Most everyone knows that mite-sized Pet Clark can sing up a macro-sized storm. But no one in the world could have guessed the kinds of minor and major whirlwinds that would surround the taping of her first American TV special--"Petula"--Tuesday, 9 PM, on NBC, sponsored by Plymouth.
There was, for instance, the problem of 7000 miles separating Petula and her hushand, Claude Wolff, the executive producer, from the special's producer-director Steve Binder. The British songstress and her husband were in France. Co-producer Yvonne Littlewood was in London. Binder and the writers were working on the script in Hollywood. Communication was difficult.
Then came January and the entire project almost went down the drain when Pet fractured her ankle while skiing in France. Rumor had it that the special was off. But pessimists failed to reckon with the phenomenon that places the dynamic energy of an atomic reactor within the confines of a blonde, 98-pound form. Petula had her ankle placed in a removable cast, found she could walk, even dance, and flew to Hollywood to start rehearsals.
It is an ambitious program, with location shooting on the Queen Mary ocean liner, at the Hollywood Bowl, on Malibu beach, in various cornfields and on railroad tracks. Not only did Pet romp through the routines, but did so with a flair and spunk that have become her trademark.
Then, during filming at the Beverly Hills El Rodeo Grade School (where a 60-piece school orchestra appears in one segment), Petula was accidentally hit in the nose with a baseball thrown by one of the children. Still, no permanent damage was done and until Monday, March 4, things went smoothly.
And why not? For after all, pretty Pet is a real pro. Though well known to American audiences only since her smash-hit recording of "Downtown" a few years ago, she was a child star in England. Multilingual, she has recorded songs in many languages, and at various times has had the top recording in France. Holland. Switzerland, Germany, Italy and England. Internationally, she leads all female vocalists with combined sales of 25 million records. Her
There was, for instance, the problem of 7000 miles separating Petula and her hushand, Claude Wolff, the executive producer, from the special's producer-director Steve Binder. The British songstress and her husband were in France. Co-producer Yvonne Littlewood was in London. Binder and the writers were working on the script in Hollywood. Communication was difficult.
Then came January and the entire project almost went down the drain when Pet fractured her ankle while skiing in France. Rumor had it that the special was off. But pessimists failed to reckon with the phenomenon that places the dynamic energy of an atomic reactor within the confines of a blonde, 98-pound form. Petula had her ankle placed in a removable cast, found she could walk, even dance, and flew to Hollywood to start rehearsals.
It is an ambitious program, with location shooting on the Queen Mary ocean liner, at the Hollywood Bowl, on Malibu beach, in various cornfields and on railroad tracks. Not only did Pet romp through the routines, but did so with a flair and spunk that have become her trademark.
Then, during filming at the Beverly Hills El Rodeo Grade School (where a 60-piece school orchestra appears in one segment), Petula was accidentally hit in the nose with a baseball thrown by one of the children. Still, no permanent damage was done and until Monday, March 4, things went smoothly.
And why not? For after all, pretty Pet is a real pro. Though well known to American audiences only since her smash-hit recording of "Downtown" a few years ago, she was a child star in England. Multilingual, she has recorded songs in many languages, and at various times has had the top recording in France. Holland. Switzerland, Germany, Italy and England. Internationally, she leads all female vocalists with combined sales of 25 million records. Her
husband is also her manager, and they have two little daughters. She has done 25 TV specials in England. Recently, she completed a co-starring role with Fred Astaire in the movie version of "Finian's Rainbow." And she leaves soon for London to begin filming of thousands of times I've sung it, but I never get tired of it. I sing it differently now. At first I thought it was a happy, joyful song; now I see it's really a tragic song. That's the difference between singing and interpreting. I interpret a song. You live with it and eventually you let it come out, touched by what's inside you. You become a sort of medium.
"Today's songs," she continues, "reflect the way people feel about their lives. The songs are part of today's folklore. I have great faith in today's youth-they're straight to the truth."
And in choosing the theme song for the program, Pet picked a favorite of young people, "Who Am I?" She was given complete creative control by Plymouth, who have quite an investment in Miss Clark, for she is their "Plymouth Will Win You Over This Year" girl on numerous commercials where she sings the Plymouthized words to "The Beat Goes On."
