MovieChat Forums > The Donna Reed Show (1958) Discussion > "Big Star" episode

"Big Star" episode

posted 9 years ago by nycruise-1
3 replies | jump to latest

The episode features Clay Shannon as a singing boyfriend of Mary's.

But his voice is dubbed!

AND - it sounds like Gordon McCrae did the dubbing!

That singing is unmistakable: it's the same one singing "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" in "Oklahoma."

Furthermore, the vocal quality of the songs - and Clay's dubbed voice - have a like a conventional "nice boy" quality.

Seeing that Clay had a long career on Broadway, it would seem that it wasn't Clay's actual voice that was the problem, but, rather, does Clay have a Southern accent/twang?

I'm thinking that the original intent of having Clay as Mary's singing boyfriend was to cash in on the "Elvis" craze, and Clay more than likely came off as an Elvis-wannabee, particularly if he sang like Elvis and spoke with a Southern accent. Consider the song selections - "Red River Valley" etc - those are all folk songs with some Southern connection.

Then, for whatever reason, the decision was made to completely avoid any Elvis connection - and Gordon's voice was called to duty.

The end-result is a neither homegrown Elvis nor (then)contemporary rock-and-roll, but, instead, a musical theater experience. NOT what Mary would presumably enjoy!

"Don't call me 'honey', mac."
"Don't call me 'mac'... HONEY!"

[–] jaycubu 8 years ago

The episode features Clay Shannon as a singing boyfriend of Mary's.

But his voice is dubbed!

Ummm.... Clay Shannon was a Character -- the actor who portrayed that character was Jerry Lanning. AND he did his own singing. I suppose he did sound a bit like Gordon McCrae, but that was definitely Jerry's own voice. Don't you think it would be kind of silly to hire a Broadway singer for a part and then dub his voice? And pay Gordon McCrae to dub him?

Here is Jerry singing "This Nearly was Mine" on the Dick Van Dyke Show. Beautiful. (and see, same voice!)
https://youtu.be/AhQVchdAzoA

[–] lloydbowman 7 years ago

Though the link you provided is now broken I found another copy on Youtube and also at least one other in which he sungs "Maria" on a 1965 TV special featuring his mother, Roberta Sherwood. Wow, what a talent!

(By the way, I have seen several of your posts, and I am very impressed by how informed and knowledgeable you are, @jaycubu. Thanks f your comments.)

[–] pencilfairy 8 years ago

Jerry Lanning also appeared on another Donna Reed episode, titled "Donna Meets Roberta" which was filmed as a launch for a new series that never aired. Roberta had three musical sons (her real sons) who also appeared -Jerry Lanning and his two brothers. And thank you for mentioning the episode "The Twizzle" from the Dick Van Dyke show?