|
Re: Hugh Rose Passed Tonight
Actually, I think Nila was a Habig; that's how Jean Urshan and Nila Rose were kin.
I never knew Hugh Rose well personally. I did meet him when I was on the Louisiana District Harvestime board. You wouldn't think, as sophisticated as he was (real sophistication, not fake) that he'd be down to earth. But he was down to earth.
I feel a little nostalgic and sad. I left the UPC long ago and will never go back--but I go get nostalgic seeing, as DJ said, the men who were the giants, movers and shakers when we were young--Mangun, Urshan, Rose, Pugh, Burr, Oggs, Barnes--growing old, feeble and passing away, some almost in obscurity.
I remember one of our "extravaganza" entertainment spectacles we put on at JCM during Music Conference, 1977. It's a wonder I remember, because most of those I try to forget. We usually bombed. I always said we should have limited what we did at those things to "church Christmas banquet" entertainment; brief, funny skits. But no, we always tried to put on a Hollywood production we did not have time to rehearse.
Anyway, in this one, I was G. A. Mangun. Sue Miller, tall and willowy, was Joan Ewing. Doodle Dennis was Murrell Ewing. Pam Hurst was Jean Urshan. Kelvin Alexander was Hugh Rose.
Or ... as we spoofed him, "Huge" Rose.
Looking back, while that was all in fun, the name seemed to fit him. He was huge ... larger than life in his personality and musical talent.
Hey, he gave some balance. There was nothing wrong with a classical, "opera tenor" style singer in the UPC.
Sure, Harvestime got kind of hokey. But Hugh Rose was perfect for it in the 1950s and 1960s--he could have hosted a game show or a Bob Hope-type variety show and probably been wildly successful.
My condolences to the family.
Another of the notable UPC "second generation" is gone--another one passing away that reminds me I am not so young anymore.
Sadly--sadly for me only in a nostalgic sense--no one seems to be taking their places.
|
Linear Mode
