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Online ChatwithSteve BlaunerPage two
John: Any chance of a COMPLETE box set of Bobbys Work...B Sides...Sound track to The Lively Set"....EVERYTHING ? Steve: I hope we'll have a box set someday of Bobby live. John: When do we get.. "If A Man Answers"...and That Funny Feeling" on video ? Steve: Thats up to Universal, they own those films. Vinnie: What's your middle initial J. stand for ? Steve: My first name is Jules but I've always been called Stephen. If you want to know more about me theres a book out called "Easy Riders and Raging Bulls." Patricia: Any thoughts on the Lifetime achievement grammy for Bobby? I think he's long overdue! Steve: Let them know. Karen: Did Bobby ever meet any of the Beatles? Steve: Yes, and they said they were fans. John: Obviously you're not making a living promoting Bobby now....what are you up to? Steve: I'm retired. Linda: Steve,I hope you are having fun chatting with us. Steve: I haven't had such a good time since "Mack" was released. Vinnie: Were there any plans for BD to do Broadway? Steve: He was to play Laguardia on broadway but the time couldnt be worked out. Cara: Tell us about when Mack was released...what was that like? Steve: A comet ride. I asked them to release it as a single in April(1959) but Bobby and Atco thought I was crazy. Karen: You would obviously be the best but since you`re retired... who in the business today do you think would be the best person to promote Tributes to Bobby? We could try to contact this person...start a little campaign . Steve: I'm retired except when it comes to Bobby. He was my brother...it all starts with this website. John: Steve, are you New York or Los Angeles ? Steve: I was born in New York and have been in LA since 1958. Tony: Steve, whose idea was it to do the PBS special? ( "Bobby Darin :Beyond The Song") It's introduced Bobby to so many new fans and reminded others of his great talent. Steve: The two young producers,Jason Cilo and Henry Astor. John: Bobby had a home in Palm Springs didn't he ? Steve: Yes. Vinnie: If we gave you enough time, would you consider a visit to a BD convention? Steve:Yes. Karen: On the PBS special... which show was it in the clip where Bobby is singing Mack (1970)? He looked really healthy in that clip. Steve: I think Andy Williams or Flip Wilson. Vinnie: It was Andy Williams. Steve: Thatta boy, Vinnie! Karen: Has Dodd been able to retreive any of the lost items from Hard Rock? I hope so. Steve: Not yet. Christine: How does Dodd feel about this renewed interest in his father? Steve: He loves it. Tony: Steve, were you aware of Bobby ever meeting Sinatra? Steve: Yes. When all the made up bad press was out there I arranged for them to meet and they did and put it (the bad press) to bed. Vinnie:I would have loved BD on the Sinatra duets album. Steve: Me too. I went to Frank and told him the next duet album he should do would be with dead people. Needless to say they thought I'd gone off the deep end. Cara: Steve, I asked Harriet this question...would be interested in your answer...what was Bobby's favorite movie he was in, and why? Steve: "Pressure Point". Karen: Steve, was Bobby was at peace toward the end?... it may sound maudlin but it is something we really hope for... he seemed anxiety ridden in earlier years. Steve: Are you ever at peace when your dying ? Cara: Will there would be 2 bioflicks...Dick Clark and Levinson? Steve: I doubt it. Karen: Bobby seemed quite the comic... do you have a funny story to share ? Hesh said he'd go in Italian restaurants and order Chinese! Steve: One day he came to my house in his bathrobe, walked to the pool found it was empty, got back in his car and left never having uttered a sound.He was naked under the bathrobe. Vinnie: How close was Bobby with Nancy Sinatra? Steve: Very. When she was married to Tommy Sands we would hang out. Karen: Steve, we had an idea... what if you were to write a book with our Max Collins as ghost writer... sound interesting? Steve: I'd love it if he could get it in print. Vinnie: Who was BD's closest celebrity friend? Steve: Wayne Newton and Dick Clark. Tony: Where did your meeting with Bobby and Sinatra take place? Steve: At Sinatra's office in LA. Vinnie: Did Newton exaggerate his role in BD's Vegas comeback? Steve: No. Without telling anyone he went to Bill Harrah and the Howard Hughes people and asked them as a favor to him to book him and they did. I found this out years later from someone in the Hughes camp. Vinnie: Was there singers that BD did not care for? Steve: I'm sure there was but he never said anything bad about anyone. Lorraine: How close were Bobby and Flip Wilson ? I see them together on the reruns of Flip's show and they seem to be having a great time together. And Flip always makes special mention of Bobby in introducing him. Did you know Flip? Steve: No I didn't, but Flip was taken by Bobby as his opening act in Vegas and he never forgot it. When Bobby needed it Flip had him on his show more than any other guest.
Tony: Steve, I get the feeling you felt Bobby would be more marketable if he had stayed in 1 or 2 musical styles instead of trying everything--true? Steve: Yes, I always fought him on this, but I'm glad he didn't listen to me. Vinnie: I heard that BD and Steve McQueen didn't get along. True? Steve:Nobody got along with Steve. Vinnie: Did Dodd ever get back the rights to BD's music? Steve: No, he never did. Vinnie: Was AllanKlein involved with BD? Steve: Once he did an audit for us but I never trusted him. John:So Steve...when you're not listening to Bobby Sing...who do listen to ? Steve: I have three thousand cds. I like vocalists. Dick Haymes, Sinatra,Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis,Dinah Washington, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Julius LaRosa. Lorraine: Do you remember Bobby's first night ever at the Copa? (I'm listening to that album right now) Steve: I could never forget it. It was fantastic and if you look at the liner notes on the Copa CD you will see the great reviews. Lorraine: I'm glad you didn't just stay in one area ! Very distinguished body of work! Steve: Thank you, I had great partners. Tom: When the TV show was cancelled, was it really because of the ratings or Bobby's health or something else? Steve: Ratings. Tom: I believe Dodd's book said the ratings were good. Steve: Not really. Also as you know there are no real varity shows on anymore. Karen:You were quite a young pup when you started with Bobby... but thank God you did... you were so dedicated... did you ever think "What the hell am I doing?" Steve: I used to yell a lot out of fear until one day, I told the head of Paramount pictures that he was going to end up in the shoe business and when he looked down at his shoes, I realized we were all scared.Bobby did two pictures at Paramount, "Too Late Blues" and "Hell Is For Heroes". I yelled at the head of the studio because I was trying to get Bobby in a Sinatra picture, the one he did with Tony Bill.("Come Blow Your Horn") Paramount had bought it for Bobby and then Frank got involved and wanted Tommy Sands to play the part. Lorraine: They bought it for Bobby ? I'm in agony, here!!! Steve: Yes, and Norman Lear was to write and Bud Yorkin to direct. They had done Bobby's TV special. Patricia: His scene in "Captain Newman M.D." is a heart-wrencher, though. Steve: The scene your talking about he did in one take and the crew applauded at the end.
Steve: It blew me away. Let me tell you about Bobby. I wanted him to play the Tony Curtis role but when he didn't get it I made a special deal for him to play the part he did. I sent him the script in Vegas and he called me and said "Why am I playing this role ?" because he counted the pages he was on. I said he would get an Academy Award nomination and two years later when I went to his house to congratulate him he whispered in my ear, "You were right." Lorraine:You had the vision! :) Steve: But he had the talent. Karen: You are delicious, Steve. Steve: Our deal was he performed. I did everything else and he lived by it. Christine: Didn't he win a Golden Globe ? Steve: Yes, best new actor. Jimmy: What a great team ! Steve: If he couldn't deliver, there wouldn't have been a team.
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