By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 12:49 pm:

Does anyone remember when actress Irene Ryan,
famous for her role of Granny on TV's "The
Beverly Hillibillies" signed with Motown
around 1973?
I remember a Billboard full-page ad announcing
the signing of Granny to Motown with a picture
of Ryan as Granny. About a week later Irene
Ryan died.
I was wondering if she ever recorded anything
and what she recorded. There was never any
indication on that TV series, which ran about
8 seasons, that this woman was a singer.
Now that I think about it, maybe she wasn't
going to sing, but do comedy.

Anyone???

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 02:08 pm:

TONY: "GRANNY"...ERR IRENE RYAN DID RECORD FOR MOTOWN...AND SOME OTHERS ON THE FORUM CAN GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION ON JUST WHAT PROJECT SHE DID!!!...THIS WAS AT A TIME WHEN BERRY GORDY WAS SEEKING TO BROADEN THE ROSTER OF MOTOWN RECORDING STYLES...AND SIGNED SEVERAL ARTISTS NOT AFFILIATED IN ANY WAY WITH SOUL OR R&B MUSIC!!!...IRENE RYAN WAS PRIMARILY A "BROADWAY" TYPE OF SINGER!!!...THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE IS...WAS BERRY...IRENE...OR BOTH...SIPPIN FROM THAT 190-PROOF JUG WHEN THIS ALLIANCE WAS FORMED???...STUBASS

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 02:16 pm:

Stubass, thanks for your input (even though I'm
Randy!). After I saw that Billboard ad it seems
she died the very next week. Tony Martin also
recorded for Motown. Isn't he from "The Odd
Couple"?

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 03:50 pm:

TONY...ERRR RANDY!!!...SORRY FOR THE MISTAKE!!!...I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE REFERRING TO TONY RANDALL OF THE "ODD COUPLE"!!!...ALSO...NAMES LIKE BOBBY DARRIN AND FRANKIE VALLI...NAMES NOT OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH SOUL MUSIC...AMONG OTHERS...SIGNED WITH BERRY DURING THIS PERIOD!!!...STUBASS...THE REASON FOR MY MISTAKEING YOUR NAME IS THAT I WAS AT HOME...RUNNING LATE FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT WORK...SORRY AGAIN RANDY!!!

By R&B (138.238.41.128) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 04:41 pm:

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY,GRANNY!

By STUBASS (64.12.97.7) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 04:46 pm:

R&B: I THINK YOU'VE GOT GRANNY CONFUSED WITH *GOMER PYLE*...WHO HAD QUITE A RECORDING CAREER (JIM NABORS) HIMSELF!!!...STUBASS

By Uptight (24.55.6.144) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 04:54 pm:

Speaking of artists not affiliated with Soul music, I remember being THIS close to buying a cut-out LP of "Big Ben Sings" (I think that's the correct title) by Scatman Crothers. If I remember correctly, the front cover showed him dressed as the character he played in Lady Sings The Blues, playing a ukelele. It was released around 1973.

Irene Ryan was on the Pippin cast album around that time. Gordy had some ownership in the stage play.

By John Lester (81.132.2.182) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 05:22 pm:

I get a lot of tourists in London ask me about Big Ben. They seem real disappointed when I tell them that it's a clock! LOL

By Uptight (24.55.6.144) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 05:31 pm:

Scatman was a real hoot as Big Ben in LSTB, wasn't he?

By Greg C. (207.103.134.150) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 06:22 pm:

I believe Irene Ryan only had one single release on Motown and it was a song from the Pippin soundtrack.

By Soul Sister (65.43.150.250) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 07:20 pm:

Randi & STUBASS; Tony Martin was a handsome crooner in the 40s, he was my Aunt's 1st. husband. She was movie star/actress Alice Faye, Tony was a ladies man so she divorced him & married Phil Harris and lived happily ever after in Arizona after retiring from the movie business. She was a singer in most of her movies. Harry Warren & Irving Berlin (Great American Songbook) wrote alot of songs just for her, You'll Never Know (my favorite by Big Maybelle) was originally written just for Alice Faye,it was also the title of the movie.
S.S.

By STUBASS (64.12.97.7) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 07:49 pm:

SOUL "ANGEL" SIS: WOW...ALICE FAYE...YOUR AUNT!!!...OF COURSE I KNOW WHO TONY MARTIN IS/WAS???...SPEAKING OF IRVING BERLIN...CUTE LITTLE ANICDOTE!!!...MOVIE ICON STEVEN SPEILBERG CALLED MR BERLIN TO TRY TO GET THE RIGHTS TO THE SONG "ALWAYS"...FOR A SPEILBERG MOVIE OF THE SAME TITLE!!!...SPEILBERG...RESPECTFULLY INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO THE COMPOSER...WHO ABRUPTLY TURNED DOWN SPEILBERGS REQUEST FOR THE SONG!!!...WHEN STEVEN ASKED WHY HE COULDN'T USE THE TUNE...THE 90+ YEAR OLD BERLIN REPORTEDLY SAID..."SONNY...I'VE GOT *BIG* PLANS FOR THAT SONG!!!...TYPICAL IRVING BERLIN!!!...STUBASS

By Soul Sister (65.43.150.250) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 09:00 pm:

Wow! STUANGELMANBASS; That was quite an interesting story!!! Thanks for telling it. S.S.

