Ethel Smith!

[maggie~hamilton]

My brother sent me the following "YouTube" link to Ethel Smith playing the Hammond Organ. This is the first time I have ever heard her playing. (Yes, I know -- I live a very deprived existence!)

Actually, she really was an incredible organist. Just watch her fingers fly over the keyboards and see her very quick stop changes. It's just hard to get past the tinny sound of the Hammond organ as she registered it. Would love to hear what she could have done on a Wurlitzer theatre organ!

This particular clip is a real hoot!

 

[bundtboy]

tico-tico~

Oh Man, I loves me some Ethel Smith~.

I did not know that video existed~ What a treat.

Thanks for sharing.

Here's a couple of Ethel's Lp's. I have the original 78 album set with Tico-Tico too.

B

 

[bundtboy]

seated one day at the organ

I love this cover~

B

 

[panthera]

I'm surprised they

got that one past the little old biddies who censored US films in those days - she was one hot little number.
Frankly, I think that little Hammond did pretty damn well considering.
Here's two comparisons if you are too young to remember when this was hot. Give them a few seconds and you'll see what she had:

(at least he's cute)
but then there's:

Now, my name may be Mary, but this is just way out of my league.
Thanks for posting - I'd forgotten all about her.

 

[countryguy]

I have the video that clip was from - it is a movie called Bathing Beauty starring Red Skelton. Ethel played the girl's school music teacher.

Gary

 

[toploader55]

Was that a...

Was that a B3 Hammond ????? I didn't see the Leslie speaker or was it "Vibrato ? And that hair ? She's great !!!!! Noticed the Black Major keys and the White sharps and flats for Pre Selects ???

 

[toploader55]

Just watched it again

Looks like a rehearsel form a USO Show form the 40's Fabulous !!!!!!

 

[toploader55]

She really liked...

Those minor Draw Bars are all maxed out... Just listened to a few of her others. Really lovin' those Minor draw bars. Used to play a Hammond R-124

 

[maggie~hamilton]

Innocence Lost

Can you just imagine an entertainer today who's a big a QUEEN as Liberace was pretending to be straight?! And getting AWAY WITH IT???!

Back in the 50s and 60s he could (more or less) pull it off since homosexuality, being such a taboo, simply was not discussed. Certainly not amongst the naive little old ladies who adored him.

It's really a great tragedy of his life that he did not "come out" until after he was dead. Not saying that all gays should wear a sign on their back --- I certainly don't. It's just so sad that he felt obliged to lead such a fradulent life, that's all.

-------

In other news, y'all ever seen "the female Liberace"?! See link...

I've always found the way she muggs and grins at the camera to be particularly annoying.

http://xyoutube.com/watch?v=zfpVCpZBHbw

 

[dynaflow]

Ethel

What movie is that clip from? got to have it

 

[selectomatic]

I'm a fan of Hammond music, and my roommate's an org

One of his favorite tunes to play is 'Tico Tico.'

Loved it!

-kevin

 

[whirlcool]

maggie~hamilton , I can't get your last link to play.

Ethel sure knew how to move those fingers! Quite the showlady, huh? That was the first time I had ever seen her in action. Any idea what year that movie was? And a what a pasel of women!

 

[paulg]

Kinda like..

...Diane Bish on speed.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I would love to have heard Virgil's comments on that playing, but then he always put on a good show when one was called for so he might have found instructional value in it.