Among the songs chosen by her for the special are: "Two Rivers," "Elusive Butterfly," "The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener." "Color My World," and "Have Another Dream on Me" (a "new song"). As her sole guest star, Petula selected a singer she greatly admires, Harry Belafonte. And it was on that fateful Monday in March that the biggest whirlwind of all erupted almost without warning. Belafonte had arrived at NBC Studios in Burbank to tape his portion of the show. The two singers were doing their only duet of the program, a song called "Paths of Glory," a plea for brotherhood and peace, with lyrics
"Today's songs," she continues, "reflect the way people feel about their lives. The songs are part of today's folklore. I have great faith in today's youth-they're straight to the truth."
And in choosing the theme song for the program, Pet picked a favorite of young people, "Who Am I?" She was given complete creative control by Plymouth, who have quite an investment in Miss Clark, for she is their "Plymouth Will Win You Over This Year" girl on numerous commercials where she sings the Plymouthized words to "The Beat Goes On."
Among the songs chosen by her for the special are: "Two Rivers," "Elusive Butterfly," "The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener." "Color My World," and "Have Another Dream on Me" (a "new song"). As her sole guest star, Petula selected a singer she greatly admires, Harry Belafonte. And it was on that fateful Monday in March that the biggest whirlwind of all erupted almost without warning. Belafonte had arrived at NBC Studios in Burbank to tape his portion of the show. The two singers were doing their only duet of the program, a song called "Paths of Glory," a plea for brotherhood and peace, with lyrics
by Miss Clark. As Belafonte was later to tell it: "During the last verse we were standing next to one another and my arms were slightly folded in front of me. Pet reached out and placed her hand on my arm in a feeling of warmth and camaraderie."
At that moment a man who is an ad manager for Plymouth jumped up and walked out of the taping in protest, then demanded that the sequence be re-taped. Both Wolff and Binder refused. NBC backed them up, and the sequence remained.
Next day Belafonte let loose a barrage of criticism, charging Plywouth with "racism." According to Belafonte, Young & Rubicam, ad agency for Plymouth, felt that this particular scene was "against the client's best interests." Said Belafonte: "They said their southern dealers wouldn't like it-that old turkey. But Pet and I refused to back off."
A few days later the "we'll win you over this year" car company issued a mollifying, win you back, statement. The ad manager was relieved of his duties. But reverberations continued for some time.
On the surface, the event was caused simply by one man's emotional reaction. But Belafonte stressed that such reaction is often typical of agencies and sponsors. "I thought as a service to the industry," the singer said, "that this should be exposed as often as it raises its ugly head, in view of the presidential commission's report on the long hot summers and racism."
A few days later on the Johnny Carson show (which he had hosted for a week), Belafonte wryly commented that when Petula had guested on that show, he had given her a kiss on the cheek, and the foundations of the country were still intact! At the same time, he did stress the point that he felt the entire episode had erupted due to one man's reaction, and that he did not specifically blame Plymouth/Chrysler for the incident. And so on Tuesday, the beat goes on in the inimitable Pet Clark style. It will be an entertaining, lively musical hour. But it gives an added dimension to the proceedings to know what whirlwinds were coped with by the diminutive but determined Miss Clark, and the dynamic, direct Mr. Belafonte.
At that moment a man who is an ad manager for Plymouth jumped up and walked out of the taping in protest, then demanded that the sequence be re-taped. Both Wolff and Binder refused. NBC backed them up, and the sequence remained.
Next day Belafonte let loose a barrage of criticism, charging Plywouth with "racism." According to Belafonte, Young & Rubicam, ad agency for Plymouth, felt that this particular scene was "against the client's best interests." Said Belafonte: "They said their southern dealers wouldn't like it-that old turkey. But Pet and I refused to back off."
A few days later the "we'll win you over this year" car company issued a mollifying, win you back, statement. The ad manager was relieved of his duties. But reverberations continued for some time.
On the surface, the event was caused simply by one man's emotional reaction. But Belafonte stressed that such reaction is often typical of agencies and sponsors. "I thought as a service to the industry," the singer said, "that this should be exposed as often as it raises its ugly head, in view of the presidential commission's report on the long hot summers and racism."
A few days later on the Johnny Carson show (which he had hosted for a week), Belafonte wryly commented that when Petula had guested on that show, he had given her a kiss on the cheek, and the foundations of the country were still intact! At the same time, he did stress the point that he felt the entire episode had erupted due to one man's reaction, and that he did not specifically blame Plymouth/Chrysler for the incident. And so on Tuesday, the beat goes on in the inimitable Pet Clark style. It will be an entertaining, lively musical hour. But it gives an added dimension to the proceedings to know what whirlwinds were coped with by the diminutive but determined Miss Clark, and the dynamic, direct Mr. Belafonte.