RIP STEVE LAWRENCE

1935-2024

Steve Lawrence was born Sidney Leibowitz in New York City. Between 1958 and 1960 he served in the US Army and was a vocalist with the US Army Band and Orchestra. After he was discharged, he started his singing career on television, night clubs, and recordings, often with his wife Eydie Gormé, who he married in 1957. He appeared in the 1964 Broadway musical What Makes Sammy Run? (Tony nomination) and returned to Broadway in 1968 for The Golden Rainbow. His screen acting career began in 1963.

Almost exactly two years later, Lucille Ball was a guest star on the very first “The Steve Lawrence Show” (1965) a variety hour on CBS. They made their first entrance on the back of an elephant outside the theatre in New York City.

The show takes a suggestive turn when Lucy says “Stevie boy, I came all the way from California. What do you wanna do?” The audience laughs. Lucy says “Oh, that’s the kind of audience you have!”

“The Steve Lawrence Show” was one of the last television programs on CBS to be aired in black and white. The show was done in New York City. It lasted just seven episodes, with the last broadcast on December 13, 1965.

On September 16, 1973, Lucille Ball appeared on “Steve and Eydie on Stage” from Caesars Palace, Las Vegas. It was aired on NBC.

On September 24, 1973, just eight days later, he appeared with Eydie on “Here’s Lucy” in an episode titled “Lucy, the Peacemaker.” In it, Lucy moonlights as personal assistant to Lawrence while he is having a spat with Gormé. Instead, Lucy sets her sights on getting the two back together again.  

On July 23, 1976, Steve and Eydie were the musical guests when Dinah Shore interviewed Lucy on her talk show “Dinah!”

In 1982, Lawrence and Ball joined many others in an “All-Star Party for Carol Burnett”. He had appeared on “The Carol Burnett Show” and “The Garry Moore Show” alongside Burnett. Four years later, Ball and Lawrence were back for an “All-Star Party for Clint Eastwood.”