Ethel Waters, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly--1976 TV, Cabin in the Sky

Ethel Waters chats with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly about her early career and sings "Cabin in the Sky" in this rare 1976 TV appearance.

[@sluggzmcgee7420]

She would pass on a year later, 2 months before her 81st birthday. I love her laugh, her spirit, her outlook on life. Despite all the hell she went through as a Black actress in Hollywood, she is sweet, grateful, humble, and still had so much love and wisdom to bestow. I love, respect, and miss her so much. ETHEL WATERS {1896-1977}

[@jonboxleitner7354]

Wow. A bygone era. No one talks with such grace and appreciation in entertainment these days. And the talent was off the charts. I love Ethel Waters.

[@doctordave4247]

Ethel Waters was an American treasure. I hope that the love we have for her reaches her cabin in the sky.

[@barbaraeffros4804]

Thank you Alan for keeping her memory alive. Ethel Waters sang with all her heart and soul.

[@cellis3045]

That lady is something else....what a wonderful, sweet, genuine person x

[@arlisssrstka1234]

She was trulya wonderful gift from God How blessed we are

[@rosieschweebie]

She loved God, and was a beautiful singer and actor! How lovely Ethel Water’s was!!

[@chaplaintaylor2327]

I pray that Ethel Waters have not just a cabin, but a Mansion in heaven with her name on it...Amen

[@brendagray9296]

Marsha Taylor for in my father's house are many mansions!! No cabinets.

[@2dasimmons]

HalleluYAH!

[@stevencohn39]

MARSHA, SHE DID AND STILL DOES. SHE WAS A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER LATER IN LIFE.

[@bosslady1188]

Preach

[@bosslady1188]

@@brendagray9296 Don't start nothing. Wys...

[@ravenkeefer3143]

"Humble and grateful", this is class. More should know of her... Performance through decades, reknown...humble and grateful...

[@gtlfb]

She started singing and I started tearing up. Just lovely.

[@susanlloyd7395]

"My boy Gene" that tells us all we need to know about Gene Kelly-egalitarian and great artist.

[@hermeniaparker2466]

WOW! She still had her voice at that age. Beautiful!

[@zigfried64]

Watch Mike's reaction when she sings the song. He looks as if he is in heaven. He knows he is in the presence of greatness.

[@michaelmcgarry7701]

I first was introduced to Miss Waters when she played "Beulah" on tv...it ran for years during the day Monday-Friday...and then became more familiar with her career... a great actress...

[@adrianlawuary9768]

Had never heard of this lady in 40plus years. What a woman. What a talent. ..

[@sunnydayzie1202]

who could dislike this?? the cream of 20th century show business all sitting right there. the golden age from vaudeville to film...never to be again. love each of them!

[@stevencohn39]

WHAT A LADY, FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND I DEAR NOT LEAVE OUT THE 2 MEN TO HER LEFT WHOM I GREATLY RESPECT ASTAIRE AND KELLY!

[@alishagay2482]

You are so right wish we had more precious people like this

[@Secondrunnerup613]

She was a wonderful lady, singer and star. She isnt filled with your man made holy spirit....Gd given passion and inspiration maybe... The xtian life she lead was such a shame. Too bad she fell into pagan idolatry near the end of her life. Even here, on this video she's trying to sell that pagan nonsense. Such a crying shame. May Hashem have mercy on her idolatrous soul.

[@truecancer]

I cry every time I see this. When giants walked the earth. xxx

[@TheDaydreammaster]

Man! If we were so full of love peace and joy today, as this perfectly beautiful woman we would all be so much better off in 2021. My grandmother was born in the same era. She also sung and spoke in similar fashion as Ethel Waters. You can always know a holy spirit filled christian. God's abounding joy and love just drip from them! Can YOU relate!? Can U see it?! Look with your heart. It becomes appearent!

[@permogensen3964]

LOVE IT ALL - rip Ethel Waters - God bless her

[@Camop-iz9kt]

Amazing that the whole soundstage went silent when she started to sing.

[@judywatson5674]

beautiful we don't have talent like that anymore

[@Juliaflo]

You said it.

[@thecatman4ever]

Ethel Waters is a lovely woman and an outstanding actress!

[@sandymanor3895]

BEAUTIFUL.INTERVIEW WITH ETHYL WATERS!! REFRESHING LOVELY WOMAN. AND... "CABIN IN THE SKY"...ONE GREAT FILM IN THE HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD!! HISTORY

[@michaelhorton1350]

Whew! This lady is magic. Impossible to tear attention away from her. Depth? OH YES. Thanks for this wonderful post.

