History of Claudine Longet: Demure Entrance, All Too Dramatic Exit

Gentle Claudine, who sings in a lilting whisper. (She did what?!)

I first learned about the incident from someone when discussing "The Party" back in 2001. He said, "You know the songbird in it, Sellers' love interest, killed someone in real life?" I couldn't believe it. After that, I gathered whatever info I could about Claudine Longet. It occurred to me this could be a fascinating biopic to write, after investigating it a bit. And to think what today's tabloids would have done with her back then. Being a fan of "The Party" and quickly becoming a fan of her recordings –– and out of respect for her 'victim'/then-boyfriend, the skier Spider Sabich –– I couldn't bring myself to want to do it. I'd want it to be a first-hand account, if anything. Not some skewed perspective from what little information there is about it. 

What I know is this: Claudine Longet started out as a showgirl and became a rather demure chanteuse and actress who married Andy Williams, had kids with him and sang lullaby cover versions of pop songs in the 1960's. She later broke off their marriage to live in Aspen with celebrated Olympic skier Sabich. This was the 1970's, and drugs were definitely involved. One day, she 'accidentally' shot him. Tragically, he died. The trial must have been rough but she was exonerated for the most part. People have and always will suspect her of a drug-infused measure of foul play although she claims that the gun went off by mistake. Ever since, she's disappeared and still living on in Aspen -- not alone, but with the man who was her defense attorney for the trial... which amounts to a bit of good fortune for her, I would think, since she was considered a social leper after the incident and still today. A dramatic story, indeed.

Personally, I have been satisfied to leave it alone and listen to her sweet songs. I'm already considering taking down this post. Does anyone need to know about this really? I actually like Claudine Longet and her music a great deal, so I wanted to write about her -- and this is what happened. Maybe I'll do another post focusing on her albums.

One of my favorite cinematic moments, from Blake Edwards' "The Party" -- here's Claudine singing Mancini's "Nothing To Lose", while Sellers' Hrundi Bakshi desperately waits to relieve himself...! :-)

My friend Rebecca shared this next wonderful video with me. Fits with this, as well as one of my earlier posts, Please Don't Stop The Moog Or The Modness.

I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! (1968)

Retro Active Critique #14

"And so does Gertrude Stein." Apparently, it's because Alice B. Toklas had a particularly groovy brownie recipe. As does the hippie girl, played by Leigh Taylor-Young.

Overall, the film is entertaining, though I imagine it seems a bit dated now... But for me, in particular, having watched it in Venice Beach for the first time, where much of the action takes place, and seeing the alley right below my apartment in one shot, (so that I was sitting right above the scene, in a way, watching the scene - talk about surreal), I always have a fond memory of this classic comedy.

Peter Sellers plays uptight Harold Fine who is set to marry his very appropriate fiance. He happens upon an intriguing hippie chick named Nancy, who sports a butterfly tattoo, and soon he drops everything he's ever been accustomed to in order to 'find himself', chill out and adopt a new life as a hippie. Of course this leads to hilarious moments. What else could one expect from Sellers? One delivery that comes to mind here is while he is in the midst of a raging party at his digs with Nancy, he finally starts to get back to reality to some extent and things begin to seem out of his control - and he exclaims (while in disagreement with a group of kids), "I'm so hip... it hurts!"

And in this scene from their groovy party, Harold gains a newfound perspective on his extreme behavior - just before he resolves to find a happy balance between being too careful, and utterly carefree.

And if you're wondering where the brownie-loving downfall (upfall?) began, here it is.

There's A Girl in My Soup (1970)

Or perhaps there's a girl in my Ossie Clark...

(Critique in progress...)

Here's a nice montage set to the film's theme song, "Miss Me in the Morning".