BWW INTERVIEWS: Kaye Ballard and Liliane Montevecchi

There is virtually nothing in the world of show business that Kaye Ballard and Liliane Montevecchi haven't left their mark on - acting, singing, story-telling, comedy, cabaret, dancing. . . in movies, on TV and performing live on stage - they've done it all. These legendary stars have over a century of artistic experience between them and, when I caught up with them between rehearsals for their upcoming show at the Lensic Performing Arts center in Santa Fe, it was abundantly clear that they show no signs of slowing down.

Aptly titled STILL AROUND, the show, which plays for one night only, on August 8th, is a Broadway style revue and a perfect vehicle for showcasing their remarkable talents. For the record, Kaye Ballard is now 87 years old and Liliane Montevecchi turns 81 in October, but, for these extraordinary women, age is truly nothing but a number. Both demonstrate more mental (and in Montevecchi's case, physical) agility than many folks half their age. And, with two extraordinary lifetimes to look back on, filled with star-studded memories, there is never a shortage of good material to draw from..

But, apart from their shared talents and shared experiences, the two are, in many ways, complete opposites. Montevecchi, born and raised in Paris, is tall, chic, willowy and exquisitely French. Trained as a ballerina, she is highly disciplined, still goes to ballet classes every day, can effortlessly throw her long legs way over her head and is careful about what she eats. "I just don't like food that isn't good for me", she says simply. Ballard, on the other hand, is comfortably proportioned, spontaneous and loves to eat. "Liliane has never missed a ballet class and I've never missed a good meal," she says with a laugh. "As for discipline, I love it but haven't got it."

Both knew, from a very early age, that they wanted to be performers. Montevecchi put on her first ballet shoes when she was just 9 years old and, by the age of 18, was a prima ballerina with Roland Petit's ballet company in Paris. After crossing the Atlantic, she spent several years under contract to MGM, appearing in movies opposite Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley, among others. She went on to star in a number of Broadway productions, including FOLLIES and Tommy Tunes NINE, for which she won a Tony in 1982.

Ballard, the daughter of Italian immigrant parents, was born in Ohio and knew, by the time she was 5, what she wanted to do. Starting out in Cleveland, doing impersonations of her favorite stars, she has since played in top night clubs around the country, been featured in numerous talk and variety shows, starred in a number of Broadway productions, including THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, THE GOLDEN APPLE and CARNIVAL, cut a number of record albums and has appeared in over 40 movies, with stars such as Shelley Winters, Jodie Foster, Judy Garland and Marlon Brando. She admits that, as rumor has it, she was, in fact, romantically involved with Brando at one time, adding, matter-of-factly, "But so was everyone else!"

Ballard says that, in spite of her impressive list of movie credentials, not one stands out as being something she's especially proud of. "I always feel I can do better," she says. "To be honest, I think this show we're doing now is the closest I've come to being truly satisfied with what I've done."

Preserving the best of the past, with humor and in music, is the ultimate goal of these two exceptional stars. Performing songs by Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and, in Montevecchi's case, some of the best French classics, is intended to both entertain and educate. "Young people should know and be exposed to the great talents pf the past," says Ballard. "Kids growing up today have no idea about life before technology took over. We've lost a great deal and that's one reason why we feel it's important to keep these stories and traditions alive."

Asked if there is a secret to their youthfulness and vitality, Montevecchi replies with a laugh, "I drink a lot of champagne, good champagne of course. And I read a great deal, especially real stories and crime stories. I love a well-planned plot, like the Great Train Robbery or the big jewelry heist that was recently pulled off in Cannes."

Ballard's passion is movies. "I go all the time, every day if I can. And I'm totally interested in life, always curious about how things are going to turn out. And I love going to the casino, not to win but to people-watch. It's great escapism."

Asked if, looking back over their long and illustrious careers, either of them have any regrets, Montevecchi instantly replies, in her charming French accent, "No, none at all. I have no regrets. I never married and have no children and that's fine. My work is my life and I love it."

Ballard, however, has a quite different answer. "I have a long list of regrets, too long to even get started," she says. "The men in my life would be at the top of the list."

So what do these multi-talented stars consider to be their greatest talent? "I think my greatest talent is that I'm very honest," says Ballard. "I really feel what I do."

"For me," says Montevecchi, "it's dance, because I learned how to do it. The rest I'm faking pretty well."

Both still get regular fan letters and Montevecchi is booked for the next three years at least, mainly in New York and Europe. Ballard talks about this being her last live show, to which Montevecchi instantly responds, "You always say that! You've had at least three final farewells that I can remember. You know as well as I do that it's not going to happen!"

Let's hope she's right. These wonderful women are truly an inspiration and the last of a kind. With luck, they'll be around for some time to come.

http://www.lensic.org