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BIOGRAPHY
Josie O'Donnell, the effervescent
redhead who adds zing to "Pizzazz" at the Boardwalk Regency, enjoys
relaxing in her Englewood home but is in no hurry to retire to it.
"I'm in my 25th year in show business and I'm looking forward to 25
more," she said the other night in her dressing room in the Cabaret
Theater where "Pizzazz" - known off-Broadway last year as "Lullabye of
Broadway" - is scheduled for four more weeks.
Judging from the applause she and the five youthful singers-dancers in
her cast received, Josie might well be around that long. She can not
only belt out pop tunes with the best of them, but that night had
brought down the house with the ballad, "Cryin' For the Carolines,"
and a hilarious takeoff of Carmen Miranda.
Still as Irish as a Trallee rose, although she emigrated to the United
States in 1959, Josie is as warm and exuberant off-stage as on.
"It's such a pleasure to sing the songs of Harry Warren," she said.
"They never fail to bring back fond memories. We've been friends for a
long time, ever since I recorded some of his hits 25 years ago."
Born in Donegal, Ireland, she made her stage debut in London after
studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She switched early in
her career from drama to musicals and had lead roles in London in "My
Fair Lady," "Finian's Rainbow" and "Brigadoon" before crossing the
Atlantic.
She toured with Ted Lewis for five years, mean- while making
appearances with Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye, Myron Cohen, Rodney
Dangerfield and Pat O'Brien - "all such wonderful personalities, so
much fun to work with."
In "Pizzazz," she's supported by a talented cast including Valerie
Lee, who seems slated for star billing on Broadway and in Hollywood.
The show, produced by Josie's husband, Leonard Landau, consists of
more than an hour of Warren's songs, all of them "Hit Parade" leaders.
Even without a story line, the show is a delight and shouldn't be
missed. There are matinees daily except Friday and evening
performances during the weeks that star entertainers are featured only
on weekends.
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