Here's a photo request from one of my Instagram followers. Sorry for posting it up late.
This is actually a screenshot from one of her movie musicals, Best Foot Forward. She was playing the piano and singing. Actually, someone was doing the singing for her.
I often wonder why the movie producers, Desi, and even Lucille herself thought that she couldn't sing. She wasn't the Judy Garland standard, but she was certainly above average! Have you heard her on Dance, Girl, Dance? She was all right there!
Anyway, unlike Lucy Ricardo who lacked talent, Lucy Ball could play the piano. At home, she often played the piano for Desi while he sang and rehearsed for his band performances. Desi even bought her an organ after the birth of little Lucie.
I often wonder why the movie producers, Desi, and even Lucille herself thought that she couldn't sing. She wasn't the Judy Garland standard, but she was certainly above average! Have you heard her on Dance, Girl, Dance? She was all right there!
Anyway, unlike Lucy Ricardo who lacked talent, Lucy Ball could play the piano. At home, she often played the piano for Desi while he sang and rehearsed for his band performances. Desi even bought her an organ after the birth of little Lucie.
Have you heard her on Dance instagram followers without following , Girl, Dance? She was all right there!
ReplyDeleteSadly, MGM had the habit of dubbing people who could sing if the music staff felt the voice wasn't the right one for the song. Virginia Weidler, who had sung quite successfully in BABES ON BROADWAY and would go on to sing for several years on stage was also dubbed in that film. In Ginny's case, she had more of a Virginia O'Brien kind of voice and they deemed it unacceptable for the number. I think Angela Lansbury even got dubbed in the movies.
ReplyDeleteWe do know that that was all Tommy Dix, though!
https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaWeidlerRemembranceSociety?ref=hl
Lucille Ball's own singing voice was used in Dance Girl, Dance, the Friendship number in DuBarry Was A Lady, The Long,Long Trailer and Mame as far as films are concerned. Her voice was not what was considered "an accomplished voice", but she was able to carry a tune. I always thought that if singing coaches and Lucille had trained and worked more with her voice, she might have been able to use more of her own singing voice in her films. I also thought the same for Lucille Bremer,Ava Gardner and Lana Turner.
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