Back to the Bleach

Mae West in Myra Breckenridge (1970, 20th Century Fox)

Lana Turner at the "Legendary Ladies" series at New York's Town Hall, 1976

Ginger Rogers, 1976

Do Not Fold, Spindle, Mutilate or Mame

Very special THANKS

A Ghost Story

This is not a pre-surgery Joan Rivers...

Joan Rivers and Ed Sullivan, ca. 1968

...nor is it Florencia Bisenta de Casillas Martinez Cardona (a.k.a. Vikki Carr).

Vikki Carr, ca. 1965

No, this lovely lady is our latest Mystery Guest: the deliciously throaty thrush, Miss India Adams!


Miss Adams is, of course, best known as the "ghost voice" employed by MGM for Cyd Charisse and Joan Crawford in the 1953 pictures, The Band Wagon and Torch Song, respectively. In the former, Adams dubbed Charisse for "New Sun in a New Sky," as well as the ensemble finale, "That's Entertainment."

Oscar Levant, Cyd Charisse, Jack Buchanan, Fred Astaire and Nanette Fabray perform "That's Entertainment!" in The Band Wagon (1953, MGM)

Charisse actually filmed another solo spot, dubbed by Adams, for The Band Wagon, entitled "Two Faced Woman." It was ultimately cut from the film, but when Adams was assigned to supply the singing voice for Joan Crawford in Torch Song, the number was resurrected -- only to be staged, inexplicably, in a "tropical" setting, with Crawford and her chorines made up like refugees from a minstrel show.

Joan Crawford is a "Two Faced Woman" in Torch Song (1953, MGM)

The other numbers recorded by Adams-as-Crawford included the already well-known pop hit, "Tenderly"; "You Won't Forget Me," which was apparently considered memorable enough for popular jazz starlet Helen Merrill to include on her With Strings album two years later; and "Follow Me," which Crawford herself recorded (in hopes of providing the vocals for her entire characterization).

Re-edited video of "Follow Me" from Torch Song with Joan Crawford's own vocal

Interestingly, Adams would later recall her experience with Crawford quite fondly, while remembering Cyd Charisse as cold and unfriendly. Unfortunately, Adams' friendship with Crawford -- which lasted beyond filming -- came to an abrupt end when MGM released a recording of the numbers from Torch Song, giving Adams full credit for the vocals -- something which was rarely done at that time, with the studios (and the stars themselves) preferring to let the fans believe that the actors were doing the actual chirping. MGM had expressly told Adams not to let Crawford know about the record until its release, and the perceived deception hurt Crawford deeply. Still, to this day, Adams has nothing but praise for Queen Joan.


Following her brief run as a celebrity ghost at MGM, Adams relocated to New York, where she performed in theatre (including Can-Can and The Most Happy Fella); toured nightclubs, such as the famed Latin Quarter; and recorded a highly sought after album for RCA, Comfort Me with Apples (1959), which is a masterpiece of the "sex kitten chanteuse" genre popularized by the likes of Eartha Kitt, Abbe Lane and Lola Albright.


The next stop for India Adams was England, which she made her home base from 1965 until 1981. In 1969, she was the stand by for Ginger Rogers when the latter starred as Mame at the Drury Lane Theater; in true old trouper fashion, Rogers never missed a performance, even when ill, so Adams never had the chance to make her West End bow.

Ginger Rogers and India Adams


Newsreel footage of Ginger Rogers as Mame

She may have made a career out of singing, subbing or standing by for superstars, without ever becoming one herself; but among the discerning few, India Adams is a fondly remembered talent -- and she's still going strong, having performed most recently in Hollywood this past January. We think she's just sensational!


We're sorry we've been so ghost-like ourselves of late, but we hope to be back to our normal pace very soon. As always, thanks for playing, darlings!



Official website HERE.

And So Are They

To paraphrase another Jerry Herman show, look at the old gals now, fellas!

It's Sunday!

We hope that you're enjoying a quiet, relaxing day at home.

Remember, Girls:

When attempting a drastically new hairdo...



...there's always an element of risk involved.

My Own Best Friend

It Happened

Rosalind Russell and Celeste Holm

Maureen O'Hara and Dorothy Dandridge

Joan Crawford and Ginger Rogers

Lucille Ball and June Allyson

Betsy Palmer and Loretta Young

Sandra Dee and Hayley Mills

Beatrice Lillie and Gloria Swanson

It's Saturday Night

You should be dancing.

Sketchy Broads

Ann-Margret

Ginger Rogers

Connie Stevens

Ann Miller

Born On THis Day, July 16th... 2 From Hollywood's 1st Golden Age & 2 Very Different Points Of View

When asked my favorite male & female stars of Hollywood's 1st golden age, I have no problem in announcing Barbara Stanwyck as my actress choice. She was born Ruby Catherine Stevens. She had an unusual beauty & distinctive husky voice & was an extremely versatile actor, easily moving between, melodrama, thrillers, westerns & comedies. The buzz was that she was wonderful to work with, professional, fun on the set, & never acted like the star that she was. She was nominated for 4 Oscars, but never won. In 1982 Stanwyck was awarded an honorary Oscar for "superlative creativity & unique contribution to the art of screen acting". Later in her career Stanwyck found work in television, starring in the series The Big Valley & the mini-series The Thorn Birds ( kissing Richard Chamberlain!). She was most likely gay or bisexual. Stanwyck left a legacy of 93 films including 1 of my top 10 of all time- Ball Of Fire with my male choice for best of the golden age- Gary Cooper.
"Career is too pompous a word.
 It was a job, and I have always felt privileged to be paid for what I love doing."


Ginger Rogers was born Virginia Katherine McMath. She was a very versatile hoofer/singer/actress on stage & screen. She worked in dramas, musicals & comedies. Rogers won an Oscar for playing a girl from the wrong side of the tracks in Kitty Foyle & was the #1 Hollywood star of 1942. She was married 5 times. Rogers was most assuredly not gay & she was a radical right wing Republican, a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a Christian Scientist & a vocal supporter of the Hollywood blacklist. She was a sublime performer... I can't bring myself to dislike her TOO much.
"Hollywood is like an empty wastebasket."