I am the old man in the cast of the Unbelievables. It is doubtful many of my cast members will know who Keely was without a quick google. But a Google search will not tell them what an incredible talent the world has lost. That doesn’t matter, I remember and my heart is sad today. I was a fan, and quickly became a friend after an evening in New York I will never forget.
Keely Smith was married to Louis Prima and they had a nightclub act that rocked the early days of Las Vegas Lounge shows. They had hits with “Old Black Magic”, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and “I ain’t Got Nobody”. Sinatra went to see THEIR show an often re-recorded their hits. In spite of all the million dollar production shows in Vegas, the Louis and Keely show was the one you couldn’t get into without a “connection”.
Keely kept her deadpan look with the short black bobbed haircut and bangs all her life. She was a jazz singer and there is a question whether Louis Prima would have been anymore than an Italian wedding singer if he had not met Keely Smith.
Prima was a known womanizer and in Las Vegas he was a kid in a showgirl candy shop. Infidelities to his relationship with wife Keely were well known. They would eventually divorce and dissolve the act.
Three years ago a small Musical Called “Louis and Keely in Vegas” dramatized those Vegas days. It featured Louis and Keely’s music and their tremulous relationship. There was a story in the show that Keely had an affair with Frank Sinatra’s drummer while Louis was playing around. Keely came to see the show and said that story was totally not true. She insisted it be changed to reflect the truth. She insisted that it was an affair with Sinatra not his drummer. The script was changed.
I met Keely Smith at Joe Allen’s in New York. She was a friend and client of Richard Hillman my publicist for “Jay Johnson: The Two and Only”. I called him “Churd” but that is another story. We were at the iconic show biz restaurant to celebrate the Tony nomination of my show. I was an exclusive table of me and Sandi, Paul and Murphy, Rick (head of the publicity firm) plus Churd and Keely. We sat at a round table. Happiness, excitement and show biz stories flew. If I was not currently half a globe away I would post a picture of us all taken that night. It occupies a place of honor framed near my Tony. You don’t forget a night like that even if you are not sitting with a show biz Legend.
Keely had the best stories. She was in her early 80’s at the time living in Palm Springs. For some reason we got to talking about dating. She said that in Palm Springs she had a very active social life and there were lots of men to date. I’m not sure who asked, but someone at the table said, “After all your experiences and all the famous men you have known, what do you look for in a date today.”
She didn’t skip a beat to think. She said, “I’ll tell you. He has to be able to drive at night”.
Keely was 89 when she passed away in Palm Springs yesterday. I am only one of the millions who will miss her.
Good bye Keely.
As you were,
Jay
2 comments:
I was just a kid when she was a big deal on the radio...but I remember her so well...and her music...and her unique and beautiful deadpan delivery.
What a great singer! And gorgeous. She had tremendous ability and could sing Jazz, pop, blues...I wish I could have heard her at a live performance. Now I a,m going to see what CDs or ITunes I can get. My first memory of Keely Smith and Louis Prima is of them singing “Hit the Road, Jack.”
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