Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - Michele Lee Encore

Episode Date: June 24, 2024

GGACP celebrates the birthday of Tony and Emmy-nominated actress-singer Michele Lee (b. June 24) with this ENCORE of a memorable interview from 2021. In this episode, Michele looks back at her seven-decade career in television (“Knots Landing”), movies (“The Comic,” “The Love Bug”) and on the Broadway stage (“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and remembers the bawdiness of Red Skelton, the naughtiness of Buddy Hackett, the courageousness of Don Rickles and the flirtatiousness of Frank Sinatra. Also, Michele cuts the rug with Fred Astaire, treads the boards with Robert Morse, takes directing tips from Jerry Lewis and plays Lou Costello’s wife in the infamous “Bud and Lou.” PLUS: “Rod Serling’s Night Gallery”! “Scandalous Me: The Jacqueline Susann Story”! In praise of Dick Van Dyke! And Michele shares the screen with Liberace, Danny Kaye and Sammy Davis Jr! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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19 plus and physically located in Ontario. Gambling problem? Call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connectsontario.ca. Please play responsibly. Hi, this is Gilbert Gottfried and this is Gilbert Gottfried's amazing colossal podcast with my co-host Frank Santopadre. Our guest this week is a singer, dancer, recording artist, cabaret performer, television director, and an Emmy and Tony nominated actress

of both stage and screen, who's been working steadily in show business since she was a teenager. You know her from popular tv shows like Rowan and Martin's Laughin', Love American Style, the Carol Burnett Show, Night Gallery, The Love Boat, Will and Grace, Family Guide, The Love Boat, Will and Grace, Family Guide, and the TV movie Scandalous Me, The Jacqueline Suzanne Story, and Bud and Lou. Hey, I think I've heard of that one.

And of course, Notch Landing, which she was the only cast member to appear in all 344 episodes, and she directed nine of them. You've also enjoyed her outstanding work in films like How to Succeed in Business Without in business without really trying. The love bug, the comic, along came Polly as well as in acclaimed stage productions of How to Succeed in Business, Seesaw, Wicked, and The Tale of the Allergist's Wife. She's also the first woman to write, direct, produce,

and star in a movie made for television. 1996, Color Me Perfect. In 1999, she was awarded her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In a career that began way back as a teenager in the long-lost Dino's Lodge on Sunset Boulevard, she shared the stage and screen with Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis, Jr. Danny K, Jerry Lewis, Betty Davis, Buddy Hackett and Liberace. As well as our own podcast guests, Dick Van Dyke,

Cole Reiner, Don Murray, John Davidson, David Steinberg, John Ashton, Ken Berry, and John Beiner. Frank and I are excited to welcome to the show a woman of many talents and a performer who has done everything a person could possibly do in the entertainment business, including appearing on six, count them, six episodes of Celebrity Bowling. The magnificent Michelle Lee. Am I dead yet?

I mean, you can hand this one over to me. Shelly. Am I dead yet? I mean, you can hand this one out as an obituary. I said, it sounds like I must have died if I had. The only thing missing was found dead in her. Everything that I've ever done in life minus a few and several I wish you never said. Well, I believe bowling where we like to think. Celebrity bowling was one of. That was a very well-respected. And 15 love of American styles.

Oh, jeez. We love love of American style. I'm only kidding. We met a few years ago. We were both doing appearances on Howie Mandel's special. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I love him. I love him so much.

But yeah, I mean, I guess I've done everything and haven't we all but um, but but Michelle Michelle your career is one of those careers when you go to the IMDB page and you do the deep dive. It's incredible as Gilbert just read a partial list of the icons you've worked with, but it's, but you've been working since you were a teenager, like Gilbert has.

Yes, Gilbert, when did you start? Oh, wait a minute, this is about me. Oh, Gilbert, how old were you when you started, seriously? First time I got up on stage at an open mic night, I was 15. Oh my gosh it's like me it really is. I didn't get well you didn't get paid either really but when I was a kid around 15 I worked with a band but they're not the kind of bands we have today. It was, you know, society orchestras where I'd sing at pardon the expression, weddings and bar mitzvahs.

You know, and I would do, you make me feel so young. Only my voice was higher. You make me feel that spring has sprung. And so I did, that's really where I started. But I sang in high school, you know, all that stuff. Now, I'm not talking now. Now tell us what your father said to you when you said you wanted to go into show business.

Did you did you read something that I could lie about haha no are you doesn't say that somewhere because I can make up something. Yeah, no, you said that he told you. Fine, but you got to be willing to. Yeah, yes. Yes. Yes. You got it. Okay. My father said to me, you want to be in this business. He was a makeup artist, by the way, we can talk about that later. And he said, you want to be in this business? Oh, you're gonna have to get used to the hard knocks, people slamming doors in your faces.

It's difficult. They tell you you're too tall, you're too small, you're too, whatever it is, you're not. So you better go to an audition and find out what it's like. So there was an ad in one of the show business magazines. It said, dancers must sing, singers must act, actors must do whatever's left over. So my mother took me to, because I was, how old was I?

I was like just 17. My mother took me to the Ivar Theater in Los Angeles, a little theater. And I went in there and I saw this guy with muscles on his legs and short shorts and a real tight t-shirt, muscling all over and a cowboy hat and boots. I was in love. I didn't know from gay at that time. So he just it was

it was the director and the choreographer and he jumped up on the stage and he said to everybody who was there, not me yet, okay, do follow this dance. That's my jazz interpretation. Then he would say, would you sing happy birthday to you or whatever it was. So everybody was doing their thing. Then they pushed me on stage. Michelle Lee Doosick was my name then, Lee's my middle name.

So it's Michelle Lee Doosick. And so I got up there. I had nerves of steel in those days. I mean, forget it. I would do anything. Who cares? You didn't have to pay the rent. You didn't have to do anything. Yes, sing it, girlfriend. No pressure. Just get up there and do your thing. So I got up there and I sang,

You Make Me Feel So Young, One and a Half C half courses and a tag in the key of F. And I was just there, my legs planted firmly, my legs can't plant firmly, my feet planted firmly on that stage and I sang ready for it. You make me feel so young, you make me feel let's bring a sprung. Okay, the guys in the audience stood up to their feet and they applauded me. I'm not kidding. First audition. Nice. So I go home. The end of the story is my father, the phone rings and they said, you've got it, my first audition. So my mother had to explain gay and my father had to eat his makeup sponge.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha from that audition at the iPhone? Yes, yes. So what happened, it was a huge success. It was called Vintage 60. And every star in America, when I say star, I mean Judy Garland star, right? Sammy Davis Jr., when he was going with My Brit. All those stars were in the audience in Hollywood every single night. That's how big this thing was. And so it got these rave reviews.

David Merrick saw the show and it was a huge hit at the time. Took it to Broadway. It was closed in eight nights and we know what happened. Yeah, eight nights, but up up. But I will tell you, my maiden name was Dusik, D-U-S-I-C-K, Michelle Lee Dusik. And at the IVAR, my mother was with me all the time during parts of the rehearsal and everything.

So one day, they're putting up the, not the scap, they're putting up our name in lights or whatever they are. And they said, what is your stage name? And, you know, it's Dusik sick, but in those days you basically didn't tell anyone you were Jewish so I chopped off their names right so now they think of legal it's what that's not males so anyway my mother said one just chop off your last name all of I

and I left Michelle Lee and that and so I couldn't change once I did that I was Michelle Lee. But everybody history. Yeah, am I talking too much no no no. Haha before tell us about before you cut off your do sick before before dad what what dad did dad was a makeup artist Gilbert and I were talking you on like House on Haunted Hill he was a makeup artist for Clint Eastwood on we're on a series rawhide yeah and he

was and dick not tick van dyke oh Richard Chamberlain Richard Chamberlain thank you very much yeah so he was in the business, and everybody loved him, and he would talk about me all the time, never shut up. But yeah, so he's a doosic, and that's how I saved my last name. Everybody knew Jack Doosic, my dad. Was he under contract, Michelle, at MGM?

