Elvis in Sinatra tribute show in Radio City , NY, October 2003

Pretty self-explanatory
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johnfoyle
Posts: 14851
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 4:37 pm
Location: Dublin , Ireland

Elvis in Sinatra tribute show in Radio City , NY, October 2003

Post by johnfoyle »

Some accounts on Listserv say Elvis taped his part for this on the same day as that Museum launch for North , Sept. 23

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http://www.nynewsday.com/entertainment/ ... -headlines

The Chairman, Still Doing It His Way

By Robert Kahn
STAFF WRITER

October 15, 2003

Ol' Blue Eyes would have been jubilant at the opening
night turnout for Radio City's multimedia
retrospective of his life, and that's because so many
of the fans had one thing in common.

They were beautiful women.

"I went to his 80th birthday party in Bel Air, and all
I could think was 'What is this little girl, the
daughter of a fireman from Long Island, doing in a
room with Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Frank
Sinatra?'" recalled Carol Alt, as she arrived for the
Music Hall premiere of "Sinatra: His Voice. His World.
His Way."

"Frank was still hunky," Alt said. "Age doesn't
matter. You just looked into those eyes ..."

Former Miss America Phyllis George remembered being
seated with Sinatra for several dinners during her
marriage to Kentucky Gov. John Y. Brown Jr.

"He was never standoffish with you," George said. "He
looked you right in the eye: 'How are you? It's good
to see you. How are the children?' He was a very
sincere guy."

The first concert Dutch supermodel Frederique van der
Wal ever attended in New York City was a Sinatra set
at Radio City more than a dozen years ago. She
recalled meeting him backstage.

"I gave him my hand, and there was this feeling that
he held on just a little longer," she said. "He gave
me quite a little squeeze."

Not all the celebrity fans in attendance were the Girl
Next Door type, to paraphrase one of the Chairman's
standards.

John Turturro recalled how Sinatra had helped him out
early in his career by donating the song "The House I
Live In" for use in his first directorial effort.

And his mother, Katherine Turturro, said she was "the
original bobby-soxer."

"I used to cut school to go see him at the Paramount,"
she said.

The Sinatra show, which was not open to critics last
night and was delayed nearly a week because of
technical glitches, is built around digitally altered
footage of Sinatra.

In one scene, the audience sees video of a
ladder-wielding Sinatra in black-and-white, but with a
colored background. Beneath the screens, dancers,
carrying ladders, move to the strains of his music.

At other times, the screens alternate video and
photographs of Sinatra with contemporaries like Ava
Gardner, while voice-over narratives are broadcast
from people like Bruce Willis, Marc Anthony and Elvis
Costello.

Jazz star John Pizzarelli is the musical guide, at
times "appearing" with Sinatra via video wizardry.

Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc.

-------------------------------------------------------

see more at
https://www.clickitticket.com/venues/ra ... events.htm
johnfoyle
Posts: 14851
Joined: Wed Jun 04, 2003 4:37 pm
Location: Dublin , Ireland

Re: Elvis in Sinatra tribute show in Radio City , NY

Post by johnfoyle »

Curiously , Radio City Music Hall were in touch asking if a link in the above post from 2003 could be updated.

It prompted a look for any additional coverage. Elvis's contribution seems to have been well intended but unnecessary.

https://variety.com/2003/legit/reviews/ ... 200538561/

OCTOBER 16, 2003 3:30PM PT


Sinatra — His Voice, His World, His Way

When Frank Sinatra walked out onto the stage at the Radio City Music Hall in 1990, he needed nothing more than the accompaniment of a great orchestra and conductor; a reliable sound system; and lighting design that framed him tastefully. Now, he's back on a huge screen, accompanied by fireworks, chorus girls, a choir and special effects.

By ROBERT L. DANIELS

When Frank Sinatra walked out onto the great stage at the Radio City Music Hall in 1990, he needed nothing more than the accompaniment of a great orchestra and conductor; a crisp, reliable sound system; and lighting design that framed him tastefully. Now, five years after his death in l998 at 83, he’s back on a huge screen, in his prime, accompanied by fireworks, dancing chorus girls, a gospel choir and high-tech special effects that find Ol’ Blue Eyes emerging from puffy white clouds above a roaring ocean surf.

