PETULA CLARK
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Photograph by Bob Gentry 8/5/99
A Thought for Today
Words have no more wisdom when it's time to say goodbye.
Petula Clark has been in town for the past
week appearing in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Sunset Blvd" as Norma Desmond. After
perfecting the role in London's West End, she's had a long unrelenting tour throughout
America, and will remain on tour through May, with only December off.
Her performances last week showed no signs of fatigue and night after night she received
standing ovations and the press greeted her with the usual rave reviews. She opened
yesterday at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco and will be there for a month.
Last Friday fans from all over the world came to Burbank for a "Celebration of
Petula." A day long event that brought people from as far away as Australia, France,
Japan, Africa, South America and many of the 48 States. At one point I was involved in the
program introducing scenes from my BBC TV series of 20 years ago where Pet was my first
guest.
Petula and I are long time friends and have been involved in various projects over the
years and so we share a lot of the same fans. I had a wonderful time seeing a few old
friends and making a lot of new ones. Nice people, just the kind of audience you'd expect
Pet to have.
Here are some of the letters I've received since Friday.
PET'S PALS
Dear Rod, My daughter, Heidi, and I attended the celebration for
Petula this past Friday and I just wanted to thank you for the lovely words you spoke of
Petula. We, as fans, can always say these good things but then ours is more an idealistic
view, we don't really know her like people she works and her friends, such as yourself.
What you said and how you delivered it over the mike was truly
inspirational and I know for myself it exemplified the way I feel that she REALLY IS. I
wanted to come over and say this to you, but you were busy with others and then, all of a
sudden you were gone! Nonetheless, this message comes to you with heartfelt thanks.
I truly hope that one day a close friend/associate of mine will be able to say something
half as nice as you did of Petula, for me! Someone once said that if you have a special
friend in your life (like you have in Petula) you must also BE a special friend!!
Most sincerely, Marjorie W-R Schlicter
Dear Marjorie, sorry I missed meeting you and Heidi, next time come over and say hello.
It's pretty easy to say nice things about Petula because aside from being such an obvious
talent, she excels even more as a human being. Thanks, Rod
Dear Rod,Just got back from L.A., Thank you so much for making
Petula's celebration party so special. You could just see how much it meant to Petula that
you were there, and the words that you spoke were golden ones that echoed all of our
sentiment perfectly. I look forward to hearing more about some of the projects you spoke
about.
With your kind permission, I would like to link to your site from our Petula site. - Joe
Shields, Pittsburgh, PA.
Dear Joe, Thanks very much. Believe me it was my pleasure to be involved in something for
Petula. She deserves and earns all the honors and tributes she gets.
I'd be delighted to be linked with Pet's site and I'll do the same on this end. I liked
your site a lot and I know that many of those who visit "A Safe Place To Land"
will like it too. I had a great time at Fridays bash and finished out the week by going to
closing night of "Sunset Blvd", on Sunday. Plan to spend a week or so in San
Francisco before Pet ends her run there. Warmest Regards, Rod
Dear Rod, The first time I saw you and
Pet together was on French TV when you were on the "Music & Musique Variety Show
. You were splendid together. Several months later you were both on The Mike Douglas
Christmas show while I was visiting the States and again I thought you complimented each
other very well. Imagine my surprise to see both of you in person together last week. Have
you ever thought of touring together in a live show?. Alain Englund, Sur la Mer, France
Dear Alain. Wouldn't that be nice, Thanks for the memories. All the best, Rod
Hi Mr. McKuen - Just wanted to say *thank you* for your kind
comments that you posted on the Petula web site regarding our little party we put together
for Petula on Friday. I co-chaired the event with Jim Pierson and while you were offering
your warm and eloquent comments about Petula I was busy sitting at the table helping her
meet and greet her admirers. It truly bothers me that I never got a chance to come over
and introduce myself and thank you for coming along and making our day a little bit more
special.
By any chance, did Jim give you copies of our program? Please let me know and if he
didn't, I would be more than happy to send some along to you.
Again, thanks for sharing in our celebration of the consummate entertainer.She is without
a doubt, a very special lady. Bonnie Miller
Dear Bonnie, You and Jim did a wonderful job of making all of us who came to be with Pet
feel welcome and at home. What could be nicer than playing hooky on a Friday afternoon to
be with Petula and lots of other people who love her as much as I do.