Did he roam from studio to studio? Did he have one, did he work for basically one company, one studio? No, he worked for several studios, but because Clint Eastwood's show, Rawhide ran for so long. And then I think he did Girl from Uncle and Dick, I keep wanting to say Dick Van Dyke,

because I'm looking at him right now. He's on my wall. Oh, Dr. Kill there. Right? Dr. Kill there. Thank you. Yeah, Richard Chamberlain. Yeah. Yeah.

And so he was there at MGM, the old MGM that is now Sony or something. Yeah, he was there for years and years. And when I started Knott's Landingending it was on the same lot and there was a guy at the gate the guard at the gate was his name was can Hollywood that was his name how and you know when I started not slanting can Hollywood was still there at the gate so incredible.

All those years later. Yeah and of course, yeah go on. Did you have any dealings? Did you ever meet Clint Eastwood? Oh yes several times. I met Clint several times. Did I say that before? Yeah yeah. Oh okay. God I wish I was prepared over not on we're just talking I tell you several pictures with no video unfortunately, Clint all right. I was at the Kennedy Center. Honors when he got his honor. And but so I have several pictures of us there together and he loved my dad and so whenever I would see him,

and I would in Hollywood, you know, as we do when we're very famous, I would... I would bump into him. Oh, excuse me, Clint, I just bumped into you. I would bump into him, and he would always call me doosic, always. Oh, that's cool. You know, hey do sick

You know, yeah, I saw him many times and I do have some wonderful pictures with the two of us He was very sweet to me. Well growing up around show business I mean did you go to the set with dad? Were you were you hang hanging out a lot? Did he did he? Probably proceeds to bring your daughter to work days No, I would go now and then, okay? I would go, I went to Rawhide a few times, that was before I really knew him, okay? But he had the co-star with him was an actor by the name of Eric Fleming. Do you guys know this or not? Am I telling you something new?

He was so sweet that, here's this real story coming. Okay, I'm sorry, I'm not that boring. My father, I was going off to New York to do a Broadway show, and my father obviously Broadway show and my father obviously had had said to Eric Fleming to talk to me birds and bees wise although I knew about them but little further down the road like if ever I got in trouble to know to call him because and of course by trouble I guess people in those days was if you get in trouble and of course by trouble I guess people in those days was if you get in trouble and of course I was barely out of the womb at that time so

it was very sweet my father needed to protect me somehow without saying to me don't do anything sex wise you're still young young, you're whatever. So he told Eric and Eric every once in a while, just before I went even, he'd call see how I was doing or whatever and I, oh I'm gonna bring this right down. He died in a boating accident. He was, he actually flipped over in a boat and- Oh that's a shame. Yeah. Oh, let's make a musical. Boat.

Okay, sorry, we could cut this whole part out if you want. No, I know who he is. He was Gil on Rawhide. Yes, oh my God. Yeah, he died a young man, I knew that. I didn't know it was a boating accident. Yeah, he did. Yeah.

He died a young man. I mean, I think he was like in his early 30s or something maybe younger, right? That's younger than him 66 two names that have popped up on this show and the Can't find people who like them category one's Joey Bishop and The other although that he's admired as a performer was Danny K.

Oh yeah, I want me to talk about either of them. He wants you to dish the dirt Michelle yeah, okay. Michelle yeah, okay. I can't I could but. Okay, let's see I did a lot of the okay, Joey Bishop remember when he had that talk show yeah, many of us okay, but jumping right on now to Danny K. It was the first I did 2 of the shows when he had the television show. And he is day. It was the first I did 2 of the shows when he had the television show

and he is I can't say I know everything you know OK. Haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha what did you like him as a person. I hardly saw him he went to see okay get over here saying that was it that was. Now what somebody saying. I actually when you have time look it up last night. No, it's great saying that it's a great

clip you're singing mouth to mouth you're singing like an inch apart. Yeah, yeah, faces. Yeah, it's sure he wanted me. Yeah. Yeah. I was saying we were showing. Well the jury's out on that. Oh! I think Gene Kelly and Peter Falk were on with you. I don't remember Peter on that.

1963. And Charles Aznavour. Oh my God. Wa-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a- I'll become a super jet and fly right after you. Oh, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away. Oh, I'll become a rabbit and flee across the plain. Then I'll become a greyhound dog and fetch you back again. Then I'll become a rose in some secluded spot. Then I'll become a submarine and kiss you when it's hot. Oh, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away, you'll never get away.

Oh, I'll become a ball, bouncing everywhere. Then I'll become a little boy, a bunch of other boys. Then what else could I be? I'll be a Christmas tree. I'll give you such a trimming, dear, that you got you by the boy. No one else could I be. I'll be a Christmas tree. I'll give you such a trimming, dear, that you'll light up for me. Oh, you'll never get away. You'll never get away.

You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away.

You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away. You'll never get away.

You'll never get away. You'll never get away. Never get away. Yeah, but you but you don't you don't have any real recollection of the man. How about Joey did you like Joey better. It was very sweet. He was I say I don't know you know because I was a young performer and I saying right, you know you would know this Gilbert what once you get into a phase of your career and you're doing either stand-up comedy which I never

did or you're singing or they know you from How to Succeed, or whatever it is, because I was born between two generations, kind of, you know, so all those guys, even Lucy and Buddy Hackett and all those guys during that time knew me and I was invited to parties with them. So I wasn't really their age, but like they treated me always as a pal. What about Red Skelton, who you also worked with when you were very young? Oh my God. Any memories there?

Oh, I ran, yeah, wait. I did do a couple of those too. What did he say to me? Oh, no, he didn't say it to me. He used to say this all the time you make this one joke all the time. Something about he would have a heart on his costume or whatever and it's a lot I've got a hard on.

Yeah, I love knowing that red skeleton had a body sense of humor. Yeah. We've heard that from other people. Really? Yeah. Okay, let me see. Everybody has a naughty sense of humor when we're not on camera or talking in a mic.

I'll take that back. And I heard stories that red skeleton during rehearsal would be really filthy. And then when he got on camera that he shows not in yes. Yeah, you know you're in my D me. I think that's where the hard on story came. hard on story came. Go ahead, Michelle, I don't want to interrupt. If you're having a memory.

I'm having a memory of Fred Astaire okay because you know we're talking about people and generations and how we all belong to a family is like Gilbert was saying early on when you know know, when you worked, when you did, when you were known, when you're not, it doesn't matter. We're all there. It's amazing, you know, it's like it goes on forever. Fred Astaire, okay, I did a television special

with Fred Astaire. I asked him, I pleaded with him to be my guest. That's wrong. That's a big lie. That was a big lie. No, I was a guest on his show. And during, okay, it was called Color Me Red, White and Blue. Okay. Yep. It was long before the Barbara Streisand's Color Me Everything. 1972 to be exact.

The show that I did? Yeah, 72 with a steer. Is that wild? So anyway, this is what I loved. This story I'm telling you is gonna show you how we're all the same, all of us, all the performers, actors, whatever, mostly all the same. So we were doing the show and the way it was shot,

we did it in pieces. We did some scenes, quote unquote, or comedy scenes or whatever separately. And then we did the music. We shot, okay, Michelle's doing a musical spot. Okay, he's doing a musical, we're doing one together. And then we would do the wraparounds, okay? And Noah was in the audience

and we were being shot by the crew. And he would get up there and do whatever he was introducing the next thing we have and every time he would get up there I was the only one sitting in there in the first row just watching and waiting for my turn for the next one and he would go into a paragraph of X and Y and Z and he would talk about it. Cut! He would run right to me. He'd make a beeline.

