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Sophie Tucker Documentary
Back in 1973, on a first date at an Ithaca College concert, an up and coming new singer named Bette Midler and her "Soph" jokes, introduced us to Sophie Tucker. After the show we got to eat dinner with Miss Midler. My date and I fell in love with Bette, her show and the "Soph" jokes. We became life long fans, got inspired, got married, had 3 kids and just recently sold our family business Babytobee.com.
Now 34 years later, we want to repay Bette for our storybook life that all started at one of her concerts. Since we can now afford to do something for fun instead of profit, we have set out to become the world's foremost authority on Sophie Tucker. Then we're going to make a documentary. All the profits from this project are going to Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project.
We have met Bette at 5 different NYRP functions so far and she is aware of our project. We hope after she sees our first rough cut of the movie, she will want to narrate it. But if she doesn't, we will still love her. The NYRP is still going to get the money either way. You got to have friends (and trees), right?
With the cooperation of The New York Library and Brandeis University, we have gotten access to all 500 of Sophie's 1906-1966 personal scrapbooks. We have also found over 2000 photos and 100's of film and TV clips from our visits to the Museum of NYC, MOMA, the American Jewish Archives in Cincinatti, UCLA, Trinity College in London and many other places.
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We have already filmed interviews with the following Stars and Celebrities:
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Carol Channing
Shecky Greene
Margaret Whiting
Janis Paige
Julie Wilson
Sharon McNight
Bobby Vinton
Phyllis Newman
Rose Marie
Kaye Stevens
Joe Franklin
Mickey Rooney
Rusty Warren
Paul Anka |
Tony Bennett
Michael Feinstein
Tony Martin
Bruce Vilanch
Brenda Lee
Julius LaRosa
Armond Fields
Toni Carroll
Chubby Checker
Jane Kean
Gerry Leader
Jane Thomas Freed
Mamie Van Doren
Connie Stevens |
Barbara Walters
Kaye Ballard
Ralph Young
Peter Marshall
Patty Page
Steve Rossi
Libi Staiger
Vic Arnell
Don Dellair
Keely Smith
Bobbi Baker
Gloria LeRoy
Sid Krofft
Rhonda Fleming |
Also filmed interviews with the following Sophie Tucker family, authors, reporters and friends:
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Henry Abuza (96 year old nephew)
Zachary Abuza (88 year old nephew)
Susy Abuza (niece-in-law)
Howard Rosenberg (cousin)
Lynn Wesch (daughter of Ted Shapiro)
Michael Baron (cousin-in-law)
Barbara Fine (family friend)
Ron Green (family friend)
John York (family friend)
Robert Knowles (WW2 Pen Pal)
Danny Costello (friend) |
Armond Fields (author)
Michael Freedland (author)
Lois Young-Tulin (author)
Anthony Slide (author)
Jim Stettler (author)
Taris Savell (reporter)
Doreen Lewis (family friend)
Peter Sudarsky (family friend)
Jan Lewis (author)
Hank Glasser (WW2 Pen Pal)
Judy Wu (author)
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Contribute Stories to the Sophie Tucker Documentary
We want to hear your stories and include them in the film. So call or write or email us now. Tell us about the charity she helped you with, or the nightclub you talked to her at, or the time you played gin rummy together and won $3.58.
We are waiting to hear from you right now,
Susan and Lloyd Ecker
15 Woodfield Road
Pomona, NY 10970
845 362-3174
sueandlloyd@sophietucker.com
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