I'd love to have a couple of extra programs to give to friends. Again, congratulations on
a lot of hard work that paid off with so many people having such an enjoyable day. Warmly,
Rod
Dear Rod, I was lucky enough to be in
the audience last Friday when you introduced the scenes from your British television
series where your guest was Pet Clark. It was simply the best, I've never seen that kind
of chemistry between two people on or off the screen. You must care for each other very
much. I hope the DVD and Video of this show will come out soon. When she sang "The
songs you wrote for her like "The Wind of Change" and "I Think of You"
it was glorious. When you were chatting and singing together it was like eavesdropping on
two old friends, which I know you are.
I came all the way from Alice Springs, Australia for this event and to have you there as
an added attraction was very special indeed. I can't wait for the album to be available.
Meanwhile could you please print the introduction you gave to Miss Clark on Friday? David
Underwood.
Dear David, Pet and I have chemistry in spades. It's a feeling and appreciation for one
another that has developed over many years. Alas we go long periods without seeing each
other, but when we get back together it's as though no time has passed. That's certainly
how it was this past week in LA.
Thanks for the nice thoughts, David, hope you had a nice trip back to OZ. All the best,
Rod PS Here are the comments
PETULA . . . An Appreciation
I'm here today because I'm one of you. We all have something in common . . . we adore
Petula Clark. The singer, the actress, the songwriter, the mother, the friend, the wife
(who obviously has to put up with the impossible - - after all she did marry a
Frenchman…. and of her own free will.)
Petula, The Legend.
Is she like anyone else? I don't think so. Certain people are identified by their sounds
--- you hear Garland or Callas, Jackie or Lena Horne on the radio and you know immediately
who they are. Jessie Norman is individual. So is Sinatra, Stafford and Ella and Peggy Lee.
Peggy didn't become Miss Peggy Lee right away . . .and that is something she has in common
with Pet. Pet invented her sound and voice by trial, but few errors.
Though you may have discs at home that tell you differently, Petula didn't sing
"Clancy Lowered The Boom" or "In Other Words" or even
"Sailor." That was a young girl, a teenager, a woman working her way toward
becoming the unmistakable, incomparable and most of all the uncopyable PETULA CLARK.
Let me put it another way, Barbara Streisand has many imitators (most of whom sound like
"Star Search" losers . . or worse, winners.) Whole careers have been built from
copying 'The Sinatra Sound' --- but I defy anyone to show me a single 'Petula' sing alike.
It's not possible. And yet, this woman, with her sound, her phrasing, her writing and
arrangements…..not to mention that glorious voice has influenced four decades of
female singers and poseurs.
Many of you have seen SUNSET BLVD with Pet more than once . . . I caught it for the first
time Tuesday night. I certainly didn't hear Glenn Close, Betty Buckly or any of the
talented women who have starred in it before. And I very definitely did not hear Petula
Clark. I heard a remarkable, vulnerable and downright sexy reinvention of Norma Desmond.
Some said she was too old to play Maria in "The Sound of Music" twenty years
ago. . .but she did it beautifully, convincingly and sublimely. She's defiantly too young
to be Norma Desmond --- but, WOW. This is an actress who could pull off
"Othello." And, again that voice. After inventing herself as Petula, she now
reinvents herself for whatever the role demands.
That's called acting.
That's called talent.
That's called genius.
It is my great pleasure to introduce the chameleon, the sweetheart to all of us, the most
underrated and most individual actresses / singer of this or any century . My
collaborator, my inspiration and my old friend. The nicest woman in the world, who has
always been there for me . . . Petula Clark.
Here are a few in a few of the many, but too few, public moments we've spent together.
There's been a rumor going around that I've written an album for Pet, it's true and it's
about half finished and with the help of God and Jim Pearson it'll be finished sooner,
rather than later. She thinks she's getting the month of December off, poor delusional
lady. . .
- RM: Delivered at
"A Celebration of Petula Clark" o Burbank, 10/8/99
See you all tomorrow for our weekly feature
"Pass It Along." Meanwhile, sleep warm.
- RM 10/13/99 Previously unpublished |
