Sylvia Froos was the solo singer and she was a friend of mine here in New York until her death a couple years ago. She was a firecracker...so talented and sweet, even as an old lady. Took her to several Broadway shows like 42nd Street and Thoroughly Modern Millie...she said when she sang "Hillbilly" she was up on a platform with rear projection and that it was pretty scary. She also said they put a wig on her and were trying to mold her into another blonde movie ingenue, but she hated L.A. and missed New York. Her friend Ruby Keeler from Broadway was out there at another studio so she wasn't completely alone.
Her love song in Stand Up and Cheer (a love song played with John BOles) was endless because John Boles kept messing up. She said they must have done that scene 50 times...John wasn't good a lip-syncing to the pre-recorded track and was stiff.
Sylvia had great stories of working with Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers and others. So many stories! She lived two doors down from the famous Dakota Apartments in New York (where John Lennon was murdered). One night I called her and said "Sylvia, there's a big band playing at the Stanhope tonight...2 shows. 8pm and midnight. The 8pm show is sold out...and she said "WELL, Jim- LET'S GO TO THE MIDNIGHT SHOW!"...
She was 89!
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