Eddie Fisher - Oh My Papa [1954]

Oh--My Pa…Pa

Another piece of my past passed into history when Eddie Fisher died Friday, September 24, at age 82, due to complications from hip surgery.

Before Elvis came on the scene and wiped out the remaining crooners who were still trying to hang on, Eddie was our idol. He was probably the last crooner holdover to go. He was our Sinatra and he lived on the cusp of the great Rock ‘n Roll era.

In the early 50s a lot of the boys in high school tried to make their hair look like Eddie’s. The girls swooned over him. I even seem to remember that one of the boys did an imitation of Eddie, singing one of his songs, for the Kippy Karnival show one year.

Born in Philadelphia in 1949, the fourth of seven kids, Eddie first became known as a singer for the Eddie Cantor band in 1949. He served in the Army in 1951 and spent a year in Korea (same career path as Elvis, by the way). When he came home he was even more popular. He had 17 number one songs including: ”I Need you Now,” 1954; “I’m Walking Behind You,” 1953; probably the song he is best known for, “Oh My Pa-Pa,” 1953; and “Wish You Were Here,” 1952.

How many of these other songs do you remember: “I’m Yours,” “Thinking of You,” “A Man Chases a Girl,” “Any Time,” “April Showers,” “Arriverdici, Roma,” “Dungaree Doll,” “Everybody Got a Home But Me,” “Games That Lovers Play,” “If I Loved You,” “Cindy, Oh, Cindy.”

Eddie was also on several TV shows including: “Coke Time with Eddie Fisher,” from 1953-1957; appearances on the old Perry Como show and “The Chesterfield Supper Club,” the George Gobel Show; and finally on his last show, “The Eddie Fisher Show,” from 1957-1959.

Ironically, if it were not for Debbie, Liz and Connie, his first three wives, we might not even remember who Eddie Fisher was. When he married Debbie Reynolds, the couple became America’s sweethearts. You can tell what kind of newlyweds they were by watching this video of their appearance on “What’s My Line,” shortly after their marriage. They had two children, Carrie and Todd. When Eddie left Debbie and his two young children to marry Elizabeth Taylor, we were very angry at him. Debbie never forgave him and neither did we. His career quickly took a downhill spiral which he never recovered from.

He was a lady’s man for sure and he would be the first to tell you that people remembered him not so much for his music but for the women he was involved with. His name has been linked to just about every female star of his time including Joan Crawford, Edith Pilaf, and Zsa Zsa Gabor. He had two more children with Connie Stevens, Joely and Tricia Leigh. He was married a total of five times. Numbers four and five were Terry Richards, from 1975-1976; and Betty Lin, from 1993-2001. Betty died in 2001.

If you want more Eddie, please view the videos that come with this story in separate blog files seen on the right. If you want to hear more of his songs, go to www.pcdon.com/fouraces.html. Just click a title under his name and sit back and listen. I spent a good hour doing that very same thing yesterday when I learned of his death.

Eddie led quite the life and even though we may not look back on him with complete awe and respect, we remember when his star shone and when he made us smile.

Thanks for listening.

BY THE WAY DEPARTMENT:

If you bought your Eddie songs in Woolworth’s and then went over to the lunch counter to have a sandwich, this is more than likely the menu that was posted on the wall over the counter or the one that was given to you. This menu comes via cousin Barbara Emery. Thanks, Babs.