By Eli (172.201.188.142) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 09:17 pm:

Weeeeeeee Doggie!!!!

By Your Soul Sister (65.43.150.250) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 09:38 pm:

Bobby; You just as crazy as you wanna be! HE-HE=HE...

By Lar (69.3.129.208) on Thursday, May 29, 2003 - 11:02 pm:

Regarding Scatman Crothers, only recently when I got into 40's swing and jive did I learn he was a singer. What a career: jive Bop singer to actor, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "The Shining" and a million things in between. And a smile that made you feel like everything was gonna be just fine.


Slim Gaillard - Scatman Crothers - Bam Brown

By John Lester (217.40.234.68) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 02:07 am:

Alice Faye.......wow!! A HUGE name with my movie addict friends.

Tony Martin was my aunt's all time favourite singer and if it wasn't for my aunt, I would have never known about "Talking To Your Picture" on UK Stateside or "The Bigger Your Heart Is" on Tamla Motown...when they were current records!!! After Motown, Tony continued to work with Davis and Gordon on a theme song for a film.
Tony later married Cyd Charisse who I understand to be a famous dancer with long (and insured) legs!

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 08:22 am:

Wow! Alice Faye & Tony Martin! That's really
cool SoulSister. Thanks for sharing.

By Weldon A. Mc Dougal III (68.80.162.3) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 09:02 am:

Hi guys, I met Irene Ryan when I was At Motown she came in my office,we talked she was looking forward on going on a promo tour, not long after she got sick, and passed away. Scatman Crother was my dearest friend, I took Scatman all over the US on promo tours, we had big time fun, every were we went people loved him, Scatman was a BIG BIG star before he came to Motown, Scatman told me how he got the name Scatman, he used to scat when he would sing, he was one of the first to do that, if not the first.
WELDON

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 09:10 am:

Wow! Thanks, Weldon. I did meet Ellie Mae one
time--Donna Douglas. And Jed, though I never
knew him, had a connection to Orlando, FL--
His father had a dance studio and my aunt took
classes from him (not Buddy Ebsen, but his
father). Oh well, enough on Beverly Hills...
Back to Motown...

By Uptight (66.124.58.48) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 09:57 am:

Did anyone ever see the "Beverly Hillbillies" episode where little Teena Marie tapdanced for Jed? If I remember correctly: The girl's mother thought Jed was a Hollywood movie producer, and he thought something was ailing this child! It has got to be the funniest episode of them all!

Who would have thought this kid would become a famouse Motown performer? Such a huge talent in a small body.

By drums (155.91.6.72) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 10:07 am:

LOL


I am still trying to shake the image of "Granny" down in SnakePit with James, Benny, Joe Hunter and the rest cuttin Motown tunes!!!

"You Boys play that Motown Jam again, I ma git ma Jug out!"


Just stop it , Daren

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 10:13 am:

I DO remember the episode of the little girl
dancing and the mother asking Jed if he thinks
she's got something (meaning talent) and Jed
thinks she needs to see Granny, who, of course,
thinks she's a doctor. It WAS funny, but I
had no idea that was Teena Marie!!!!!!!
What you learn on this forum...

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 10:38 am:

"Little TapppyToes" was Teena Marie? Maybe the Motown/Irene Ryan connection isn't as odd as I thought.

SteveK

By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 10:42 am:

YEAH!!!... BUT THE REAL QUESTION HERE IS...COULD FLATT AND SCRUGGS *EVER* REPLACE MESSINA...WHITE...AND WILLIS???...STUBASS

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 10:53 am:

And would Granny's demand that her Autoharp dominate the mix mess up the funk Bros. groove?

SteveK

By Uptight (24.55.6.144) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 11:49 am:

Miss Teena went by the name Mary Christine Brockert back then, as credited on that episode of Beverly Hillbillies. I hope this one is available on dvd.

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 11:54 am:

THAT WAS TEENA MARIE?GOOOOOOOOLY!!!

By Michael/cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 02:30 pm:

Irene Ryan is on the Motown-released cast album of the Broadway show Pippin. In fact, she died while performing in that show. Supposedly had an attack on stage after doing her number Just No Time At All and later died (what a way to go!!!). I believe that is why she may have been signed to Motown. The Supremes releases a gorgeous song from the show entitled "I'll Guess I'll Miss the Man (Jean Terrell led with a beautiful guitar intro).

Just goes to show you that you never know what or who is going to be discussed on this forum (LOL!!!)

By Mark Speck (67.73.185.184) on Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 12:54 am:

Also, Miss Ryan had a single released on the Nashwood label during the run of Beverly Hillbillies entitled "Granny's Mini-Skirt". There was also a BH cast LP issued on the Columbia subsidiary Harmony which featured all the cast members singing (that album was reissued on CD to cash in on the Beverly Hillbillies movie).