How was that? Was that okay? Do you think I could do it a little faster? Or should I? Fred Astaire is asking Michelle Lee Dusick, am I all right? Yeah, I guess. Well, you can do it again a little, you know, put a smile on your face, babe. Come on, get with it.

Right upstairs seems like one of those people, if you saw him in real life, you'd think, no, he doesn't exist in real life. Yeah, absolutely. It's like Cary Grant. Yeah. Okay, you reminded Just like Cary Grant. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, you remind me of Cary Grant. I have several about it. Go on. Wait. No, I say it's very important at this point because I'm very big on who's a Jew. So I heard Fred Astaire is a Jew. Fred Astaire was a Jew.

If you're saying was, maybe he ran. I don't know. Frederick Austerlitz, I believe. Yes, see? Yeah. Are you serious? Or was he German and you're calling him Jewish? Fred Astaire was a Jew and I think Cary Grant. Yes, Cary Grant was maybe half. What was his name? Archibald Leach.

Thank you. Oh, you know everything. Oh, I'm a freak, Michelle. I was at the Kennedy Center when he got his Kennedy Award. The reason I'm, it's so wonderful that I get to meet some of these people who I maybe wouldn't have met before is that I am a member of the Honors Committee, the Kennedy Center.

So I would go, I go until the COVID every single year to the Kennedy Center Honors and talk to and meet all the presidents and everybody could ever imagine as we're talking about them right now so I you know, oh by the way to stand. I have to tell you yes, he's getting the Kennedy Center honor. Yeah, oh you just took it right out of my mouth. Yeah, thank you.

Yeah, I did a movie with Dick Van Dyke and we really have stayed friends. And every single year, oh I did a lot with him, a lot more than a movie, I did a lot of his specials also. So, yeah, oh my head is going in a million places. But anyway, yeah, they're hoping to do the Kennedy Center in May. I don't know if they'll be able to do it, but maybe they're gonna, if we're not okay,

they'll have to do it virtually, and it really pisses me off because he deserves to have that huge audience with that President Trump. He does, he does. And you know, the president sits up in the box and it's so wonderful to watch them watch the artists. The artists who are getting the Kennedy Center honor don't have to do anything.

They just sit there and they're entertained. It is so special. But anyway, I hope he'll have an audience there and I'm so happy for him. I didn't mean to jump the gun, Michelle, but you told me you were instrumental. You were one of the people that voted for Dick to get the honor.

Yeah, for years I did, but you see what would happen. And I'm not instrumental in getting Dick an honor. He obviously deserved it well without me, although he did try to sleep with me twice for the Kennedy Center honor. You're not. Gilbert Gilbert, you know where you have to go to get a Kennedy Center honor.

You say yeah. Now you are in that movie with Dick van Dyck the comic yes that was a very interesting film I think call Reiner directed it yes. And I was like like a composite of old movie stars that he was he was but Buster Keaton in his head. Yeah, yeah, Dick's Dick was playing the life of all those guys, you know so fabulous and what's interesting it's interesting, he is so brilliant in this movie. If anyone wants to see it, rent it, whatever,

it became a cult, that it was a cult movie because he's so brilliant and was so wonderfully done, but they didn't know how to advertise it. I think the advertising campaign was very weird. They thought it was, some of it was very emotionally Sometimes dark. Yeah brilliantly acted and and the comic is the comment so dick van dyken Oh

Mickey Rooney, thank you Mickey Rooney. So a lot of it was very funny. You know, it was funny, but they didn't know how to sell it. It was really, at that time, you know, it was a dramedy. And I don't even remember how they sold it, but it was wrong because people expected one thing and it was another. Sure. Really try to go see it. Try to see it. Don't go. It's not an easy movie to find. You can find it on the internet in parts. But you probably have to...

No, all you have to do is go to Amazon and put it in there. Is it on Amazon? Well, the thing is that you can buy old DVDs and whatever. We will return to Gilbert Gottfried's amazing colossal podcast, but first a word from our sponsor. feeling winning in an exciting live dealer studio exclusively on FanDuel casino where winning is undefeated 19 plus and physically located in Ontario gambling problem call 1-866-531-2600 or visit connectsontario.ca please play responsible. We were talking about Cary Grant before to have you met Cary Grant.

Oh, yes, I have many times. That was his name are are the late sound George OK anyway. The first time I met him and I thought I was going to die because it was Kerry Grant OK and and I thought I was gonna die because it was Cary Grant, okay? And here I am, I'm basically a kid and I was going with a boy, Italian boy who was going to UCLA and his sister was an artist. Her name was Leah DeLeo, Leah DeLeo.

And she was friends with Cary Grant. So I'm at her apartment and the doorbell rings. Oh, would you get that? Okay. I opened the door and Cary Grant is standing before my eyes. He came in and I almost fainted and that was the first time I met him, but it was a low end goodbye. And he only stayed for like 20 minutes talking to her, whatever. But he was a Kennedy Center honor. So during that weekend, just for you guys to know,

there's several things you go to during the weekend and you always see the honorees, OK? So I saw him many times. I took photographs of him. And oh, I was naughty. And the things you're not supposed to do. Let's hide behind this palm and take a picture of Carrie, my friend.

OK, and then when I did How to Succeed on Broadway, his then girlfriend, Diane Cannon, right, did How to Succeed in Europe. So when she, yeah, so when I was leaving and she was coming in, or she was going to start Europe, she rehearsed at the theater I was at. What the hell theater was that? I can't remember. And she, oh, the 46th Street Theater. Oh, the Richard Rogers, yeah, it was the 46th then.

Yeah, oh God, see, that's how old I am. I still call it the 42nd, sixth. Okay, but anyway, she came in and of course, Carrie was there. So I kept saying it Yeah, hello, Michelle Phillips or Michelle triolo or he could not remember my name I'm kidding. Oh god. That was cut that out to Michelle And obscure Lee Marvin reference, oh, you know everything god damn

And obscure Lee Marvin reference. Oh, you know everything god damn So also my friend dick van dyke went with her, you know that Right, he did yes, so Yeah, and they stay together Okay, go on. I was a couple of things Gilbert on the subject of Fred Astaire, I did a quick bit of research. He was born, his father was born in Austria to Jewish parents, but they had converted to Roman Catholicism. Oh, that's so disappointing. So there you go.

No. Actually, I wonder if they were hiding. Maybe they were hiding, you know? I'm sure. I wonder. Sure, yeah, but so a lot of people on the subject of fathers before we move on to shell tell us how your dad came to write a song that Jimmy Durante recorded. Oh my God was that I think yes, I don't for. Of course I will

sing it. What a day what what a day, what a day. I got da da da da da da da da da da da, forgot day, day, day. I got the sun in the morning and da da da da da, too low, da da da da. Okay, I didn't remember any lyrics and it was too low. But it was called What A Day. And my father did everything.

My father invented things before people said they already invented them. My father wrote songs, many songs. That was the one that, but he only had one done really with someone major, Jimmy Durante. But that's a cool thing. Yeah, and, yeah, go on. What about Groucho Marx?

Who? You know, yeah. I don't think I had anything to do with him. You were on What's My Line? He's talking about What's My Line in the early 60s. You were on a panel. Did I do talking about what's my line in the early 60's you were on a it you grow to was the mystery guest. OK for God's sake OK now here's the thing.