Early performances of this odd enterprise were canceled due to technical difficulties, but the snags appeared to have been smoothed over by the official opening night. Biggest apparent problem is the synchronization of Sinatra’s onscreen appearances with a live 40-piece orchestra. Sinatra fans from the old days came out in numbers, and from the aud response and lobby chatter, they appear to have been pleased with this lavishly conceived trip down memory lane.

'
Most of the clips are culled from ABC television shows of the ’50s. The songs are the cream of the repertoire, from the WWII homage “I’ll Be Seeing You” to Cole Porter’s “From This Moment On.” “All the Way,” “Come Fly With Me” and Harold Arlen’s “I’ve Got the World on a String” epitomize Sinatra’s unerring romanticism and the cool finger-snapping savvy of his artistry.

The always-dazzling Rockettes, a Radio City Music Hall tradition, provide some very leggy and attractive terpsichory. The dancers bob about under white umbrellas when Sinatra sings “Pennies From Heaven,” and there is some kaleidoscopic screen imagery that Busby Berkeley would have envied. The synchronized high-kick lineup is a favorite Gotham tourist attraction, and certainly Sinatra would have appreciated being surrounded by such beauties.

In one of the more dubious bits of invention in legit helmer Des McAnuff’s production, charter members of the legendary Rat Pack are present in the form of giant puppets, voiced with poor imitations. Dean Martin, glass in hand, quips drunk jokes as Sammy Davis Jr. doubles over in hysterical laughter. A poised Sinatra serves as straight man to monitor the behavior of his pals. Even Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop wander in for a gimmicky finale.

Vintage scrapbook snaps of Sinatra with big-band headliners Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers flash by much too hurriedly. And the biographical material includes some downers, including the assassination of a president, an unpopular association with a crime syndicate and Sinatra’s tortured relationship with Ava Gardner.


Reflective testimonials, remembrances and observations pop up frequently from an unlikely assortment of writers, politicians and performers. One can understand the contributions of DJ Sid Mark, who championed Sinatra on his weekly broadcasts, and Pete Hamill, a Gotham writer and Sinatra pal who penned 1998 tome “Why Sinatra Matters” — but contributions by Marc Anthony, Sean Combs, Bruce Willis and Elvis Costello are a desperate and unnecessary attempt to give Sinatra some contempo cachet.

There are clips from Sinatra films, both good ones and bad. Sinatra’s fall from a horse in “The Kissing Bandit” might be considered a Technicolor embarrassment, but the scene of the dying Maggio in the arms of Montgomery Clift in “From Here to Eternity” remains a vivid reminder of his raw, untrained acting skill.

Jersey singer-guitarist John Pizzarelli serves as host and narrator, strolling across the vast stage to lend some biographical facts, or to perch on the apron, lending his voice for a few strains of “From This Moment On” or “I’ve Got the World on a String” until the man himself appears on the wide screen to take over. Pizzarelli is a charming and genial guy, who fronts a versatile trio in the tradition of vintage Nat King Cole. His talents are well harnessed here, but his simulated participation with astronauts in a moon landing, an awkward segue for “Fly Me to the Moon,” is just weird.

Finale finds Sinatra back on the screen for “Send in the Clowns” and the Big Apple anthem “New York, New York” as the ceiling and walls are flooded with pics of the singer in the company of presidents, pals, gals and family.

Sinatra -- His Voice, His World, His Way

Radio City Music Hall; 5,986 seats; $95

PRODUCTION: A Radio City Entertainment presentation of a show conceived and directed by Des McAnuff; written by Colman deKay. Choreography, Casey Nicolaw.

CREATIVE: Set, Robert Brill; lighting, Howell Binkley; costumes, Gregg Barnes; sound, Dan Gerhard; multimedia design, Batwin and Robin Prods.; puppets, Michael Curry, orchestrations, Don Sebesky; music direction, Ron Melrose. Stage manager, Frank Hartenstein. Opened, reviewed Oct. 15, 2003. Running time: 1 HOUR, 35 MIN.

CAST: With: John Pizzarelli, Radio City Rockettes.
bronxapostle
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Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:27 pm

Re: Elvis in Sinatra tribute show in Radio City , NY, October 2003

Post by bronxapostle »

This thread confuses me....was there a night that included Elvis doing some kind of homage to Frank? Did it happen in 2003, or was it earlier? WAS A SONG INVOLVED or did he just discuss Sinatra? Was it a television special? If not, was it preserved on film? Has anyone seen whatever came to pass at RCMH? Forgive my confusion John...is it my senility creeping in or is this a messy read to others too???
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