Within hours of going public with "The Miracle of the Socks," the bizarre personal experience my foot shared with a spousal foot, friends revealed other tales of the weird.Stan Malone, in a remembrance at Cinema Treasures, writes of his paranormal encounter, dating back four decades.
"I only had the pleasure of attending a show at the Piedmont [Drive-in Theatre in Atlanta] one time.... Although the purpose of the trip was to see 'Born Free,' it was the co-feature that made the night memorable. It was the first, and only time in a theatre, that I saw 'Bye Bye Birdie,' although I have watched and enjoyed it many times since. If I watch it enough I may discover why Ann-Margret calls the title character by the proper name of 'Birdie' in the movie itself, while in the opening and closing songs she sings his name 'BurHEE.'"
As it so happens, I've rewound and replayed those portions of "Bye Bye Birdie" on several occasions to reassure myself she gushes "BurHEE."
She does.
That is a puzzler.
Nevertheless, we must now move forward undaunted to the strange coincidence facing scrutiny.
Stan told me, during my recent investigative probes, outreach, and prayers of fellowship in regards to this matter, that neither he nor his companions had any pre-movie awareness of the phenomenon known as Ann-Margret. They learned of the actress' existence when her face and name flashed across the big screen.
"The fact that I attended this showing with my cousins, one of whom is named Anne, and the other Margaret, only made the show more memorable."
Yipe!
Next: The Miracle of the Benny
