"Ol' Red Hair is Back"

T h e

	D i v i n e
		B e t t e
			M i d l e r!

" Burt Bacharach Special "

In February of 1973, "Bette" made an appearance on the "Burt Bacharach"

TV special, along with Stevie Wonder. According to Bette, he stole the

show with his harmonica, but her appearance was memorable as well.

Singing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," Bette appeared as all "three"

Andrews Sisters. "They filmed all three, different outfits, different hairdos,

and then they spliced me together. My mother saw it in Honolulu and she

said, 'Gee, that's terrific. They found two girls who look just like Bette.' "

T h e B a g e l m a n S i s t e r s

" Theresa "

" Maria "

" Conchita "

Three Anglo-Saxon Protestant girls from the South who came up to

New York to make it big in show biz!

Bette also sang a beautiful version of "Superstar" sitting against a starky-lit

concrete backdrop with a shaft of light entering through a window.

" Ol' Red Hair is Back! "

Bette's special "Ol' Red Hair is Back" was produced by Gary Smith

and directed by Dwight Hemion. It was a gorgeously mounted show

which showed Midler off to wonderful advantage while diluting

surprisingly little of her bawdiness.

The show opened with a scantily-clad Bette popping out of a clamshell,

singing "Oklahoma." After which guest Emmett Kelly helped

Bette introduce, her signature song, "Friends."

"We are living proof that the moral standards by which this

country lives have died."

While Bette did have to launder her jokes a bit ( instead of FDS'ing

themselves into a stupor, the girls gargled themselves into a stupor ) she

got away, by television standards, with murder.

"Try and remain vertical, girls, at least until the first commercial," Bette

tells the Harlettes. After "In the Mood," she lies face up on the floor ~

"My favorite position" ~ and says "How does Marie Osmond do it? You

mean she doesn't do it? I heard she did! . . . I promised myself

I would never sink this low again ~ but old habits die hard. Ain't

that right, girls?" The Harlettes respond with their patented

whine, "Unnh hunnnh."

"Oh, my girls. So verbal, so articulate, so rife with bons mots. I told

my girls, I said, 'Girls, I want my show to be illuminating, uplifting, I

want the show to be a vindication of Tolstoy's innocence.' I want an

hour devoted to the twin deities of truth" ~ she points to one

breast ~ "and beauty" ~ she points to the other.

"Talk about your big events."

Slowing things down, Bette performs a heartfelt version

of the classic, "Shiver me timbers."

Later in the special, Bette sang, "La Vie En Rose," looking absolutely

lovely in a red satin evening gown.

Then guest Dustin Hoffman and Bette sang a duet of a song they'd

written together, titled "Shoot the Breeze." Afterwards, Hoffman

insisted on playing Rachmaninoff's "Prelude in C-Sharp Minor," despite

Bette protested that he had to change into his formal attire for their

waltz. So, while he plays, Bette strips him to his underwear and

redresses him in a tuxedo. Hoffman's appearance ends with a

lovely waltz, which they complete by posing to recreate one

of the Klimt paintings on the wall, "The Kiss."

Returning from the break, Bette introduces one of her signature

songs, "Hello in there" with a particularly moving account of

the lady who provided the inspiration behind the story, "fried eggs."

During the final segment of the show, Bette sang a delightful version

of "Do you wanna dance" wearing a fluffy blue housedress, which

she later rips off to reveal a merry-widow corset and leotard, as she

performs "Higher and Higher." Without missing a step, the last

song of the evening is "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."

"Ol' Red Hair is Back" was a big ratings winner and got excellent reviews.

It won the Emmy Award as the Outstanding Variety Special of the 1977

season. "Bette was in London when the awards took place," Bruce

Vilanch says, "but Aaron flew back for the show. When he accepted

the Emmy, he forgot to thank Bette. He never heard the end of it."

United Jewish Telethon

On May 8th, 1975 Bette made an appearance at a telethon for the benefit of the

United Jewish Appeal. After singing, "Sentimental Journey" and "Boogie

Woogie Bugle Boy," Bette said, "What could be more wonderful? My first

telethon ~ and at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Oh my dear, it gives me pause.

The great, the near great and the lame have played here. Some as recently as

this evening. But, we did not come here to dump, we came to ask for your

dough. You know, this cause means so much to me that I am prepared to

'drop my dress for Israel!'

"Out there in television land, I know there is someone who wants to see it.

Someone who wants to be responsible for allowing all of New York to see

the end of my reputation, the end of my career ~ and my legs, which are

the most beautiful in the business.

Thank you, thank you ~ and kiss my tuches!"

After "Hello in there," Bette asked expectantly, "Did I get it?

Did I get my pledge? I got it? I got it? Oh, I'm so excited!

Are you ready?" Applause, drumroll ~ and Bette did a slow

bump-and-grind strip-tease to remove her dress, revealing a statin

slip with the heart on it's front which she wears in her show.

"I hope you all aren't too disappointed. I hope you all weren't

expecting to see the whole thing. I mean, you're gonna have to

pay a lot more than five grand to see the whole thing!"

Bette closed the program with a show-stopping version of

her signature hit song, "Friends."

"Bing Crosby Special"

In May of 1976, Bette made a guest appearance on the Bing Crosby

television special. Dressed as a usherette, Bette begins to sing along

with the audience as Crosby is crooning, "Attitude of doing right."

When Bette joined him on stage, they sang along together to the

song, "Accentuate the positive."

Bette then did a solo ~ "Glow worm," complete with a skin-tight

sequinned blue dress with a bow which lit up when she sang, "Glow

little glow worm, glimmer, glimmer." Midway through the song, the

Mills Brothers joined her to complete it, to great effect. "I don't

believe it," Bette cried. "Me and Bing Crosby and the

Mills Brothers on the same stage."

"Rolling Stone"

~ The Tenth Anniversary ~

Bette and the Harlettes, dressed in their red Chinese print dresses,

sang an electrifying version of the song, "Red!" Appearing before

the packed house, this intimate performance showcased Bette's

incredible blend of jokes and musical talent. Following her opening

number, Bette performed a stirring rendition of the timeless classic,

"La Vien Rose." As she finished her set, she sang a rousing medley,

"Uptown, Don't say nothing bad about my baby, and

Da doo run run." Which is simply wonderful!

Throughout the years, we have all searched and hoped that one day

we would come across ~ at the very least ~ "a good copy" of Bette's

1977 special "Ol' Red Hair is Back." Well, imagine my surprise when

the tape that I was given, also included all the rest of the moments

that I have mentioned above. Honestly, I was laughing as I put the

tape into the vcr . . . by the time, Bette graced the screen with her

song, "Shiver me timbers" from her special, I was reduced to tears.

And I'm being totally serious.

I had hoped throughout the years, that one day I'd find a good

copy of her special, to replace the one that I had, because mine

wasn't the best. So as these programs unfolded, one by one,

I was completely mesmerized by the quality.

All of the photos that you see above were taken directly from

the video tape. They haven't been altered in any way. The

picture was "snapped" and then reduced in size, and then

"sharpened." That's all . . .

If you would like a copy of this remarkable tape, please

drop me a note. In the past, I have presented many things

from my collection to others, and for those of you that

I have corresponded with, you know that I really do

try and present the best!

Thank You!

I hope to hear from you!