Milt Grant Show - LaVern Baker (Mon. 5/27/1957)

[GailRuhl]

I was a'regular'during the last year of TheMiltGrantShow.I had a blast.I was able to meet Ella Fitzgerald,Frankie Laine,Crash Craddock,Annette Funicello(and her mother), Frankie Avalon,Brenda Lee,Dean Hawley,and others.We were not able to be in the studio with Johnny Mathis because some of the teens had ripped Bobby Darrin's clothing as he was leaving on the elevator a day or so before.I was not there,but everyone was abuzz with the story about the frantic scene.Whatever happened to Wayne?

[SandySummers]

I met Annette, Frankie, and Virginia Funicello. Any opinions on any of them? I have my own.

[Richard234]

Yikes! I'm from the DC/MD area and remember Milt Grant. I was probably 10 or 11 at the time but his show was on my radar.

[Coolerators]

I watched Milt Grant while attending JEB Stuart HS in Falls Church in the 50's, and got to rate a dance contest at one of Milt's remotes at 7 Corners Mall in '61, right after I graduated. I gave the song a 70, because it "had a good beat and you can dance to it."

I thought the kids were much better dancers than on American Bandstand. Now, retired, I get to move from NJ to NC and do the shag like we used to in DC.

[bigdancd]

Don't mean to open a can of worms, but due to the era, there were NO black kids in the audience. I know LaVern didn't like that. I met her at one of the first R & R concerts I went to in '55 and she was soo nice. I felt sorry for her and other black artists the way white artists covered their records. Being white, I always liked the black artists' versions better! Us white kids finally wised up and bought the originals! lol...

[SandySummers]

Can of worms: When Annette Funicello was on the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour with her tutor (she was a minor), Laverne was using the "f" word alot. The tutor asked Laverne not use that word, that there was a minor present. Laverne replied that maybe the minor was too young to be on the tour. Classless.

[143AC]

Dear DC TeenDance TV,

Thanks for the info..Poor Ms.Baker

..what a sad end to a talented and

nice lady.(Crying)

[143AC]

I wonder what ever happned to

Ms.Baker?

If anyone has any info about Ms.Laverne

Baker..Please share that info with all of

us at You Tube?

[DCTeenDanceTV]

LaVern Baker (b. 11/11/29) In the late '60s, she fell ill after a trip to Vietnam to entertain US soldiers. A friend suggested she work as entertainment director at Subic Bay Naval Base's nightclub in the Philippines & she stayed for 22 years. In '88, she returned to the US for Atlantic Records' 40th anniversary. She worked on the Dick Tracy soundtrack and appeared in Black & Blue, a Broadway musical, and released a comeback CD that sold fairly well. She died from coronary complications 3/10/97.

[RainyMarch]

Thanks for posting this video. I watched Milt Grant just about every day after school. He was so popular in the D.C. area. I loved LaVern Baker, too. Ah, those innocent days.

[DCTeenDanceTV]

Milt Grant, 83, died 4/28/07 at his home in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Reportedly he had cancer and Alzheimers Disease. He was apparently married twice; leaving behind 3 children, a sister; and 4 grandchildren. For someone in communications, he was a secretive person who revealed little of his personal life during his few interviews. A woman who answered the phone at his privately held company in Florida, the Grant Group, would not confirm the nature of Mr. Grant's business, his age or even his death.

[143AC]

Ms.Baker's performance of"Jim Dandy Got Married"

and her pesonality is simular to Janet Jackson.

Exciting,engaging and shy.

[trillthenote]

I thiink Lavern liked the pop tunes ok...She was not a good lip syncher, however, and I think was "bugged" by the process....I'm sure she was dynamite at the Howard Theatre "Live"......

[lurifix12345]

i don't get it, is she fake singing?

I just can't belive that a such strange voice could come from her. but she's the one singing on the records also. I just need confirmation please.

[DCTeenDanceTV]

Miss Baker was "lip-syncing"... that is silently moving her lips while the phonograph record of her song was being played over the studio speakers and over the air.

My own opinion is that she was not as comfortable singing these "pop" tunes as she would be singing the rhythm & blues songs that first made her famous. I'd wager that her live show on the stage of DC's Howard Theatre featured tunes which were much more blues oriented.

[haleyfan]

Damn it, I was expecting to see Thurl Ravenscroft,

Oh well, cool video anyway, thanks!

[mikelopes57]

I am the tall skinny guy picking up the dropped contest entry cards standing across from Laverne Baker. Hard to believe that it was 50 years ago. My sister and I won the dance contest that day beating Dickie Love, one of the best dancers I ever knew. Mike Lopes

[RainyMarch]

This is interesting . . . are you a grad of Northwood HS?? I was. I remember the name Dickie Love. I used to watch Milt Grant every afternoon, but was never on his show. He was so popular in the D.C. area. Anyway, best wishes from California.

[mikelopes57]

I am the skinny guy picking up dropped entries to a contest with Leverne Baker. That was 50 years ago on the Milt Grant show with my sister Marguerite Lopes. This is a real blast to see again. Mike Lopes

[haleyfan]

Pretty cool, bet ya didn't expect to see this on youtube!!

[catchersmitt0]

Cool... you didn't get to meet Laverne Baker did you?  That would have been amazing.