She Died With Her Boots On... Born On This Day- October 17th... Irene Ryan

I played a man from the time he was born until he becomes a father in a charming, 5 person musical- Whispers On The Wind. This was autumn semester, October- November 1976, my senior year at Loyola Marymount University in L.A. I really loved the cast, 2 of whom I worked with several times, & the piece was directed by my favorite professor with musical direction from someone that I adored. I found out much later that had been earmarked for the lead in the other fall show, Eugene O’ Neill’s- Ah, Wilderness!, but the show I ended up in worked out to be a special, magical experience. The musical was produced in the department’s smaller theatre & had a well received run, popular with students & faculty. I had a really lovely, smart role, with great solos songs that were tailor made for my singing voice & group numbers that were complicated musically, including unusual & tough harmonies.

That is your host, with the full head of curly hair!

Whispers On The Wind should have ended at Christmas break, but soon after the run, it was nominated as a finalist in the American College Theatre Festival. After the holidays, it was mounted again, this time on the main stage as a fund raiser for sending the show to the festival, held that year in Las Vegas. Icing on the cake... I was nominated for the Irene Ryan award for Outstanding Actor, a particularly proud worthy achievement, up against actors from UCLA, USC, Cal Arts & University of Arizona.

 Irene Ryan had established the award, a scholarship, in 1972, as part of the Irene Ryan Foundation of Encino, California, awarding scholarships to the outstanding student performers at each regional festival. These scholarships are made possible by the generosity of Irene Ryan who is best remembered for her portrayal of the lovable & feisty Granny Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971), for which she was nominated twice for an Emmy.

 Irene Ryan found success in vaudeville, radio, film, television & Broadway. In 1972 Ryan helped to create & also starred in the role of Berthe in the Bob Fosse directed Broadway musical Pippin, in which she sang the number No Time At All, which mentions, "a man who calls me Granny". In 1973, Ryan was nominated for a Tony Award as Best Supporting in a Musical. In April 1973, Ryan suffered a stroke during a performance of Pippin. Earlier in the year, her friend & fellow Beverly Hillbillies cast member- Nancy Kulp, had tried to persuade her not to go to New York for the musical. She died soon after, at 70 years of age. Irene Ryan has a special place in my history.


The cast of Whispers On The Wind & my circles kept my ego my in check by reminding me that I had actually been nominated for the Irene Ryan Look Alike Award, & not the acting prize.