Dorothy Loudon Celebration Set for The Paley Center for Media

She was a treasured, one-of-a-kind, multi-faceted performer: actress, comedian, and (in her own phrase) "saloon singer." Her acclaimed career spanned six decades of television, stage, cabaret, and motion picture achievement. Now, A 90th Birthday Celebration of the Incomparable Dorothy Loudon honors her unique contributions to entertainment in a one-night-only video retrospective and cocktail/hors d'oeuvres reception, presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation at The Paley Center for Media, 25 West 52nd Street, on Wednesday, April 20th.

The Loudon commemoration is open to the public, and seating is limited. Tickets @ $75.00 may be reserved by calling The Mabel Mercer Foundation, (212) 980-3026.

Loudon's long-time manager and friend Lionel Larner hosts the evening, which will open with a sixty-minute clip reel, produced by The Paley Center for the occasion. The presentation includes classic excerpts from Loudon's appearances on (among other programs) "The Jack Paar Show," "The Tony Awards," "The Garry Moore Show," and "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Featured highlights: a medley of "New York songs" by Loudon and Eileen Farrell, and Loudon's definitive renditions of "Broadway Baby" and "Fifty Percent." The latter was introduced by Loudon in her Tony Award-nominated portrayal in Ballroom (1979), which marked her third recognition by The American Theatre Wing. The actress received her first Tony nomination for The Fig Leaves Are Falling (1969), and she won the award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her matchless performance as "Miss Hannigan" in Annie (1977).

The film show and Larner "conversation" begin at 6 p.m.; the cocktail reception, catered by Great Performances, follows at 7:30 p.m.

A 90th Birthday Celebration of the Incomparable Dorothy Loudon is made possible by a grant from The Dorothy LoudonFoundation; Larner is their Executive Director, and the Foundation is providing the rare television clips for the event from Loudon's estate. The evening is presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation, which was created in 1985 to both perpetuate the memory and spirit of its legendary namesake and to stimulate and promote public interest in the world of cabaret. Among her many prodigious talents, DorothyLoudon (1925-2003) proved to be a prime exponent of the very best of supper club and cabaret entertainment throughout her career.