Picture it: 1962. Kennedy’s in the White House, teens are twisting the night away, and everything’s coming up roses on Broadway. On November 18th, the small screen lights up with a slice of that razzle-dazzle as singer Kaye Stevens takes the stage on The Ed Sullivan Show.
She’s dolled up in a chic dress with a full skirt perfect for swishing and swirling as she belts out “Hey, Look Me Over.” It’s a tune from the hit musical Wildcat, which lit up Broadway the year before with Lucille Ball in the starring role.
Stevens radiates Old Hollywood glamour as she delivers the song with pizzazz. She sells the cheeky lyrics, flirting with the camera and giving knowing winks. The black and white picture adds to the vintage charm.
Her performance is pure showbiz razzmatazz – big voice, big gestures, and even some high kicks. She’s flanked by a squad of dapper dancing boys in suits who frame her with slick choreography. The old-school showmanship is a glitzy throwback to vaudeville-style entertainment.
Close your eyes and it’s easy to imagine you’ve scored a prime seat at the Copacabana or the Latin Quarter. The only thing missing is a dry martini and a plate of Oysters Rockefeller.
Stevens works the crowd like a pro as she does a sassy strut across the stage, the bands’ brassy big band sound urging her on. As she brings it home for the big finish, you half expect the camera to cut to the audience filled with clapping couples decked out in slim-cut suits and pillbox hats.
Want a first-class ticket on a time machine to the swinging ’60s? Get a load of this glitzy blast from the past and try not to grin.