In the business for so long. You forget sometimes what you did and it's so true it's like I was a lot and I I met who right. I'm starting to sound a little like a loose a ball my ball my. And talking that slap everybody around. You are in a TV movie I talk about a lot on the show and that's what and Lou. We jump around Michelle as you can see. Yeah, Bud and Lou, yeah.

I played Bud or Lou's wife. You were Lou Costello's wife. Thank you. Oh, God damn it already with you. You know everything. Don't take out the God damn it. And you didn't ask, but whenever the subject of button the loop, come on, there's Buddy Hackett as Lou Costello in his deathbed in the hospital. Artie Johnson sneaks in a strawberry malted to him.

He takes one sip and goes no way I had a and he dies. It's not a great death scene, Michelle, it's not. We're talking a lot about the deaths. Oh God that's so funny. Yeah, I didn't you know when I did the love bug, it was with Buddy, too. I saw him a lot, Buddy, because we were traveling the same crowd, you know, it was always, it's that entertainment thing. You know, when I did Nots Landing, all the new audience of Nots Landing had no idea what I had done.

Most of them, they didn't know I sang, they didn't know I had this past. It was like, most of the things that I did that were major in my life in terms of our business, I was done by the time I was 30, my major stuff. By the time I was 30, 31, I did every Broadway show that was major except for Tale of the Allergist's Wife. I did How to Succeed.

I did the Love Bug, like the bigger things people knew me for. It was remarkable. And then I went out on the street with a cop at this. How to succeed started. I don't know who Gary Grant is it's true. It's like what I don't care grant. So also one of those actors who I met a couple of times who's in that category where I can say well he was always nice to me.

And that's Jerry Lewis. Oh yeah, you did 3 episodes of the Jerry do that I did do Jerry Lewis and I should rephrase that. I did do Jerry Lewis and I should rephrase that. I think that I loved about him and I do it often I have because I I've directed many things that I'm used to doing this. I'm so used to as he was in kind of taught me it with it

was osmosis really he because he was directing and of course this was his show. He he would always talk of himself when he was setting the scene or whatever in third person. Always. And then he goes over here, and then I think he should state it for a little while, you know, don't move the camera over yet. So it was always third person. And a lot of people make fun of that when someone does that, but I totally understand it because- Interesting. Well, think of it in terms of a director's eye. Not everybody does this, by the way, but if you stand back and look into the scene, you're on the outside looking at a scene.

So it's very difficult for most people to understand this, but I always when I talk about me if I'm talking about a scene or whatever. I'll say I never say and then I go up there, it's always and then she goes up there and what because you truly on the outside of it. It's cool that Jerry Lewis gave you a little directing tip. Yeah, no, you know, did you like him personally did you

let you get along. I know. I like them because of the relationship I had with him and of course I know all the Jerry Lewis stories and I always seen I have also seen him be a bad boy, you know, with the ego and everything. But you know, there's a time where certain people, I can understand it because you work hard to become whatever you happen to become, okay?

And a lot of years are difficult. And you have your ups and you've got your downs. And finally you make a noise of some kind. And then a few years goes by, younger people are coming up, meaning just people, not even in the business. And they'll say something about you that you know they don't have one bit of information about who you are and also

they don't care. So if you become the person who everybody knew at one particular time and now they say something that makes you feel as if they don't even know I'm in the business. And they're telling me how to speak into the microphone or, you know, if you just maybe stay still and don't move so much. And how many years have you done that? Whatever it is they're asking. And you do want to punch them in the face. There's no question. I understand Jerry Lewis. He did one step no, but it is true there's a psychology to what I am meaning all of us. It's like I don't know you work hard there you are somebody comes up

and says, basically, have you ever been before a camera before? Okay, but you'll do well. Just listen to what I'm gonna tell you. And you want, I oughta, I oughta. Well, that's Jerry Lewis kind of plus, you know, because you've seen him before. Be angry, angry mean whatever.

Yes, but the thing also my son had his first child so I am a first time grandmother. This is G my little oh when and a whole a month and a half ago while. Thank you so I'm going, thank you. So I'm going through the book I have for my son, the baby book, and I'm going through it and I see that Jerry Lewis, this isn't just like yesterday, Jerry Lewis gave a baby toothbrush to my son when he was born. to my son when he was born. Wow. Yeah.

How about that? So as abrasive and as temperamental as Jerry could be, you've been in the business long enough to understand, you think you understand the psychology of the man. Oh, certainly now I do. Certainly now. But he was never anything, yeah. He was never anything but nice to me. What about Buddy?

Buddy was known to carry a piece and and he was a complicated character as he stood he Kerry. He carried a hand he carried a handgun Mister hack it. Yeah, no he never showed me his gun. So you like to buddy too. Well, you know, Buddy was crazy. And totally crazy.

But you know, I didn't know him that well, but I knew him better than a lot of people, okay? And of course, that's how I got to know all the comedians. Really, through Buddy Hack and all the guys he used to hang out with. Wow. Really through a buddy hack and all the guys he used to hang out out with Wow Yeah, he was buddy could be naughty and rude and everything else and That's all I

Speaking of death. I did go to his funeral. She's laughing. Oh god Yeah, and that's maybe another 86. Oh tell us about Robert Morris. A favorite of ours. Yeah, his favorite of mine. He's I oh God I always say OK that was how to succeed. He was brilliant he still is brilliant. He was a genius. He was very young when he did How to Succeed. He was in his early 30s, I think, something like that. And I had such a crush on him. I had a crush on this man. I would stand. It's true, and I finally told them years later.

That's nice. He might have known because I would look at him in that rosemary, finch look. Oh, Ponte. Are you going to the dance tonight? Oh, I wish they could have seen my face. I was brilliant at acting that. So anyway, no, I would stand off stage and watch him because I had almost done nothing at that time.

And he would just get, he was a bad boy. He did, you know, he'd break the fourth wall, as we say in the theater. Most people listening to you probably know what I'm talking about, but then he'd stop something and he would do something very funny. Like one day at one of the shows, a woman in the balcony dropped her mink coat over the railing and it came floating down into the audience and he took out his imaginary rifle and shot it in the middle of that to succeed. He just completely, and he would do things like that always.

Then what he would do is he would call me into the dressing room and at intermission sometimes, and you say, you know, in scene X, when you say this line, you're not getting a laugh because you're not waiting two beats later. And sure enough, I'd get on the stage, get to that scene, and I'd think, okay, one beat, two beat, say the line, gaffaw, laughing, laughing. Wow. Yeah, I mean he was a master at it. I can kind of do it today. I don't know why I couldn't then but maybe not as much. I wasn't a character actor so.

Tell me if this is BS Michelle because I had heard that that Tony Curtis wanted that part that in spite of the fact that Robert- Rosemary Pilkington. Yes, your part. Yes, he would have been terrible in it. No, that the Finch part is as great as Robert Morris was on the stage, that the studio sought Dick Van Dyke, who told him he was too old for it.

You know anything about that? Or do I have bad information? The stage or the film? For the film, for the film, for the adaptation that the studio wanted Dick Van Dyke who apparently told him he was too old for the part. Oh my god, wow. You've never discussed that with Dick? Never have and I can see it. I understand, I don't know for the life of me why they gave me the role. And it's something that they never, that in film never happened. But maybe it was because Bobby was doing it.

