Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

The bulk of the musical talk
Post Reply
User avatar
Steve Marcus
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 1842
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:18 am
Location: Chicago area
Contact:

Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by Steve Marcus »

It has been documented that the late Debbie Reynolds played the French horn.

IIRC, Debbie Reynolds appeared on at least one talk show (Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin, etc.), making an entrance with a bit of her Vegas show in which she PLAYED (not just held or danced with) a fiberglass sousaphone before she sat down next to the host's desk. The song might have been a novelty such as "Hello, My Baby."

Does anyone else remember this (or better yet, have video or still photos)?

Have there been any other actors who have played tuba publicly, such as Patty LuPone in "Sweeney Todd" and Andy Griffith? (really played, not faked like Patty Duke)
Steve Marcus
http://www.facebook.com/steve.marcus.88
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
User avatar
sousaphone68
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 980
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 6:46 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by sousaphone68 »

Tom Wilson aka Biff Tannen played the sousaphone https://youtu.be/PR_hh8ong_k" target="_blank
Cant carry a tune but I can carry a tuba.
Image
User avatar
David Richoux
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1954
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:52 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, mostly. Also Greater Seattle at times.

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by David Richoux »

Here is Debbie playing the French Horn (or so says the caption.)
IMG_0469.JPG
No luck so far on finding her with a Sousaphone.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Walter Webb
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 265
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:02 pm
Location: Somewhere in the boondocks between Sacramento and Reno

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by Walter Webb »

Check, on the French Horn thing! http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/4795 ... -Roll.html" target="_blank
Three Valves
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 4230
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 9:44 am
Location: With my fellow Thought Criminals

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by Three Valves »

WOW!!

She is so young she doesn't look like herself!!
I am committed to the advancement of civil rights, minus the Marxist intimidation and thuggery of BLM.
User avatar
David Richoux
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1954
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:52 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, mostly. Also Greater Seattle at times.

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by David Richoux »

Walter Webb wrote:Check, on the French Horn thing! http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/4795 ... -Roll.html" target="_blank" target="_blank
Jane Powell can't lip-sync to save her life!
User avatar
DonShirer
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 571
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Westbrook, CT

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by DonShirer »

One of the web obits said that Debbie played the French Horn and Bassoon in a youth orchestra, presumably while in high school.
Don Shirer
Westbrook, CT
User avatar
sticky_valve
bugler
bugler
Posts: 52
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:56 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by sticky_valve »

Have there been any other actors who have played tuba publicly
Peter Falk as Columbo...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhQzAN3eqTM
Reynolds TB-11, Conn 20J, Conn 20K, Yamaha YBB103
User avatar
GC
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1800
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 5:52 am
Location: Rome, GA (between Rosedale and Armuchee)

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by GC »

Andy Griffith played "Melody in F" on tuba on a variety show when I was a kid. At that point he was still best known as a comedy act. I remember that he played it quite competently.
JP/Sterling 377 compensating Eb; Warburton "The Grail" T.G.4, RM-9 7.8, Yamaha 66D4; for sale > 1914 Conn Monster Eb (my avatar), ca. 1905 Fillmore Bros 1/4-size Eb, Bach 42B trombone
User avatar
David Richoux
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1954
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:52 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, mostly. Also Greater Seattle at times.

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by David Richoux »

GC wrote:Andy Griffith played "Melody in F" on tuba on a variety show when I was a kid. At that point he was still best known as a comedy act. I remember that he played it quite competently.
He was a North Carolina state champion high school tuba player and as I recall he also played through college. He was a big Trad/Dixieland enthusiast all of his life, but I don't know if he played regularly in any group. He also sang and later on came back to his old school to lead the Glee Club. There are some pictures of him in high school band somewhere on Tubenet.
User avatar
proam
bugler
bugler
Posts: 123
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:19 pm

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by proam »

sticky_valve wrote:
Have there been any other actors who have played tuba publicly
Peter Falk as Columbo...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhQzAN3eqTM
Funny! That episode was on last night. Peter Falk was not really playing, though, just miming along.

And I didn't like that particular episode very much, either. It was from the 2nd iteration of Columbo, after a 10-year break. Falk was making Columbo a caricature of what Columbo had been.
User avatar
GC
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1800
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 5:52 am
Location: Rome, GA (between Rosedale and Armuchee)

Re: Debbie Reynolds...and the tuba(?)

Post by GC »

Didn't Tommy Johnson teach Bill Murray a bit about playing the Sousaphone for the first Charlie's Angels movie?
JP/Sterling 377 compensating Eb; Warburton "The Grail" T.G.4, RM-9 7.8, Yamaha 66D4; for sale > 1914 Conn Monster Eb (my avatar), ca. 1905 Fillmore Bros 1/4-size Eb, Bach 42B trombone
Post Reply