Do You Know Who Gisele Mackenzie was?

Question

Actually, this question is mainly an excuse to post her classic violin duet with Jack Benny, from the 1950's!

...however she did have wonderful talent in her own right, I did not even know she was so close with Jack Benny! (And I actually wondered if I might have posted this before, but looking through my questions I don't see it...so here you go, it's hilarious!) 

Well, it looks like you have to go to YouTube to see this one...so just in case, here is a second version, let's see if this will play directly on SOLVED!

Answer 1

I think I have heard of her as a singer.

She was a pretty good violinist too... at least as good as Jack, maybe better. 

Comments

Yes Tink, singer she indeed was...in the 1950's, there was a beloved weekly TV show called THE HIT PARADE, where several singers would render the most popular songs of the past week. 

And if I put my mind to it I could probably remember the names of the other singers, too...the one who comes to mind at the moment is Snooky Lanson! (I mean, who could forget Snooky's name...)

In researching this question, I learned that Gisele MacKenzie was also a very fine pianist, which I did not know...also, that Jack's patronage brought her to the attention of THE HIT PARADE, where she did so well. This clip suggests she has some fine comedic timing, also!

Answer 2

...

Comments

I like it too SirFurry, I loved it!

Answer 3

I have never heard of her.

Comments

Here you go Kninjanin...she was a well-known singer in the 1950's. She was a star in the USA, and she was Canadian, too. 

When I was little in the 1950's, everybody who had a TV set always watched YOUR HIT PARADE every Saturday night. So here is an episode of that show from 1955. It's fun to look back at the kind of songs that became popular, so long ago now! 

Gisele's song begins at 9:19, I tried to set it for you so it just goes there...we'll see...

Oh, and here is another one, Kninjanin...in this 1954 episode of YOUR HIT PARADE, at 15:40 minutes, Gisele MacKenzie is singing Hernano's Hideaway!