[@brendamurphy9795]

She knew the love of Jesus..what a lovely song to remind us that God has prepared a place for us..well done sister Ethel. .your still touching souls today in 2019..you made me cry...mother murphy

[@clara-cookie119]

Three very talented people. Respect!

[@pamllewellyn8029]

One and only- Ethel. We need her lovely persona in today's sad world. She is the precious one! Bless her.

[@abevillanueva1974]

Wow! What a lovely person! Reminds me so much of my grandma!

[@s.t.martin7939]

WOW!! I'm Quite Sure That Miss Waters Is Definitely Singling & Rejoicing in HER "Cabin in the Sky!!" And Our Lord God is Her Conductor & Music Master!!!

[@douglassharpe55]

Mike did a real nice interview job with a wide range of stars, didn't he? Ethel, a beautiful presentation here, and such fine complements to the two hoofers. I notice Fred kept his mouth shut for some reason, let Gene carry the comments. Let's hope Ethel is resting in peace, or, awake in Heaven.... same for the boys, Mike included, who all did such nice work during their lifetimes.

[@joannkelly7994]

This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. All Rest In Peace.

[@keenag07]

I really enjoyed playing her character in class. I studied this interview like crazy.

[@JACEYFALK]

BEAUTIFUL!!!! WOW!

[@Jazzrok2228]

Just beautiful !!!

[@bosslady1188]

Forgotten treasures

[@SWDetboy]

WOW! Priceless!

[@donaldgon8019]

Finally I know how someone like Ethel waters feels and I'm not a actor or a singer.

[@peter51dcruz38]

What a Lady. I saw cabin in the sky on TV..it was terrific a lovely twist in the end.

[@mskiara18]

Viewing the video for the first time, I give my thanks for sharing. I express joy to see Ms. Waters, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Astaire together. I am curious if there exist more footage of Mr. Astaire conversing with Ms. Waters, as his comments are brief.

[@JamesBrown-realtor]

Thank you for posting this! I agree with the previous comments, there will never be another Ethel Waters.

[@adrianlawuary9768]

Found this today can't stop listening to it..I thought I had heard singing before. So.wrong. ...

[@princeandrey]

Once she got started, she sang quite movingly!

[@a1diemus]

Wow!!!!

[@track1219]

Enjoyed this video, impressive lady!

[@BURNS2011able]

Awesome Job

[@Gangstagran]

She was the finest artiste of the 20th century. What a star!

[@MesaMynx]

" We see a certain amount of flash but we don't see depth".. She nailed that one. I adore her authenticity, and candor. Funny listening to white men dancing around " colored vs black " when they talk to her. Ethel was a such a gift. Her voice and her laugh is still the most beautiful medicine.

[@BURNS2011able]

Where ever you are you've got your cabin in the sky #2016

[@nickdellow6073]

Her singing is poignant, tender and timeless

[@bosslady1188]

Spoken well...

[@paigewashington6018]

Come on Mama! I'm gonna make you proud!

[@LickYourChops]

S'wondeful, S'Marvellous. That is Ethel Waters.

[@boblowney]

A treasure!

[@ald668]

A great talent!

[@esmeephillips5888]

Ethel Waters was converted at a Billy Graham crusade in 1958. She was flat broke and her career was shot. She had behaved so bitchily and spitefully to colleagues over the previous 40 years that she could not get a break. But religion made her a far better person, and she mellowed into a national treasure during the Civil Rights era. Musically she was the bridge between blues shouters such as Rainey and Smith, whom she thought vulgar, and younger singers with crossover appeal such as Fitzgerald, Horne, Bailey, Vaughan and Holiday. By 1950 there were so many that she felt eclipsed and became resentful. But she had been the first black woman to star in racially integrated shows on Broadway, and 'Cabin in the Sky', though still segregated in casting, was a big step forward for black talent in Hollywood. The younger ladies owed her.

[@callmeonkeshiasphone]

Great summary

[@navigatorjack6969]

Beautiful Just Beautiful!!!

[@adrianlawuary9768]

OMG BETTER THAN AWESOME

[@panamaptypanamapty5269]

Saludos desde Panamá

[@ljsandahl]

This is the Mike Douglas Show? There should be plenty more footage; it was on five days a week.

[@jasonboy35b9]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@YouzTube99]

02:51 If you want to hear Ms. Waters sing 'Am I Blue': kzbin.info/www/bejne/m56ynKiGprt3obM Countless singers point to her for the inspiration she provided. She did indeed pass less than a year after this interview.

