Friday, August 26, 2011

What About Jack? :)

Hello All!
 
Oh, the things one can find on YouTube...

You may have noticed a little item in Jack Kelly's filmography called What About Linda? This was an hour-long syndicated TV appeal for the 1961
March of Dimes campaign. It starred an adorable tyke named Linda Breese of Columbus, Ohio.


Its TV Guide listing says: "The March of Dimes sponsors this filmed show which features its 1961 poster child, Linda Breese. Linda gets lost on a Hollywood television set, and we see many stars, including Louis Armstrong, the Kingston Trio, John Raitt, Debbie Reynolds, the Crosby Brothers and Lee Marvin interrupting their acts to look for the little girl. Robert Cummings is host."

No, I didn't find the whole show, but I found the next best thing: the four-minute preview for the show. JK appears briefly, not as Bart Maverick, and not exactly as himself, either. And, he's a riot!

I hope someday his entire appearance can be found. Anyway, JK shows up at about 1:54. But, I suggest you fight the urge to fast-forward there the first time you watch it and just let the preview unreel from the start, because there are many other familiar faces I'm sure you'll enjoy seeing. :)



Sunday, August 21, 2011

Love and Kisses--And Roses--For Sis! :)




Howdy Everyone!

Here's another rare pic of Jack Kelly with his older sister, Nancy Kelly, in 1964. The siblings are having an impromptu family reunion in Chicago. The reason? I'll let the caption explain:

"Nancy Kelly, star of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which opened at the Studebaker Theatre, was pleasantly surprised by her brother Jack. He flew to Chicago from Los Angeles via American Airlines to open in a new play, Love and Kisses, which will open at the Drury Lane Theatre, March 3. Jack Kelly played Bart Maverick on TV."

Incidentally, JK's stint in the play Love and Kisses led to him being cast in the film version, which was directed and co-written by Ozzie Nelson. JK played the reel-life father of Ozzie's real-life son, Rick Nelson. (Rick's real-life wife, Kristin, played his reel-life wife in the movie.)

And, in November 1964, Nancy Kelly earned the prestigious Sara Siddons award for her performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Ms. Kelly was the only person at the time to have won the Sara Siddons award twice. The first time was during the 1955-'56 season for her role in the play The Bad Seed.