favorite Things...

...include not only raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, but also second-string heartthrob crooners, B-movie starlets, and husky-voiced jazz divas. Which is why we're delighted that August 26 commemorates a birthday for a representative of each group.



Smoothie-cutie Vic Dana (August 26, 1942) scored a massive hit in 1965 with "Red Roses for a Blue Lady." He recorded a number of albums which straddled the line between teen pop and cheezy-listening lounge, which means that he's quite the favorite around Stirred, Straight Up with a Twist. Vic now sells used cars in Paducah, Kentucky, and we hope that he's having fun doing so.



Va-va-va-voom vixen Yvette Vickers (August 26, 1936) is a cult heroine thanks to roles in Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1958) and Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959). She specialized in portraying slutty tramps, which means that she's also quite the favorite around Stirred, Straight Up with a Twist. Her film roles became scarce during the 1960's, but she kept busy with glamour modeling, stage work (including a run on Broadway in The Gang's All Here) and a flamboyant romantic life, which included a fling with Cary Grant and a long-term relationship with Jim Hutton. In recent years, Miss Vickers has been performing a cabaret act, and is at work on her memoirs.



We don't know much about Frances Wayne (August 26, 1924 - February 6, 1978), other than the fact that she looked like a helluva dame, and could sing her pompadour off. She was married to famed arranger/bandleader Neal Hefti, and often sang with his group, as well as being the featured canary of Woody Herman's orchestra. Her two solo albums, Songs for My Man (1956) and The Warm Sound of Frances Wayne (1957), are both available on CD, and are, of course, favorites around Stirred, Straight Up with a Twist.

2 comments:

  1. You missed the sickest Vic of all: his record "The Little Altar Boy" that I bought just for the cringe-inducing cover ... it's terrifying!

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