Gale Storm - Ivory Tower (live)

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Gale Storm, perhaps best remembered for her television series My Little Margie in the early '50s, didn't have an easy time growing up in Texas. When her luck changed, however, it changed in a big way. Through a series of lucky breaks, she won a movie contract, landed a husband, and started a singing career, in that order.

Storm, whose real name is Josephine Owaissa Cottle, was born in 1922 in Bloomington, TX. Her father passed away before her first birthday and left her mother as sole support of five children. Their home lacked modern conveniences like indoor plumbing. They made do with an outhouse and laundered their clothes with homemade soap. By the time Storm entered junior high school in Houston, there still wasn't enough money for extras like girls' clubs, including the Girl Scouts. Storm turned instead to the school's free drama club.

In high school, a pair of her teachers encouraged her to participate in a popular contest of the day, Gateway to Hollywood. Held in Hollywood during the late '30s, the competition offered an opportunity for two winners to walk away with a movie contract. Storm was one of those winners and a young man was the other. The two contestants ended up marrying each other, and Storm had her foot in the door at RKO and Universal. She went on to make such films as Between Midnight and Dawn, Woman of the North Country, It Happened on Fifth Avenue, and Foreign Agent, among others.

After Storm triumphed in the talent contest and won her trip to Hollywood, luck didn't desert her. When she appeared on the Comedy Hour Show, where she sang a popular number, her performance was caught by a little girl watching television in Gallatin, TN. From the next room, the child's father also heard the performance and asked who was on the broadcast. The child told him that the stunning singer was "My Little Margie." The girl's father, Randy Wood, was excited enough by her voice that he placed a telephone call then and there, while Storm was still on television. He wanted to sign her to his company, Dot Records.

Storm began to record for Dot. In 1955, her rendition of "I Hear You Knocking," originally by Smiley Lewis, landed in the Top Five on the charts. Other 1955 releases include "Memories Are Made of This" and "Teen Age Prayer," followed in 1956 by "Ivory Tower" and "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" and the following year, "Dark Moon." She also recorded "My Happiness" and "Now Is the Hour," and issued a few albums.

During the late '50s she starred in The Gale Storm Show on television. Later in life, Storm appeared in regional theater productions near her San Fernando Valley home. With actresses Sheree North and Betty Garrett in 1987, she co-starred in a production of +Breaking Up the Act. In 1981 she wrote -I Ain't Down Yet: The Autobiography of My Little Margie. ~ Linda Seida, All Music Guide

Category:

Education

Tags:

• pop
• rock

[waynebrasler]

This was a cover of two other versions of the song. Almost all of Gale's hits were quickly-made covers and in virtually every case she outdid the originals and had a big hit. Randy Wood, who signed her to Dot Records, quickly discovered she was a first-rate musician and quick learner who could sell any kind of song. Her followup to "Knocking" were covers of Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made of This"

and Mann's "A Teenage Prayer," and she had her second consecutive million-seller.

[John1948Five]

@waynebrasler She is one of my favorites too. I think she never got enough recognition because people assumed she was just another actress throwing out some crap recording. She was great!

[John1948Five]

GALE STORM: R.I.P.

By: Hollywood Outbreak on: Jun 28,2009 In: BREAKING NEWS, NEWS OF THE DAY

This just inshe was a 50s favorite:

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gale Storm , whose wholesome appearance and perky personality made her one of early televisions biggest stars, has died at age 87.

The actress died Saturday at a convalescent hospital in Danville, said her son, Peter Bonnell. He says she died of natural causes.

[SuperNovember28]

wow what year was this 56?

[arizonaghost1]

Sleep well my little margie...we all love and miss you

[John1948Five]

She was my first celebrity crush. Then Annette - and the youngest Lennon Sister - and and and - - you know.

[lasktguy]

When I was a kid I watched her TV shows and listened to her music. I always thought she was so sweet and obviously very talented. I also love the story she tells of how she got her name.

[byzinski]

With video and the Internet Gale Storm will live on forever. Thanks.

[chubbyhug]

I know what you mean. John 1948. When I was 10 years old, in 1953, I had my first celebrity crush

...on Gale Storm. I also wished I could age faster

than her so she could be my girlfriend. A sweet

person on TV, I'm pleased to learn that she was

such a nice person. I liked her music too, espec. "Dark Moon". And my thanks to YouTube for making this possible; I'm

smiling as I visit Gale's YouTube entire.

Farewell, sweet young woman.

Austin Lee 1943.

[John1948Five]

I envy you for the connection you had. I remember watching her on TV as a boy and just wishing I were older and My Little Margie was my girlfriend. She was the best!

[hhrtwo]

As always...You are in my heart...sob...