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HOWARD KEEL THANKS
h mm who
had faith
By DENNIS JAMES
Star of TV's "On Your Account'
Confidence was all Howard needed and he got that unexpectedly
A GREAT man is not always a big man. I mean a big money man or tops in fame and success. A man can achieve greatness through what he gives of himself to others, a principle that is demonstrated daily by the many people who have made up the "links" in our own Thank you chain on "On Your Account." Such a man was the late singer-actor George Houston, according to another singer-actor named Howard Keel.
"George helped so many young singers when they needed help most — early in their careers. I was lucky enough to be one of them and I can never adequately express my gratitude to him," says Howard. "He was never a professional teacher. He never charged or accepted fees. But he taught us so much. Some other singers who were coached by him about the time I was were John Raitt, of the musical stage, Brian Sullivan and George London, now both at the Metropolitan Opera.
"I never understood exactly why George didn't reach the top rung of success himself. He was a big, handsome man with a fine personality and a good voice. He sang the lead in MGM's 1938 musical film, 'The Great Waltz,' but that was the biggest film role he had. He did stage roles and concerts, but was overshadowed in his field at that time by Lawrence Tibbett and John Charles Thomas. But he never became embittered.
"George's greatest satisfaction in life seemed to come from helping young talent. He was married but childless. Perhaps that was why he treated young singers like his own children. He was only
48 when he died of a heart attack. His life ended far too soon. I shall always regard him as a great man," Keel says.
"It was really George's faith in my future that made me take singing seriously and really work at it. When I met him I had no real confidence in my singing; I didn't know what I could do. But after working with him for a while I felt that if he believed in someone, that person must have something — including me. So, in his subtle way, he instilled much-needed confidence in me."
You have to know Keel's background to understand that early lack of confidence. You see, he discovered his voice practically by accident. Ironically, this same Keel with the big bass-baritone
voice was turned down when he trie for the glee club in high school back i Gillespie, Illinois! After his father death, Howard came West with hi mother and brother. They settled in Fa) brook, California, where Howard finishe high school. He wanted to become a sui geon, but lack of finances ruled that ou He had to go to work and his first jo was as dishwasher and fry cook in Ho lywood. Later, he worked in parkin lots. But he was a good mechanic and friend offered to get him a job in th Douglas Aircraft factory. Later on, h switched to North American Aircraft. An sometime along in there he discovere he had a voice. All of a sudden, he ws singing at parties, just for kicks.
See Dennis James daily on "On Your Account," CBS-TV, 4:30 p.m. EST, sponsored by Procter & Gamble.
CURRENTLY starring in ' 'Kismet," Howard once had ro be convinced he had a great voic
-ACL