I Love Chita Rivera

 Back in the late 70s, when I was living and working in Milwaukee, I read some humor essays by a struggling actor in San Francisco who wrote that just about every person in New York City who's in the show biz profession has a personal story about how wonderful Chita Rivera is. Well, years later, I discovered the truth of that -- because I am one of those people. 

My first encounter with the extraordinary Broadway dancer/actress was when she was in Milwaukee. It was during a summer and she was touring with a revue show. It played at Milwaukee's gorgeous Performing Arts Center and I bought tickets. I was working on radio at the time. One of my previous part-time jobs had been working as an usher at the Performing Arts Center. I loved that job and the staff. I kept in touch with the staff when I had transitioned over to full-time employment in broadcasting which was my career goal after I'd graduated from Marquette University.

I'd flown Mom in from Los Angeles to visit me in Milwaukee for a few days. I bought us a pair of tickets to see Chita.  I was backstage telling Chita Rivera how much I loved her show and how much my mother loved it, adding that I'd brought Mom with me.  Chita said, "Where's your mother?" I said, "She's right outside in the lobby."  Chita replied, "I always meet the mamas" and asked me to introduce her to my mother. We headed to the lobby. Chita Rivera chatted with my mother for a couple of minutes like they were old college buddies. Mom was thrilled. And so was I.

Fast forward to the 1990s. I was a regular entertainment contributor on live local New York City morning TV news programs. A deluxe broadcast awards event was being held one night and a TV columnist asked me to be her date. We got gussied up and went. There were plenty of A-list celebrities at tables. As we headed to our table, my date spotted Chita Rivera and said, "Come on. I want to ask her something for my column." We politely approached her  As my date was about to introduce me to the Broadway great, Ms. Rivera warmly said, "Oh, I know who Bobby is." She then named a few of the shows she'd seen me on in New York City.

Chita Rivera knew more about my TV career than the man who was soon to become my ex-broadcast agent did. I was gobsmacked.

Chita Rivera has not danced in many movies. However, we can see her sensational dancing in Bob Fosse's 1969 film adaptation of the Broadway hit, SWEET CHARITY. She danced and sang with its star, Shirley MacLaine, and Paula Kelly.

If you're in or around the NYC area and if you're a fellow Chita Rivera fan, keep this in mind: The Film Forum movie theater will feature a 4K restoration of the complete roadshow version of SWEET CHARITY the week of March 24th to March 30th.

This musical marks the film director debut of famed choreographer Bob Fosse. Here's one of the numbers you'll see in SWEET CHARITY -- a number featuring Shirley MacLaine, Chita Rivera and Paula Kelly. The Broadway musical was based on Federico Fellini's 1957 masterpiece, NIGHTS OF CABIRIA.

Also in the cast is Sammy Davis, Jr.  The movie theater's website is:  filmforum.org.