I don't, oh, another interesting thing about how to succeed too. Musicals were not doing well or haven't in overseas. So we did two versions of how to succeed. well or haven't in overseas. So we did two versions of How to Succeed. We would do the whole musical for the film, okay, as we did it, and then we would cut out all the songs and we'd add additional lines of dialogue if there was anything that had to be said during the song,

which really almost never was. And we would just do straight scenes and segue into the next scene. And you worked with Don Rickles. Oh yeah, I did. I did and well, talk about a mouth. Okay, you know that today if he tried to be Don Rickles, especially with a younger audience who did not understand or know who he was then and what he could get away with, you know, even he said, I say this from my heart, I love all of you, I make fun, but you know, it's just to make fun. Today he'd be in jail. That's it. You know, right? There's nothing that he could do OK women would slap him around forget it but yeah amazing man I did a special with him also

I must have worked a lot. And I sang with him something from Seesaw, another Broadway show that I did back in the day. Seesaw, it's not where you start, it's where you finish. It's not where you go, it's where you land. So he and I did it together in Vegas running around all these machines and singing you. Yeah, wow I'd love to see that there's you know what is on show.

What is on on YouTube is you and Dionne Warwick singing to all blue eyes. His birthday party. Yeah, that's a what that's a wild clip. That's a great clip isn't it. Yes, yeah. First of all it's Dionne Warwick so hello. You know it's it's so interesting what what we get to do when there's a cache about what you happened to be doing at the time. And of course, Nots Alani was so huge, I could almost,

almost do anything, almost do anything I wanted. Because they're, you just have, they open doors for you, because they know you have a built in audience. So no, I was allowed to do many, many things. But that with him, forget it. And of course I met him many, many times and I did. I did him. What was Frank Sinatra like?

Oh. He. I will say, and I'm sure nobody minds at this point, but he was a little, at one time, he was a little flirtatious with me. Flirtatious with me. But I never did anything with him. I turned him down. No, he asked me to go somewhere with him, like a quasi-date.

But I did see him often. And I do have pictures of he and me. I have things that he wrote me on photos, just being very gracious. Francis Albert always, he'd sign everything with his. I don't think in 150 shows, Gilbert, we've ever had anyone here who turned down Frank Sinatra. Michelle, you've made podcast history.

Speaking of matinee idols, or not matinee idols, but sex symbols and singing idols, Rudy Valli, who you've made How to Succeed in Business with, but sex symbols and singing idols, Rudy Valli. Who you made how to succeed in business with. Who was a fascinating character to me. Oh, I have a story. Known as the cheapest man in show business, by the way. Oh, yes, he was. I'm gonna tell you a story.

First of all, I was not in his generation. Okay, so we know that, none of us. Sure, he was the star in the 30s, yeah. Yeah, but that none of short. It was the start of the third. Yeah. Yeah But it was amazing how people adored the fact that Rudy Valley was in that show How they loved that they got someone like Rudy Valley Okay, the cheap bit of him. Yeah, everybody knew it everybody knew it. Yeah, it was rich and ate at the automat Yeah, okay. Yeah, he was rich and ate at the Auto Mat. Yeah, okay. So now Christmas.

So I'm making my Christmas list, little things for everybody and Bobby is doing whatever. And Rudy Valli would have some kind of a deal with, what was that shopping magazine where you could get Sears and Robach or something like that where you would get things from this magazine. No. You mean like green stamps or like coupons? Oh, but that's a good one. It would be him.

But anyway, he'd come to our dressing room and say, would you like this? And we had to deal with him, because it was Rudy Valley. So he could get X amount of things for nothing. Say, would you like this iron, or would you like the mop and the bottle of glow? So eventually, he didn't get me the mopping glow what he did was and I love this in those years I used to smoke. So my birth my birthday my Christmas gift was

I swear to God it's this long like this a box open it up and it's a carton of Kent cigarettes that was my Christmas get wow. And that's so wild about it is it was reused paper Christmas paper. the crisis. We're all wrong.

They were he obviously is another one. Gilbert you've got competition as the cheapest man in the history of show business. It it's so funny hearing about the automatic and I miss the hoda bottom that yeah well, Michelle's parents you're both your parents are both from New York, so you know the automatic out. Yes, I was thinking of it as you were

saying it. My parents from New York in fact my mother I was conceived in New York and born in La so by coastal always. Brooklyn, I'm not your folks. But one Bronx one Brooklyn on Bronx one Brooklyn and then I don't know if they ever moved to Manhattan. I don't know. But, oh, I think they did, or he did. But anyway, my mother took me for the first time, because I was a kid, it's when I first started my career

that took me to New York. She did take me to that automat. I went there a few times with her and it was so amazing. And I do wish we would have something like that again. And I remember I would go there with my parents when I was little. And I always liked they had this like little lion head that you'd press the button and hot chocolate would come out Good stuff You know there was a lot of talented people involved in and how to succeed in business

I mean Frank Lesser a borrows was did you work with Fosse in the stage production? No, I didn't work with cut was already done. Yeah, yeah, some riddle for the movie. I did yeah, yeah, what what happened when we did the movie had us. The movie. The biggest song was I believe in you in the show. And in the show I did a reprise of I Believe in You as a ballad near the end of the show. And when we did the film, they had me sing it as a ballad

to Bobby Morse on some stairs outside my apartment there. Bobby sang it as he did in the show, a comedy piece with them talking about himself in the mirror. Why am I telling oh Nelson Riddle. So he did all the scoring everything for for the movie. And so it's great working with him.

I believe in you in one take you guys. Yes, yeah, don't say you guys me I did. Okay. I'll tell you what okay okay remember what you're going to say no so I was going to interrupt you with something totally not related to what you're saying to say now so I was going to interrupt you with something totally not related to what you're saying okay that shut up. Okay.

Oh God what I'm not. I was playing a character right now to come out with some of the series to come out with some of the I'm serious to come out with some of the things I've said on the show and to look at sweet Gilbert cheap sweet Gilbert Gilbert. And say shut up where does that come from. I talking about about saying when I'm not talking about who's a Jew in the business, which really narrows it down.

Ashkenazi, I think, Gil. Yeah, I'm... I also like to talk about Jew haters in the business. Oh, I know some, don't you? you yes of course you do not name any of them that are you when you work for Paul Lane. I heard was a major. Haha really. Name should you know he said.

We said such sweet, wonderful things about Chief Gilbert. Oh that was it. I can say so many things now I better shut up. No I didn't know that. The only thing I knew was that he did have a drinking problem, but he was so good that he would have cars come to pick him up at the end of parties. Right. Yes. Yes. Not a good drunk. They said, yeah. Yeah.

Oh, I know some of those guys. Yeah. I'll bet. I had Michelle spill. I had one of the same producers that was on the original Hollywood squares. And he said, Paul Lin would get drunk. Everyone else was having a great time during lunch. Paul Lin would get drunk and go, oh, those fucking Jews. They're the reason I don't have a career.

I wish our listeners could see Michelle's face right now. Oh my God. Okay, we can we can talk about that right that's not good. Names is not good at this moment is that correct because it's not going to get on the show, but we know those guys bad guys as a few running around. One was the president of the United States. Yeah, right, exactly. Rudy Valli, you know, people forget what an incredibly big star he was in the 30s.

And doing research, Gilbert, you'll like this. A woman shot her husband because he dared to interrupt a Rudy Valli broadcast that she was listening to. Shot her husband to death. Oh my God. He was an enormous, he was an enormous star. You liked him, you got along with him, listening to shot her husband to shot her husband to death. He was an enormous he was an enormous star you that you liked him you got along with them aside from the cheapness. Yeah, no of course I did we we I I'm not sure we even had a

scene together in the show I think you walk by and one of them. You're still in your 20's I really was I celebrated by. Yeah, I was I had my son yeah, it's got cut to from the movie they cut they cut Paris original. Oh I love that that was happy to keep his dinner warm. Yeah. And yeah and who I know it was and I know the audience it wasn't my hit go on. Another one getting back to button Lou what was Harvey

Corman like. I knew him well. I think because I did so many part of the expression Carol Burnett shows. Yeah, I did many of those so Harvey I knew his gosh it was a friend of Jim Farentino's my my former husband and so I would see him socially Harvey was just a great guy and he loved life he loved I mean he was always laughing you know the

two of them together forgetting Conway Carol for me, Conway yeah, yeah, God, yeah, you're on the show to you're on the Tim Conway show. You got. I cannot believe you're bringing up things I only forgotten. Yes, I was. I do the homework, you know. You know, I was telling Gilbert, too, you know, we love character actors on this show. You know, the Jack Gilfords and the Jesse Whites and the Herb Edelmans, and you worked,

and we were talking about it when I was on with you yesterday, of The I Sing, the Gershwin musical that you did for TV. Gilbert, Jesse White, Herb Edelman, Jim Back back us Jack Guilford Cloris leachman who we just lost and Carol O'Connor and Michelle can you believe that will tell our listeners they can find that on YouTube and you have some nice moments you have that song because because yeah, there is funny you have some really nice moments.

