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Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
AndyPropst
()
Date: September 18, 2013 06:58PM
Just stumbled across this site as I was looking for some background on composer/performer Cy Coleman's work in Chicago in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
I'd be most appreciative if anyone has any accounts of his performances at London House or of the revue "Medium Rare" that ran at The Happy Medium and had Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh song "The Tempo of the Times" in it.
Thanks so much.
Responses are great here or at my email andy[dot]propst[at]gmail[dot]com
I'd be most appreciative if anyone has any accounts of his performances at London House or of the revue "Medium Rare" that ran at The Happy Medium and had Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh song "The Tempo of the Times" in it.
Thanks so much.
Responses are great here or at my email andy[dot]propst[at]gmail[dot]com
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: September 18, 2013 10:27PM
I found a mention you've probably seen, in a book called 'Show Tunes'. Don't know if you've seen it or not, but Coleman was on the first episode of 'Playboy's Penthouse' in 1959, some of which were released on DVD a few years ago.
This is a segment of it that's posted on YouTube:
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmDpSP5Y3HI]Cy Coleman & Hugh Hefner, 1959[/url]
This is a segment of it that's posted on YouTube:
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmDpSP5Y3HI]Cy Coleman & Hugh Hefner, 1959[/url]
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
()
Date: September 19, 2013 10:36AM
[b]One of my favorites The Ramsey Lewis Trio performed there ant the London House.[/b]
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
AndyPropst
()
Date: September 19, 2013 08:21PM
Hey there WayOut -
Yep - I've seen that episode and knew of his involvement on the show. You know he wrote the theme song (Playboy's Theme), right?
Thanks for making sure I knew - I really appreciate it.
Trying to recreate this jazz era at this point is rough - it was all so ephemeral. The same thing goes with the TV work Cy did (before the London House years)...
best,
Andy
Yep - I've seen that episode and knew of his involvement on the show. You know he wrote the theme song (Playboy's Theme), right?
Thanks for making sure I knew - I really appreciate it.
Trying to recreate this jazz era at this point is rough - it was all so ephemeral. The same thing goes with the TV work Cy did (before the London House years)...
best,
Andy
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
AndyPropst
()
Date: September 19, 2013 08:22PM
Richard,
Cool - I'll look into the trio to see if they ever overlapped with Cy.
Thanks!
Best,
A
Cool - I'll look into the trio to see if they ever overlapped with Cy.
Thanks!
Best,
A
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: September 19, 2013 10:05PM
Andy,
I found a really good mention of 'Medium Rare' in Jerry Stiller's book [i]Married To Laughter[/i], via Google Books. Check into it, hope it helps!
The Happy Medium, London House and Mr. Kellys were all owned by George and Oscar Marienthal, so that's why their bookings were top-notch.
One of the great things about Cy Coleman's appearance on 'Playboy's Penthouse' is hearing his version of 'The Best Is Yet To Come', years before Sinatra did his version with Basie!
Speaking of, here's a killer version of the Playboy's Theme by Harold Harris, recorded at the Playboy Club in '62:
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiI7OI5d6pc]Playboy's Theme, 1962[/url]
I found a really good mention of 'Medium Rare' in Jerry Stiller's book [i]Married To Laughter[/i], via Google Books. Check into it, hope it helps!
The Happy Medium, London House and Mr. Kellys were all owned by George and Oscar Marienthal, so that's why their bookings were top-notch.
One of the great things about Cy Coleman's appearance on 'Playboy's Penthouse' is hearing his version of 'The Best Is Yet To Come', years before Sinatra did his version with Basie!
Speaking of, here's a killer version of the Playboy's Theme by Harold Harris, recorded at the Playboy Club in '62:
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiI7OI5d6pc]Playboy's Theme, 1962[/url]
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
Paul Petraitis
()
Date: October 19, 2013 01:34PM
Did the Happy Medium, London House and Mr. Kelly's have an "open door" policy? Did they admit black patrons? I know the famous downtown jazz spot The Blue Note did. I heard the Chez Paree would admit anyone but that they had a "no mixed tables" policy, so if you were a "zebra couple" you couldn't sit together! Its a part of jazz history that doesn't get much ink. Here in chicago we've always had a reputation as being more "relaxed" to quote Willie The Lion...but the reality of walking in the door when you are part of a mixed couple seems to be an interesting case...I do know that when Duke Ellington and his "mixed" entourage were hungry after playing the Blue Note they couldn't get served anywhere downtown and either had to go to Evanston or Hyde Park...the Blue Note closed in 1960 I believe...
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: October 20, 2013 02:22PM
Good question, Paul. I know Joe Segal put on his early Jazz Showcase presentations at the Happy Medium and I'd like to think they'd allow 'mixed tables'.
I think you're correct on the Blue Note closing date, by the way.
The inability to get served in a restaurant or book a hotel room led Herman Roberts (of Roberts Show Lounge) to open a number of motels where his performers could stay.
I think you're correct on the Blue Note closing date, by the way.
The inability to get served in a restaurant or book a hotel room led Herman Roberts (of Roberts Show Lounge) to open a number of motels where his performers could stay.
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
Paul Petraitis
()
Date: December 04, 2013 01:29PM
I'm starting to interview Mr. Roberts.
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: December 05, 2013 12:53AM
Excellent! He's gotta be in his 90s at this point, yes?
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
Paul Petraitis
()
Date: December 14, 2013 04:37PM
Near 90 for sure. Born in Oklahoma came to chicago ran a cab service then got into entertainment when he followed one of his fares into a swank club in the early '50's. He explained the difference between cabs and jitneys as well.
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: December 14, 2013 05:56PM
I read somewhere that he remodeled his cab garage into the show lounge in 1957, then later remodeled the show lounge into a bowling alley - all the same building.
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
QlassiQue
()
Date: December 17, 2013 12:50PM
Bertrand Goldberg designed the 1960 Happy Medium theatre; FC did a tour of Goldberg's Rush Street and environs in 2012, and we hope to offer this again in 2014. There's an image of the theatre here:
http://forgottenchicago.com/articles/five-years-of-forgotten-chicago-part-1-tours/
Good luck with your research - sounds interesting!
http://forgottenchicago.com/articles/five-years-of-forgotten-chicago-part-1-tours/
Good luck with your research - sounds interesting!
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
Wallergirl
()
Date: August 30, 2014 11:02AM
PR person for London house and other Marienthal enterprises in the early 60s was a woman named Arlyne (yes, y) Rothberg. She's still around and involved in show business on the west coast -and on facebook. She might be a good research source for you.
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: September 09, 2014 01:52AM
Thanks Wallergirl!
I came across a blog run by her son - here's Arlyne in 1963...
[url=http://www.msgphoto.com/latestshot/2009/07/19/my-mother-before-me/]Arlyne Rothberg, 1963[/url]
I came across a blog run by her son - here's Arlyne in 1963...
[url=http://www.msgphoto.com/latestshot/2009/07/19/my-mother-before-me/]Arlyne Rothberg, 1963[/url]
Re: Cy Coleman in Chicago - London House and The Happy Medium
Posted by:
davey7
()
Date: September 09, 2014 12:37PM
She was gorgeous - very of the moment look for the era too. She's still nice looking too. Fascinating what one can find online, isn't it?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2014 12:32PM by davey7.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2014 12:32PM by davey7.