[@jackrenglish]

yep

[@mrg7407]

Racism aka Hate is easily defeated with Hard Work! Ethel gave 100% and so did the Gene & Fred. That is why they Loved each other. Hard Mutual Work is the kryptonite of Hate

[@TheDepriecebradford]

Does anybody know the song Miss Ethel Waters is talking about when she says it made Dinah millions?

[@aeichler]

The song "Dinah" (is there anyone finah?)

[@TheDepriecebradford]

@@aeichler thank you

[@GeoStrum3]

I love if Whoopie plays her life story.

[@NathanThePrezPretlow]

Is that Ethel Waters with one leg ?

[@aeichler]

No, she just has the other one under her chair.

[@callmeonkeshiasphone]

lol haha

[@sammavacaist]

Is this interviewer Merv Griffith? Or Mike Douglas?

[@johanna2995]

Mike Douglas

[@SH-jc8jh]

Damn! - she died a year later after this interview.

[@maatspear]

And she didnt make her 80th bday either, she died Sept 1 the following year.

[@johnnywalker796]

She die in 1 of September 1977

[@aliced7505]

@@maatspear Two months short of 82. 1896 - 1977

[@photographer9718]

Waters was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, on October 31, 1896, as a result of the rape of her teen aged mother, Louise Anderson (believed to have been 13 years old at the time, with God all things are possible. Let's me rethink that abortion if you are raped argument .

[@jsg6532774]

Fred seems ill at ease, i dont think he enjoyed going back.

[@MyLovelyDeadFriends]

it's not that, he just didn't like interviews and events such as these. he was very shy.

[@aliced7505]

@@MyLovelyDeadFriends Did not know that about him.

[@princeandrey]

She once said that Billie Holiday, who was just starting out, sang like her shoes were too tight--kind of cruel to and not very prescient about someone whose star far eclipsed her own. Still, she's pretty great. When I was a kid in the 1950's I saw her interviewed on TV, and she remarked that a Black code word for a white person was "Ofay." I was astounded!

[@aeichler]

Holiday became legend after her death, but Waters was the bigger star in her lifetime.

[@princeandrey]

Yes. Billie Holiday had a wide coterie of fans, musicians and cognoscenti, mainly, and then left-wingers after she began to sing "Strange Fruit." Ethel Waters was a crowd-pleaser of sorts--I'm not saying she wasn't great, just much more accessible. She was also a good actress, even great in "Member of the Wedding." Pretty? Unless one is stretching the definition outlandishly, no. Though I think she looks pretty as an 80-year old, for sure.

[@direfranchement]

Ethel Waters wasn't gracious to younger women until she was an old lady and found religion. She resented Billie. She was also resentful of Lena Horne. Both women were young enough to have been Ethel's daughter, but she resented the fate that becomes of all aging men and women in entertainment---being pushed aside for the next new thing. What's so funny about it is Billie Holiday started off her career sounding eerily similar to Ethel---listen to her first record, "Your Mother's Son In Law" and note the similarities. Ethel was the blueprint, a tremendous influence in the early years of sound recording.

[@princeandrey]

Know "Mother's Son in Law" well, but now that you mention it, I recognize Ethel Waters in it. Never thought of that, and never thought of that song as exemplifying Billie very much, except of course, rhythmically. Interesting..

[@direfranchement]

"Mother's Son In Law" is pure Ethel...from the diction to the expression, the talk-sing nature of her solo. Waters was so popular at that time, the most visible Black singer of the era. You can also hear Ethel on "Riffin the Scotch", both recorded in 1933. I think this simply represents a period where she was trying to hone her individual style---after all, she was only 18 years old. By the time Holiday returned to the studio in 1935 she had become what most would recognize as young Billie as we hear in her phrasing on "I Wished on the Moon" and "What a Little Moonlight" can do. Those first records, however, speak to the depth of Waters' influence on early Jazz. She was magnificent and I think no better fitting descriptor could be applied to her than that of "The Blueprint" because indeed she was.

[@garyb3397]

Ethel Waters was notoriously jealous of Lena Horne - young and beautiful, and up and coming - and, according to Horne, treated her terribly. Was curious to see if Waters would say anything about Horne. Hardly surprised that she did not. "Humble" though she claims she was, she was very threatened by younger female talent.

[@dw070]

you'd think, by the time of this interview, that that was all in the past.

[@aliced7505]

I wish she could have known how many people would come to love her over the decades to come. No physical beautiful could match her inner beauty. Such a lovely spirit. Imagine, she's singing to the Lord now. Took everything not to cry once she started to sing in this clip. Thank you for posting it.

[@callmeonkeshiasphone]

But is that so odd. Megan the stallion and nicki minaj dont get along, pearl bailey and dianh carrolll didnt get along for all the same reasons. lest we not focus on the bad