Yeah, I have a great body to. Did you see my body and yes, I noticed. You're your body, but if I may your body in the love bug when you put on that that tight fitting. What is it a racing. A racing outfit the pit crew uniform right with the helmet which now is my hair. form right with the helmet which now is my hair. Let legs all day Michelle. Yeah, yeah, very impressive. Did you make did you make a pilot with Ruth Buzzi where

you both yes kind of a female. Remember all this? Yes! I completely forgot that one. Newth Lezzi and I did a pilot that obviously didn't sell. Yeah, it was about two messy roommates. Where did they get that idea? Oh, that's a good one. They weren't the odd couple. A neat roommate and a messy roommate. As long as we're going down weird memory lane. Do you remember co-hosting a show with a young Ryan O'Neal? Yes! It was called Romp.

Oh my God. Gilbert, listen to this. Joey Bishop, Jimmy Durante, Liberace, co-written by a young Rob Reiner and Oscar, future Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss. If that doesn't seem like it's real. And that was yeah it was one of those cookie it was the day when all the comedy shows were quick vignettes and yeah,

yes, right right. And Rowan a Martin that kind of thing so it was during that time. Sammy Davis was on that Joe to. Oh, so everybody. Yeah, you're not paying attention to me anymore. Yeah, everybody that's looking at cards Michelle forgive me that's right you have to see what I did because

you never would come up with. I found a photo today there's a foot there's a great photo, I'll send it to you of all of you guys on the set it's a photo of you and Ryan O'Neill and Jimmy Durante and liberal hot G. And it's a real God my so real how liberal RG have you seen his bathtub well I have okay wait wrong. I do remember that. Again, those were

the years where they knew me as the singer-entertainer. And at that time, I had a hit record called L. David Sloan. Oh, yeah. L. David Sloan.an see I'm singing on this show You you crack the billboard charts with that song yes, and I think at that time All these shows were done before I did Not slanting that's what's so crazy all these shows and then I did not just yeah I'm just taking a chance with this question out of midair That's what's so crazy. All these shows and then I did not. Yeah. I'm just taking a chance with this next question out of midair.

I don't know if you do this or not, but if you do, do your Jimmy Durante imitation. Okay. I got the world on a string. Sitting on a rainbow. Got the string around my finger. What a laugh. Hey Mrs. Calabash.

What a life. Good night miss Calabash wherever you are. You really came through on that one wow even through in the Calabash yeah. And then this is saying let me step into this light. We will return to Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal podcast after this. Here's another memory for you, Michelle. Here's a question from a listener.

Mark Arnold says, I love Michelle Lee. Does she have any memories of 1983 Circus of the Stars with Robert Preston? Says you were in something called an executioner's box. Does that mean anything to you? Oh, I remember that box. They showed me how to do this. Okay, this is the box in

the show that every magician does. The woman with this incredible body gets into this box. And she lies there, they close the lid and the guy puts this sword and that sword and this sword and that and it's really going through by the way. Do you know that. And it's really going through, by the way. Do you know that trick? It's really going through the box. And then she jumps up and she has my legs. And it's high cut and I look so good in it.

And that's the end of the trick. But it's a trick. But how would you guess that trick is done? The woman gets into, yes, a box. It's not a big box. It's about four feet or less, the box. Yeah. Is there is there some kind of sheath inside the box that the sword goes through so that it's protected from your body when you're in the box? No. Okay. I gave it a shot. Okay, anything else?

Does anybody know the answer to that? I'll tell you. They actually teach you, the girl, whoever is doing this, they teach you where to put your body. Your leg, I mean, oh yeah, where your legs go, how high you have to push the legs up to your chin, where your arms should go here, where this, and you memorize that when you get into the box.

Your body's positioned so that all the swords miss you, but it's actually going through. Isn't that great? That's impressive. Has any girl actually been hurt doing this trick then? It seems like there would have been. Yeah, well, I would guess people can get hurt. By the way, David Copperfield, who I also did a special with, David Copperfield did the disappearance of the Statue of Liberty,

and I was his co-host on that special. And, oh, his real name is Kotkin, K-O-T, no. K-O-T-K-I-N, how would you spell it? I know this. You jumped ahead of me. I was just about to say David Copperfield sent you. Oh, you're right, and he is.

Very good, Gil. And he is. And David Cockett, and I knew his parents. So we've maintained a relationship since then. I love his wife, his kids, everything. You know, he owns an island. friends. I so so we've maintain a relationship since then I love his wife his kids everything you know he owns an island did you know that oh yes, he's got a lot of green backs. He's got oh yeah, oh may oh my God, but I brought friends

sometimes to see him in Vegas and they go you know he's always very kind he sees them afterward but and he's got planes and jets and automobiles and whatever the hell it is. But his island is spectacular. I was there. He had me go once. And when I tell you, when you're on the island, you are alone on the island with about 50 people who are, who serve him on that island. And you go, and he would surprise every single thing he would do for a guest like me. Here's what happens. Okay, every morning you go to breakfast,

you're living in separate houses. Every morning you go to breakfast, you can have whatever you want, okay? Lunch and dinner, you're all together, whoever is there, okay? So he'll say, tonight let's meet at, over there you see the patch of leaves that are turning color?

That's where you meet me at night. And you go there and all of a sudden, there's a setup for you are hamburgers hot dogs popcorn Pizza's and he has a movie theater outside. You're outside with the biggest screen you've ever seen sand and a Concession stand that you just take candy whatever you, and you lie there on these chairs. Oh, God, it's like magical. Beyond magical.

How do we get an invite, Gilbert, to David Copperfield's private island? Let's have him on the show. That's a nice sound. Isn't it? Then you're going to be like by the beach, and of course it's on the beach. So you're by the beach and all of a sudden you hear ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. You turn around and there's an old fashioned good humor truck, an old vintage good humor truck

with a driver and you go there and they open it up or the driver does and gives you every good humor. It's like Fantasy Island. It is. Yeah. It is. You know, now that I've heard you Jimmy Durante, I'm gonna throw other names at you.

Oh. Can you do it Jerry Lewis? Jerry. No, wait, I gotta get into it. Oh God. Let me see. into it oh god let me see that I I want that baby maybe that's staffing duck wait no you're gone you get your close yeah oh what one give me one lady oh lady oh lady yeah oh lady

Yeah, old lady. Okay, that's it. Give me another word, one more word. See, I got to get into it. Another word. Can you do Mae West? Why don't you come up and see me sometime? That's, everybody does that. Geez.

