Hello Everyone,
Eddie Fisher, 82, the Philadelphia-born pop singer whose huge fame was overshadowed by scandals ending his marriages to Debbie Reynolds and Elizabeth Taylor, has died.
Mr. Fisher’s clear, dramatic singing voice brought him a devoted following of teenage girls in the early 1950s. He sold millions of records with 32 hit songs, including “Thinking of You,” “Any Time,” “Oh, My Pa-pa,” “I’m Yours,” “Wish You Were Here,” “Lady of Spain,” and “Count Your Blessings.”
Edwin Jack Fisher was born Aug. 10, 1928, in Philadelphia, one of seven children of a Jewish grocer. At 15, he was singing on Philadelphia radio.
After moving to New York, he was adopted as a protege by comedian Eddie Cantor, who helped the young singer become a star in radio, television, and records.
Mr. Fisher’s romantic messages resonated with young girls in the pre-Elvis period. Publicist-manager Milton Blackstone helped the publicity by hiring girls to scream and swoon at Mr. Fisher’s appearances.
In 1983, Mr. Fisher attempted a full-scale comeback. But his old fans had been turned off by the scandals, and the younger generation had been turned on by rock. The tour was unsuccessful.
He had added to his notoriety that year with an autobiography, Eddie: My Life, My Loves. Of his first three marriages, he wrote he had been bullied into marriage with Reynolds, whom he didn’t know well; became nursemaid as well as husband to Taylor; and was reluctant to marry Connie Stevens but she was pregnant and he “did the proper thing.”
Another autobiography, Been There, Done That, published in 1999, was even more searing. He called Reynolds “self-centered, totally driven, insecure, untruthful, phony.” He claimed he abandoned his career during the Taylor marriage because he was too busy taking her to emergency rooms and cleaning up after her pets, children, and servants. Both ex-wives were furious, and Carrie Fisher threatened to change her name to Reynolds.
What song is your favorite by Eddie Fisher?
Ralph
