The Miller Sisters was a touring USO singing group which put up a concert for the 4077th MASH in the Season 1 finale "Showtime". They were accompanied by stand-up comedian/emcee Jackie Flash and the band Charley Keller and his Claire-de-Lunatics. The Miller Sisters were played by Marilyn King, Jean Turrell and Joan Lucksinger.
Songs sung by the Miller Sisters[]
The Miller Sisters entertained the staff and patients of the 4077th MASH with popular numbers from the 1940s and 1950s. These included:
- "Give Me the Simple Life" - by Harry Ruby and Rube Bloom, this song was first performed by John Payne and June Haver in the 1946 film "Wake Up and Dream". It was also recorded by Liz Morrow and Bing Crosby in 1946. Steve Tyrell covered it for the 1995 film "Father of the Bride Part II".[1]
- "Why Don't We Do This More Often" - by Charles Newman and Allie Wrubel, first published in 1941. It has been covered many times, Eddie Stone with the Freddy Martin orchestra (1941), Dolly Houston with the Benny Goodman orchestra (1949) and Doris Day (1959). It was even featured on "Bugs Bunny Gets the Bold" (1942).[2]
- "Again" - by Dorcas Cochran and Lionel Newman, first sung by Ida Lupino in the 1948 film "Road House". A popular song in its time, it was covered many times, including versions by Doris Day and Vera Lynn in 1949.[3]
- "I Had the Craziest Dream" - by Mack Gordon and Henry Warren, first sung by Helen Forrest with the Harry James orchestra in the 1942 film "Springtime in the Rockies".[4]
- "You Make Me Feel So Young" - by Mack Gordon and Josef Myrow, first performed by Vera Ellen and Charles Smith in the 1946 film "Three Little Girls in Blue" (the singing voices were provided by Carol Stewart and Del Porter).[5]
About Marilyn King[]
Marilyn King (the singer in the centre) is better known as the youngest member of The King Sisters, a popular swing-era singing group which toured extensively in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Marilyn was born in 1931 and joined her elder sisters officially in 1951. They appeared regularly in the 1960s ABC variety series "The King Family Show" and also toured extensively. One of their last performances was at the second inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1985.
Marilyn herself appeared in stage productions such as "Guys and Dolls" and "Hello Dolly", as well as TV shows such as "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" and "The Ed Sullivan Show". Besides being a talented singer, she was also a composer, lyricist and arranger. She was the last surviving of the King sisters and died of cancer in 2013.[6]
About Jean Turrell[]
Jean Turrell (the singer on the right), now Jean Turrell-Wright, is a retired music educator who has been directing choral music and singing professionally for most of her life. With a master's degree from Stanford University in Music Performance and Education, her musical career (past and present) included:
- teaching vocal music and musical theater in Vista Verde School in Irvine, California,
- singing for the Souther California Women's Chorus
- former Director of Education and singer for the Pacific Chorale,
- Choral Director of the Capistrano Valley Church Celebration Choir
From 2007 onwards, she was Director of the Orange County Chapter of the Threshold Choir International, a group of volunteers who sing at the bedsides of those who are ill, in transition or struggling with life.[7]
About Joan Lucksinger[]
Relatively little information is available about Joan Lucksinger (the singer on the left). It is possible that the credit may have been a misspelling or alternative spelling of another name (this has happened in other cases). In this case, a close match would be Joan Luchsinger, a voice teacher and singer from Sherman Oaks, California with a master's degree in Music from the University of Illinois. In 1974 she was appointed as instructor in the Music Department of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, later becoming a Professor. Besides teaching music, she directed a university music group, the I-Uppers and also appeared regularly in local classical concerts, singing as a mezzo-soprano or contralto.[8][9]
References[]
- ↑ John Payne from "Wake Up and Dream" on Youtube. URL.
- ↑ Dolly Houston on Youtube. URL.
- ↑ Ida Lupino on Youtube. URL.
- ↑ Helen Forrest on Youtube. URL.
- ↑ Vera Ellen/Carol Stewart on Youtube. URL.
- ↑ Mike Barnes, "Marilyn King, the Last of the Singing King Sisters, Dies at 82," www.hollywoodreporter.com, last updated August 8, 2013. URL
- ↑ Jean Turrell on linkedin URL.
- ↑ "Concert Performers," The Indiana Gazette, May 10, 1976, p. 47. This page had a photo of Luchsinger which can be compared with the scenes of the Miller Sisters on M*A*S*H.
- ↑ "I-Uppers Have New Director," The Indiana Gazette, February 21, 1978, p. 22. Luchsinger is featured in many articles of this local newspaper from 1974 onwards but this article contains useful biographical information.
The Indiana Gazette references are available from newspapers.com but a subscription is needed to view the pages.