Episode 165: HELEN MORGAN — THE ORIGINAL TORCH SINGER & ZIEGFELD'S LAST STAR
With author Christopher T. Connelly
This week my, guest is Christopher T. Connelly, the author of the fascinating new book HELEN MORGAN — THE ORIGINAL TORCH SINGER AND ZIEGFELD'S LAST STAR.
There are a number of individuals who were very big Broadway stars back in what I call the Silver Age of Broadway (the 1920s and 30s), But who today are mostly overlooked and left out of the conversation. Performers who were on a level with Jolson and Cantor and Fanny Bryce, but whose fame has almost entirely faded. Of course most musical theater fans will know the name Helen Morgan, and know that she originated the role of "Julie" in Show Boat. But if you are like me, you will be largely unaware, of the incredible range of her talents, the depth and breadth of her career, and the level of her stardom. And I have no doubt that you'll be as fascinated by this book and by this conversation as I was.
Christopher S. Connelly is a film and theater historian. His work has appeared in Etcetera magazine and the Kino Lorber DVD release of Mamoulian's Applause. He is also an actor, Roman Catholic cantor, and chorister for the Atlanta Opera. When he is not writing or performing, he works IT for the Georgia Institute of Technology.
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