How about Cary Grant? Judy Judy Judy. That was a good one. Judy Judy Judy. Buddy Hacken. No that was Jerry Lewis. Oh, I was getting Jerry. Hey, hey, hey, hey, buddy hack it. It was almost like that except, yeah, he speaks like that. Does he? Or does he duck? Yeah, it's a little like Daffy Duck. Here's another comment, more a comment than a question from a listener Michelle for you

Michelle is great. She used to come into Joe Allen's when I was waiting tables in the 2000s during the tale of the allergist wife. I remember she loved the chicken the Cajun chicken sandwich if memory serves Does that mean anything to you It's true. I Every time I came in. He just passed away too. Yeah, we hope Joe Allen survives the loss of Joe Allen. Here's another one from Jed Disler. Michelle was involved in bringing to life many wonderful musicals. Did she work directly with Cy Coleman and Steven Schwartz and Frank Lesser on song interpretations? I know you did with Cy Coleman.

If so, if so. On song interpretations, no. Well, did they welcome your ideas or your suggestions? They were already written, honestly, but you know, we who work in our business always do your own take. I guess he means performing them. Yeah. Some of them are, you know, you just do your take

as that character singing that particular song. So there's where the difference is. But no one has ever said to me, you're not doing the woman I pictured doing this song. There's something wrong with the psychology of that woman that you're doing. Because, you know, again, could be very boring for the audience, but when you sing anything, certainly doing a, well, I would do it just doing a show. But you become the character and you understand who that person is who is saying those words. So that's it. So it helps to be a bit of an actress as a singer. Oh definitely. In that sense.

Which is interesting. Definitely. Yeah. Oh no question about it. Unless maybe it's a straight jazz and you're a musical instrument at that point of time and it's not a matter of time and it's not a matter of. A test get a task it you know how many times can you act it have you heard Gilbert saying Michelle. Many times. I'm going to send you here's your gift for doing the show Michelle, I'm going to send you a recording of Gilbert singing Helen Reddy's I am woman

Which I have which I have well Do you remember then making a TV movie called the first nine months of the heart are the hardest? Yes, right by our friend bill Persky and Sam den off absolutely and it was again it was another show that I did with Dick Van Dyke I you know it's I just have worked with them so often but that and Sonny and share were in it. Oh OK yeah there were 3 real in life married couples right. The first 9 months are the hardest. Were three women who were pregnant and how each family saw their lives through the pregnancy.

Of course all three women fall in love with Dick Van Dyke, their doctor. Everything was as it is in life. And of course you knew right then that Sonny and Cher were so right. I mean it was like for that show, for their relationship. You just saw it, you knew it was happening. You saw at that time that they had their wonderful, quirky relationship. And even though maybe they weren't meant to be husband

and wife at a certain time, there was a great respect and love between them, a bond. I would say a bond that happens through whether you're working with them or discovering each other or through in the business, whatever it is, it does become something much like I had with Jim Ferentino. Yeah, no matter, we were married for X amount of time and we had, we remained very close after, you know,

the few months of, oh God, I want to kill her, you know, whatever it is. Yeah, we were very close. You guys did a lot of projects together and I saw a night gallery episode last night that you were very close. You guys did a lot of projects together. And I saw a Night Gallery episode last night that you were both in. Were you up all night watching me? I was. I don't have a life, Michelle.

Do you remember this one, your aunt? Yeah. Yeah, Aunt Ida came to stay or something like that. Really good. You were both so good in it. Yeah, that's one of their favorites night gallery so spooky Also, what did we do and so well done? I produced a movie and

Called no one would listen which we did together was after we were divorced and It was called one it was about and it was called one it was about a spousal abuse I will tell you the movie was very special if I must say so myself that movie was special. I want to say as as we start to wind down Michelle I want to say Peter Rieger sends you his best your co-star from the

Jacqueline Suzanne movie. Oh my God played I guess Irving Mansfield Mansfield. He's done this show, I'm in touch with him, and he said please tell Michelle that she had me laughing the entire time. He's the one that said to me, I love, first of all, brilliant actor. Yeah, he's great. And I loved him. He's the one that said to me, I started to tell you this early on

when we started talking today, that years ago, I would be opposite some old guy. You know, all these old guys, not Clint, but you know, it's like if Clint Eastwood had to have a wife, a girlfriend or whatever, she was 20 years younger than him, okay? Guys always got to do that. And women not so.

Women, forget it, once they're finished with that phase, they're almost out, okay? And it was Peter Rieger who said to me when we were talking about this, he said to me, hey, you had your time, let me have mine. So. So talking about, hey, you know. That's hilarious.

All this, and now he said, okay, now the men can do it. I can do it now. You had your time, forget it. That's hilarious. True. I also wanna say that I loved your Will and Grace episode, You and Cheetah. Yeah. Which is terrific, people can find that

too it's on hulu you guys look like you had a great time we did well first of all that show was brilliant I mean and everybody on that show you couldn't pick more talented people so yeah cheetah and I did our stuff I was teaching her some dance steps she was you know cheetah do this. Haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha haha you taught a stair right you were trained. Yeah, stop stepping on my toe girl it's back to 3 front to 3. What do you remember about Bob Hope

anything at all I know it's I know it's going way back and you're in your 20's. anything at all I know it's I know it's going way back and you're in your 20's. Oh I did a great. It's all about me. I did a great song on that show. Oh no no no I think you something else what do I know about him, I know that. Oh God I can't tell you some things that.

It's just stuff you can tell to what I want to hear. But you know after this covid thing is over with that love a drink. The real story. Oh my God. Yeah, pop hope OK let me tell you something about Bob hope saying it's known for thanks for the melt melodies right. Yeah, the memories. Yeah, that's right. I got it wrong. It's my memory. Thanks for the memories and so I

through a Peter remember Peter Max nobody knows Peter Max now but he was the carabinetto show. Yeah, yeah, and also did the first right album or 2 with Barbara Streisand. That's right anyways Z Peter wrote Thanks for the memory as a ballad for me and in fact, Carol Conner saw me doing that thanks for them Memories as a ballad and that's when he said I want her to do that show with all those guys we're talking about for that the president think. Yeah, I'm very sick of me right

now. What about that of the network stars. Tom said that was so gorgeous. He was the captain of your team your CBS was the captain captain of the team. Yeah, my God. What did you do what what were the what were the what were the events that you had to we're really digging low in that barrel right.

What did I do. I did this thing. Let me think if I can tell some good. He getting me with things. Davis. Betty Davis is the one. Betty Davis at that time when I sang the song we were just talking about, thanks for the memories, it was such a thrill to have her introduce me. At the end of whatever she said and the young Miss Michelle Lee, I forgot what Betty said. I forgot what Betty said. After all these years when you think of yourself getting into the business so young and you look back and it's been a remarkable career.

You look back at Frank Sinatra and Betty Davis and Fred Astaire and all of these people that you got into Durante and the list goes on and on and on, that you worked with, do you, what is the emotion? What do you feel? Oh. You feel. Do you feel gratitude? Do you feel- No, I do. A sense of wonder that it happened. Yeah, I feel a sense of wonder that it happened.

And it is true it is true because how many people get to meet. That's what I mean. Okay and on and on I I I I'll tell you some president things yeah go on. I heard you on another interview. Doing a speech, if you remember any of it, called the Pollyanna speech.

Oh, that speech is from Notzlanding. And when you're saying a speech, my character did that speech at a time My character did that speech at a time that Americans were feeling exactly what I was talking about. It was a time, it was Reagan years and the Pollyanna speech was about how come we have to send, we can't send money through the mail. How come I have to lock the front door

and put alarms on my car? And it was during that time where we as our country was hungry for whatever, we were having a lot of financial—I don't remember during that time, but what happened was there were a lot of—there began to be a lot of crime and robberies. And it was the first time a child was taken from the front lawn. And that was in the speech, too. Why do I have to worry about my child sitting on the front lung? Why do I have to have an alarm on my car and in my house and whatever?

