Artist:Dick Gautier f/Susan Watson
Song:A Lot of Livin' To Do
Album:Bye Bye Birdie: Original Broadway Cast
Most fans should be familiar with Dick Gautier as a comic actor on TV and films. But he started out on Broadway and got a Tony nomination for playing Conrad Birdie in the 1960 musical Bye Bye Birdie. This was his only Broadway appearance and his only singing appearance. He was born Oct. 30, 1931 in Culver City, CA. Gautier started out as a nightclub comic and singer. After a stint in the US Navy, he was hired to play Conrad Birdie in the 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie. This was written by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams. This was obviously influenced by the Elvis Presley craze especially when he was in the US Army. That idea came from director and choreographer Gower Champion. Gautier was in a supporting role. The star was Dick Van Dyke as Birdie's manager. It helped make Van Dyke a star as he filmed the pilot for The Dick Van Dyke Show while he was in Bye Bye Birdie. It didn't do that for Gautier. Though he sang a couple of songs and was nominated for a Tony, he did not appear in the film version. He did have success as Hymie the Robot in the TV series Get Smart. And he starred as Robin Hood in Mel Brooks' 1975 TV series When Things Were Rotten. He also starred in the 1967 series Mister Terrific. Both shows were short lived. In the 70s Gautier appeared frequently as a panelist on Match Game and other game shows. He was never asked to sing again. He went on to do a lot of voiceover work until his death on Jan. 13, 2017 at age 85. Here's a video of Dick Gautier and Susan Watson performing A Lot of Living To Do from the 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie. Susan is a Tony nominated stage performer who I may feature at another time.
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