I have an LP of Scatman Crothers entitled "Rock and Roll With Scatman" on the low-budget Tops label. I believe it's from the '50s. Nice version of "Ghost Riders in the Sky", among other tracks.

Best,

Mark

By BankHouseDave (195.93.50.10) on Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 03:04 am:

Tony Martin sang the extraordinary 'Tenement Symphony' (The Campbells are tumbling down the stairs, diddly-ah, diddly-ah, diddly-ah) in a Marx Brothers picture. It could have been The Big Store.

By drums (155.91.6.71) on Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 08:19 am:

LOL at Granny's mini skirt!! Mark, please tell me you are kidding!!

LMAO!!

Daren

By stephanie (64.63.221.169) on Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 11:18 pm:

WOW so that was TeenaMarie!!!! Hey I have a question for the forum. Since I guess Ill Miss the Man by the Supremes was part of a play funded by Motown (Pippin)....

Corner of the Sky was a hit for the Jacksons and it was promoted how come this one wasnt? Pippin won all kinds of awards the popularity of the show alone would have guaranteed the Supremes a hit..
Stephanie

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Thursday, June 05, 2003 - 08:33 am:

I saw Scatman Crothers a short film from 1935 called "Symphony In Black". Duke Ellington & His Orchestra provided the music. Scatman appeared as Billie Holiday's scorning lover. He's out strolling with his new love, Billie sees them together, approaches them, shoves the new girlfriend aside and pleads with Scatman to take her back. He shoves her to the ground and walks away into the evening arm in arm with his new lady and she gets back on her feet to sing "Saddest Tale".

By Mark Speck (199.183.105.110) on Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 12:32 am:

I'm being totally serious, Daren! There's a picture of the picture sleeve (!) for this record in the book "Hollywood Hi-Fi" (a must-read for anyone interested in singing actors/sports figures, et al).

There's also a CD based on this book issued by, of all labels, Brunswick Records! I think it features a track that came out on Brunswick in 1972 by Little Joe Ritchie, who went on to bigger and better things under his real name...Joe Pesci!

Best,

Mark

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.112) on Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 08:12 am:

Hey Mark,
is granny the same age in the mini skirt as when she appeared in the beverley hillbillies?
Sasssssssy Ladeeeeeeeeee
mel.(hee,hee)

By Soul Sister (65.43.150.250) on Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 09:51 am:

Mark;
The album by Joe Pesci was titled "Little Joe Sure Can Sing!" after his idol Little Jimmy Scott the legendary jazz vocalist. Joe is a close friend of Jimmy's & mine, other suprises await out of a guy who really CAN sing! 1972 ??? I thought the Brunswick album was done in 1960? Jimmy has the original album here somewhere guess I'll have to go a hunting.
S.S.

By Mark Speck (199.183.93.193) on Sunday, June 08, 2003 - 11:16 pm:

I believe the book says 1972, and that would make sense since Joe does a cover of a 1966 Beatles song on the record ("Got to Get You Into My Life").

I've never heard the Brunswick LP, but his Columbia CD of a few years back, "Vincent Joseph Gambino Sings For You" is hilarious! I had to pick one up after hearing a host at a karaoke show I frequent play it before the show.

Best,

Mark

By Soul Sister (65.43.150.250) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 12:00 am:

I think the Gambino one is still available(?). I'll have to ask Joe for sure. He's done some serious music lately but he made me promise to keep the 411 on the down low for now. His studio in N.Y. is out of this world! S.S.

By M.McLeanTech (66.218.60.105) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 04:43 pm:

John Lester (regarding above Friday, May 30, 2003 - 02:07 am),

You stated: After Motown, Tony continued to work with Davis and Gordon on a theme song for a film.
Tony later married Cyd Charisse who I understand to be a famous dancer with long (and insured) legs!

I remember very well the occasion of the signing of Tony Martin to Motown. There was a big stage show put on at the Fisher Theatre with Tony and his wife Cyd. I remember those legs, and the fact that Nipsey Russell was the M/C of the show.

I further remember well that at that point in time, I was aware that Tony and Cyd had been married for a number of years already.

Just a few months ago, I was shopping in a "99 Cents Only" store on Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood, when I got to talking with a very elegant and well dressed young black lady named Beverly Scott, who is a certified public accountant.

I told her of my Motown days, and she mentioned that she did accounting for Tony Martin (she said that he is still alive.) We then discussed his short stay as a Motown artist.

She gave me her email address. Anyone with a good reason for contacting Tony Martin could reach him through her, via me.

In the early 60's Berry came around with Steppin Fetchit, who was another "has been" big black film star that Berry was considering signing. I met him on that occasion.

Mike McLean

By M.McLeanTech (66.218.60.105) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 05:20 pm:

Tony and Cyd were married May 9, 1948, according to the following bio:

http://www.classicimages.com/1998/january98/martin.html

By Soul Sister (65.43.150.250) on Monday, June 09, 2003 - 05:25 pm:

Alice Faye married Tony Martin in 1937, they divorced in 1940 and she married Phil Harris in 1941.

By Mark Speck (67.73.182.246) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 01:06 am:

Yes, the Gambino CD is still available. I found it at FYE in the Comedy CD section.

Best,

Mark