And that's what she said. Somebody called her a Pollyanna and said, no, I want to be a Pollyanna. People should be nice. Why aren't they? Nice should be the norm. It was when things were starting to change. But they remembered that speech for some reason. And always bring it up to me, because it hit everybody

at the same time. They were identifying with what she was saying at that time. Well, it kind of defined your character, that speech, in some ways. Yeah. And also, just to say something about that show that I did that I loved for a long time and then wasn't so fond of as time went by,

because it became more and more soapy, when they don't know what to write anymore. It's like you've gone through everything, so where do you go? But it was special, It was so well written. And as I was gonna say, we went through four presidents during that time. And our show changed as our society changed

through each president. So that was a segue into some of my president stories. Okay, so I've met many presidents. president. So that was a segue into some of my president's stories. So I've met many president. You could tell us one no going OK if there's a safe what you want to tell. No they're all safe except. No they're all safe and I do have stories about all of them

but I will tell you my Betty Ford. I didn't tell you that on this show yet, right? No. My betty Ford. Betty Davis, yes. So I did have, gee, my character had at one point a dependency on prescription drugs. And there was a nine show arc for my character having a problem with it. At the same time, Betty Ford came out with her and allowed the public to know that she was having a drug problem. She also had cancer, breast cancer at the time, who let the world know

that was something that wasn't done at that time. And I always bow to the president, Ford, that allowed it because you don't have to allow that. Okay. Anyway, so Betty Ford, I cut together all these things from the nine shows that I did and made a special program to send to kids in school, public relations all over. And so Betty Ford asked me to come to lunch in the desert. Okay. So I went to lunch sitting with Betty Ford and she announces that she would like

to go to the ladies' room. And it was, I said, oh, okay, I'll go too. And then I noticed that the table behind us were the Secret Service guys. And I never, never knew about what the hell they were doing and why they were there, whatever. So it was the first time I saw these guys talking into their sleeves and doing their whatever.

Betty Ford and I got to the bathroom, closed the door, and I suddenly realized that the Secret Service were right outside the door listening because they had to protect her. So now Betty Ford goes into a booth and I think to myself, I mean, I don't have to go so badly anymore. But then I thought, OK, if she can do it, I can do it too. I went in there,

and it's when I had that moment that you were talking about, about all the people and the things that you're able to do and people you meet, I'm peeing next to Betty Ford. And I knew it. It was like, my grandfather came here from Ellis Island. Yeah, I'm sitting on a throne. But it's true. God can I let the call.

I can still hear me. They certainly will hear me. Funny story that's great and that's that's what brought it all home for you. All that perspective. I have many more, but do you have enough to cut together? Yeah, it'll sew together. Do kids still recognize you from the love bug, Michelle? Does that happen? No!

But you know what? In France, Nazi landing was such a huge, huge success. They used to watch it on Sunday nights. So it was like a family or three o'clock on Sundays. So the whole family get together. So when I did this movie in France, I would walk down the street, and I swear to you, little children would come running after me

and say, they'd call out, Karen, Karen! Oh, that's cool. My name was Karen. That's cool. I mean, can you believe it? That show was a gigantic worldwide hit, not just in the states.

By the way, this will tax your memory even more, but according to my research on the Red Skelton Hour, you played a stripper named Peaches. Oh, I do remember that. I even remember some of the steps. There you go. Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum Listen. . . Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha Okay. Um... What a dump! Which he never said, right? It's true.

What a... What a dump! Oh, that was really bad. Give me the other one. I remember three words, or I can do three words from everybody. Uh, uh, uh, Liberace. Geez. I mean, everybody. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure.

I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. They're both right into Carol Channing. Would you like to hear Gilbert's James Mason, Michelle? Yes, I do. I've been waiting. Go ahead, Gil. Okay, this is from a star is born. Congratulations to you seem to man just in time.

I had to speak out it just in time. I had a speech all prepared in my head. But I know most of you gentlemen by name. I, I, I, you know, I, well, I need a job. That's my speech. I need a job. I'm not const not addicted to drama. I could do comedy as well. Oh, dear one. I almost cried because that's brilliant.

That was brilliant. No, I'm being serious now. It was brilliant. And it brought me right back to that incredible movie. And then that incredible movie. And then that poor man, oh, God. He ended up in water, didn't he? Yes.

Yeah. Oh, God. What people go through in this business, and you're famous, then you're not famous. And then you drink, and then you marry Judy Garland. And then you walk into the ocean. And then you walk right into the ocean. Michelle, this is a real treat indeed. Thank you so much. You are an entertaining lady.

Yes, I am. We have had a lot of laughs, haven't we, Gil? Oh, yes. By the way, we have a rabbi listening to this show, our friend David Komorowski. Gilbert knows him. Oh my god. And he writes, hey, Gil, which is more believable,

the strawberry malted death scene or a world in which Buddy Hackett would be married to Michelle Lee? Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!

Ah! Ah! That's so great. Oh, that is so great. That is so great. Michelle, we salute you. We want to thank Gino Salamone, too, who made this possible, and also Tina Rock.

Yeah, Tina. Who has been a rock and wonderful to us. So I know you're listening, Tina. Thank you. Yeah, my girl, my friend, my Tina Rock is a rock. Yeah, she does everything. And we'll thank Aristotle Acevedo, who's also on with us, our engineer.

You know, Michelle, you're somebody we could probably do 12 hours with to just get into the, I use this cliche on the show that we barely scratched the surface, but if people go to your IMDB page and look at the, you know, I use this cliche on the show that we barely scratched the surface, but if people go to your IMDB page and look at the things you've done and the people you've worked with, it's- Ridiculous. Ridiculous.

Yeah. Yes. I thank you, I thank you. And so much we didn't get to. Is there any organizations or anything that you're working with that you wanna promote or talk about? No, I'm not a philanthropist.

No, there are things I can Entertainment EIC, the Entertainment Industries Council, which I've been a part of for a long time. It did start mostly about drugs and the care for people to understand and educate. It's gone a long way since then. But I think most importantly now, and I could name a few more, but most importantly now, is people to learn to like each other again. Well, that's nice. And smart.

It was very easy to say. Well, you walk the walk, because we've tried for 90 minutes to get you to say something unkind about one of the people you've worked with. Yeah, right. Oh, God, I can't believe it. The worst we got out of you was Rudy Valli and the cigarettes for Christmas. You're a good soul, Michelle.

Thank you for doing this. Thank you. Thank you, guys. good soul Michelle thank you for doing this thank you thank you guys this has been Godfrey's amazing colossal podcast with my co-host Frank Santo Padre and we have been talking to the woman who sat had on a toilet he Betty, how many people can claim that? Ladies and gentlemen. I ask you please, how many people can say that they sat next to Betty Ford trying to hear her?

The wonderful Michelle Lee. Thank you, Michelle. This was a Thank you. This was a kick. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Tina. When it comes to men, do I ever do what's right? And a year? Any month? Any morning, afternoon or night? If there's a wrong way to say it a wrong way to play it nobody does it

like me if there's a wrong way to do it a right way to screw it up, nobody does it like me I've got a big loud mouth, I'm always talking much too free If you go for tact and manners, better stay away from me If there's a wrong way to keep it cool, the right way to be a fool Nobody does it like me If there's a wrong bell, I ring it A wrong note, I sing it Nobody does it like me If there's a problem, I duck it

I don't solve it, I just muck it up Nobody does it like me And so I try to be a lady I'm no lady I'm a fraud And when I talk like I'm a lady What I sound like is a fraud If there's a wrong way to get a guy

The right way to lose a guy Nobody doesn't like me Nobody doesn't know Nobody doesn't Nobody does it like me Nobody does it, no Nobody does it Nobody does it like me