Wednesday, March 05, 2008

I Need a Doll!

The elf in this picture is a friend of mine, Mitchell.

No, he isn't wearing jingle bells and candy cane striped leggings because it's a new kind of S&M relationship where the Daddy dresses like Santa and the boy dresses like an elf.

Although, that is a titillating thought...

No, Mitchell was the brilliant star of last December's production of The SantaLand Diaries, a one-man show taken from the David Sedaris book, Holidays on Ice.

Mitchell was amazing in the show. A one-man tour de force. I love to watch Mitchell on stage. He is one of the best and most talented actors in this or any other city.

That said, this was the last picture I expected to see when I scrolled through my email from the Windy City Media Group and saw that Mitchell was the co-host on this week's Windy City QueerCast with Amy Matheny.

All I could think of when I saw this picture was... Well, I'll just copy the email I sent to Mitchell...
"I never thought I would ever see an elf doing an infallible Susan Hayward as Helen Lawson in the Ladies Lounge scene from VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, but there it is. Right there. In that picture.

"I can just hear you saying, '
Look, they drummed you right out of Hollywood, so you come crawlin' back to Broadway. Well, Broadway doesn't go for booze and dope.'"

Lost? Well, watch this little piece of classic gay camp. Then, watch it again and imagine Mitchell in that elf costume fighting with Patty Duke in all her Neely O'Hara glory.



The thing about it is that I KNOW that Mitchell would kick Susan Hayward's ass in that scene, in or out of an elf costume.

Anybody know who was originally supposed to play the role of Helen Lawson?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

original Helen: I'd say Bette Davis, Elaine Stritch or you *wink*

Lance Noe said...

FRANCIS GUMM!

But it is based on mermman and betty hutton with a slice or two from bette davis!

I know that and i have never even seen the damn movie!

Jeremy Rizza said...

Yeah, I remember seeing test footage of stick-bodied Judy in her "Helen Lawson" costumes. Pretty sad.

What I wanna know, though, is did Mitchell sing "I'll Plant My Own (Christmas) Tree"?

stevelanza said...

Judy Garland ;)

Polt said...

Philip? I'm sure he'd be outstanding in ANYTHING he was in. >batting eyelashes in a fawning way<

HUGS....

mrpeenee said...

Miss Garland was originally cast, but she was too wiped out ON BOOZE AND DOPE to keep the role. Isn't cheap irony fabulous?

Mark in DE said...

"Get outta my way, I've gotta a MAN waiting for me!"

LOL - I love "Valley of the Dolls".

Unknown said...

A personal favorite of mine, that movie. See, I remember when it came out, so to speak, and how shocked everyone was....and a Summer Place..that was a good one, too.

I would have loved to see Bette Davis in that role. She would have kicked the little upstarts ass....