When I was a young girl, I shared the stage with many Hollywood celebs. Notably: Ruta Lee, Russell Arms, John Raitt, Billy Barty, Marni Nixon, Dyan Cannon… I was very impressed with how the female stars held themselves “ON” at all times. They even came to rehearsal dressed to the nines with full make-up, false eyelashes, nylons, and satin heels dyed to match their various outfits.
Ruta Lee was perfection, although I would say that she was a little too old to play Peter Pan at the time I knew her. Still, she was beautiful everyday.
Dyan Cannon was extremely talented. She could really belt out a number and she had a fantastic body, but no amount of make up could hide her terrible complexion.
Billy Barty was constantly hilarious cracking jokes like, “Not everything on me is small.” I was too young to understand what he was talking about, but everyone laughed so I did too.
I did the King and I with Marni Nixon. She is most famous for doing all the voice over work for Natalie Wood and many others in the Hollywood musicals of the fifties and sixties. I played a concubine and servant to her in the play.
In one scene I was to follow her into the king’s chambers onstage. I was told by the director never to react to anything Miss Nixon said or did. I was to keep my eyes downcast, never meet her gaze, and keep my head bowed… like the method.
We were waiting back stage to go on and she was dressed in that famous purple taffeta gown with the full hoop skirt, perfect make-up, false eyelashes, looking regal, and everything… gearing up for the “Shall We Dance” number.
I am trying not to look at her, but really I am watching everything she does out of the corner of my eye. So, she gets this look of discomfort on her face, twitches her nose, and then she sticks her whole index finger up -way up- her nose and brings out the biggest nastiest booger about the size of a small egg and wipes it on the back of the set.
I can’t believe it, but I just follow her onto the stage as usual. Well, this was unexpected. I’ve always been a nose picker myself and enjoy mining for boogers, but I usually put them in a tissue or at least roll them up until they’re dry and flick them away. The next night I look for the evidence. It’s there – dried up, but visible. I see it every night (dark on Mondays) for the two week run. #Booger
(First published 11/15/11)
