Dolores Gray Performing a Cole Porter Medley on the Bell Telephone Hour

[@Juliaflo]

Those of you who miss great programs like this, raise your hand.

[@dougpotts2226]

The Bell Telephone hour was one the best musical shows ever and Delores Gray was one of the greats. Wish the whole series was available.

[@Juliaflo]

Copy that. Stay safe, and God go with you.

[@bbcisrubbish]

What a voice! Lovely, and all woman!!!!!

[@youyong28]

None of my favorite Cole Porter songs, but everything he did was great, and she really delivers!

[@ROBERTRIVERification]

She had it all.

[@Poet2916]

It's a shame she only did four movies! She had a fantastic voice!

[@varadero1839]

What a class act! She was amazing! Thanks so much for posting.

[@liesljones5987]

Noel Coward said it best: "Beyond Praise."

[@ERICnLosAngeles]

Poet, she probably just came off a weight-loss hospitalization. ALL the stars did it ("The Sleep Cure"). She personally told us MGM would send the stars (including her) off to lose weight before starting a film.

[@gulmerton2394]

What a voice ! That is what I call an artist. These people back in the day when the word artist still meant something, didn’t have to appear half naked on stage to compensate a lack of talent like they do nowadays.

[@chrisn7259]

Not being catty, but I often wonder if her face would have looked less horse-like if she had not bobbed her nose.

[@alexpoor2452]

Dolores retired from performing because she wasn't happy with what she was being given to do. She did one-woman shows, etc. That's why she didn't do many movies.

[@jochenstossberg5427]

She was, by all accounts, a nightmare to work with.

[@Poet2916]

She looks a little too thin here-was she ill?

[@stevehinnenkamp5625]

Crappy orchestration for a great talent who nevertheless survives, only a tone deaf agent could have talked her into this.

[@bigred8432]

You think her agent heard the orchestration before she signed? 🙄

[@jrthiker9908]

I agree with Ed, this is a pretty standard mid-century pop arrangement, with punchy brass and clever albeit slightly awkward modulations for the medley. The great and difficult thing about the Bell Telephone Hour is that it was done live, so the orchestra/band was over on the side, as was the chorus. I doubt the band could hear her very well, and Ms. Gray does an excellent job finding her way around with the distance and sings with great intonation and phrasing. Probably had a boom mic for her. Gives you an idea of what the nightclub acts would have sounded like, but it was difficult for the producers to balance it all with the technology they had at that time. It was easier with the opera singers and orchestra, but it was always rough around the edges and the sound was frequently scrappy. The campy production numbers were pretty standard for this show, there was a definite style they went for in most of the sets and choreography. Bell Telephone recorded for posterity many great performances by singers doing their thing live. Warts and all, it's the reason the show has achieved cult status for those of us in the arts business.