Today's Tune: "She's A Lady" By Tom Jones

Happy Birthday Susan Harris. The inspiration for our 'Today's Tune' on this October 28th is Susan Harris. "She's got style, she's got grace, she's a winner ... She's a lady". Those words do describe Harris pretty well. "She's A Lady" is a song written by Canadian singer, songwriter Paul Anka, but it was Welsh singing sex symbol Tom Jones who had a big hit with the song back in 1971.


Susan Harris, according to Wikipedia:

Susan Harris (born Susan Spivak on October 28, 1940 in Mount Vernon, New York) is a television comedy writer and producer.

She created the series Soap, Benson, The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Nurses, and The Golden Palace. She also wrote or co-wrote all of the episodes of Soap and appeared on two episodes as the hooker Babette. She has been married to television producer Paul Junger Witt since 18 September 1983; he co-produced all the shows she created. She was married from 1965-1969 to the late actor Berkeley Harris.

Harris has chronic fatigue syndrome, which negatively impacted her ability to participate in the production of The Golden Girls. In the episode "Sick and Tired" (1989), Harris wrote some of her struggles into a storyline where Bea Arthur's character was diagnosed with CFS.

Harris sold her first script to Then Came Bronson, then wrote for Love, American Style, All in the Family, and the TV adaptation of Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. Her "Maude's Abortion" episode won the Humanitas Prize.

She formed Witt/Thomas/Harris with Witt and Tony Thomas. She was honored with Writers' Guild's Paddy Chayefsky Award in 2005.

Tom Jones - "She's A Lady" Live on February 15, 1974.

Today's Tune: "Those Were The Days" And Bonus Song "Stone Cold"

Carroll O'Conor as Archie Bunker in All In The Family promo photo.
1978 CBS Photo by Gabi Rona - © MPTV.
Image courtesy mptvimages.com

I'm in a generous as well as extra sentimental mood, so it's two for the price of one this time. American actor Carroll O'Connor (All In The Family, In The Heat Of The Night) was born on August 2, 1924 (Died in 2001). Junior's Eyes offers "Those Were The Days" (All In The Family theme song) for the first part of our double feature. Since American singer Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple) was born on this day in 1951, next up will be "Stone Cold" from the 1982 Rainbow album 'Straight Between The Eyes'.

Also born on August 2nd: 1932 - Irish born stage and film actor Peter O'Toole ('Lawrence of Arabia', 'The Lion In Winter', Casanova), 1944 - English drummer and songwriter Jim Capaldi (Traffic) and in 1961 - English musician Graham Dye (The Alan Parsons Project).

We also lost a few well known people on the 2nd of August down through the years: American puppeteer Shari Lewis (Lamb Chop) in 1998, American singer Ron Townson (The 5th Dimension) in 2001, and British actor and singer Don Estelle (Coronation Street, Dad's Army, The Benny Hill Show, It Ain't Half Hot Mum) died in 2005.

Carroll O'Conner and Jean Stapleton - "Those Were The Days"



Joe Lynn Turner with Rainbow - "Stone Cold" Live in 1982.

Jan. 19th Theatrical Birthdays - Poe, Stapleton

Theatrically related birthdays for January 19th include Edgar Allan Poe and Jean Stapleton. Both are widely known and their work enjoyed in one way or another, though probably more so by people 30 or more years of age.

Oscar Halling's portrait of Edgar Allan Poe.
Public domain photo.

Poe was born on January 19, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts and died October 7, 1849. He was a writer of poetry and short stories, as well as being a literary critic. Poe is mostly known for his macabre short stories, many of which have since been made into plays and popular movies. Baltimore, MD is one of the places that he lived in during his short 40 year lifetime. It is also where he died and was buried. His grave site is visited by many on this date each year, including the famous and mysterious "toaster" fan.

Jean Stapleton was born in New York, NY on January 19, 1923. An actress of stage, television and movies, Stapleton is remembered mostly for her role as the usually dim witted Edith Bunker in the ground breaking 1970s comedy TV show All In The Family. She has won awards for playing a wide variety of characters on TV and in Broadway plays. One of her many film appearances that I remember, was a more minor but important part in one of my favorite movies - You've Got Mail (1999).

All In The Family - "The Jeffersons Move Up" (First Part)