Encounters with Famous people

[Kari Q]

Hi John,

Depending on when you lived in Harwinton and how old you are we could have gone to school together, I grew up in Burlington.

Kari

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Not harp-related, but I had a couple of encounters with Jennifer Grey, one including Matthew Broderick, and once with Woody Allen and Mia Farrow. I saw some in passing: Lynn Redgrave, Marian Seldes (rude), John McMartin, not so very many considering I lived in New York for thirteen years. Oh, and what’s-‘is-name

[John McK]

Wow. . . small world! I attended Har-Bur Middle in 7th grade. . . .that would have been. . .1985-86 I think. . .

[Kari Q]

Hi John,

I guess you’re a bit younger than me. I started 7th grade at Har-Bur in ’81.

Kari

[paul-wren]

I worked many years for an airline at the gate and came across so many I could not name them all. But the

[paul-wren]

Opps, that should be Klaus Tennstedt, not Otto, I was listening to the radio and hear his name and typed it. One track here.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

And I thought you meant Werner Klemperer from Hogan’s Heroes. He would have made me very nervous.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

But just think, you had total power over a famous conductor! It should have felt glorious.

[Christian Frederick]

An interesting encounter with a famous person in my career was circa 1994. A lady came up to me and said Miss Rogers thanked me for playing “Embraceable You”. This was Ginger Rogers’ assistant, and Miss Rogers was in her wheelchair on the other side of the room. Within months, Ginger Rogers pass away.

Over the years, and the most recent, and the most complimentary of anyone, was Joan Rivers. Wow, she certainly had no trouble expressing her appreciation of my music. Such a cool lady!

I often find that other performers know how we all need reassurance from peers. The most meaningful compliments to me are from other people in show business.

[unknown-user]

I wish I could say the same. I’ve played in rooms with Paul Shaeffer, Jackie Mason, and Garrison Keillor, and not one tipped me, complimented me, or said, “boo.” (I think Jackie Mason got his meals gratis, perhaps Paul got his drinks on the house, too, to class up the joint.) But, yeah, encouraging words would have been great. But that doesn’t begin to match Winifred Starkes getting to play for Tony Randall all evening, boy was I jealous of that! I did play for a couple of literary luncheons where Louis Auchincloss held court, but it was not impressive, and neither was I.

[Bonnie Shaljean]

I played background harp at a film premiere in London, and afterwards at the reception (which the production company was kind enough to invite me to – I had finished my performing duties by then) I was wandering around with a nice giant glass of red wine, having a great time oogling the stars (Jean Simmons was there, simply gorgeous in real life – even under less-than-kind lighting, I might add).

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

In the late ’70’s, I was touring with the National Ballet of Canada and we were playing Sleeping Beauty, with Rudolf Nureyev in the role of the prince, at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. As I was tuning, I looked out at the crowd and saw Telly Savalas coming down the aisle. He smiled and said, “Yes. It’s me.” One of the musicians in the orchestra was named after Cary Grant, so we told this to Mr. Grant, another member of the audience. His response was, “Your name is Archibald (Cary Grant’s real name)?” I also had a lovely chat with Peter Falk, who leaned over the orchestra pit and talked to me for a while as I was tuning, and had a good gawk at (va-voom!) Paul Newman. I have never seen so many stars in one evening.

[unknown-user]

I suspect that stardom inspires either nastiness or graciousness in the recipient, according to their character or experiences.

[don-hilsberg]

Playing in the pit orchestras for Broadway touring shows here in Denver, afforded me the opportunity to meet many famous performers over the years.

[Christian Frederick]

Don,

That’s a good one! 🙂

[Author]

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