Charles Pierce at Chandler Pavilion, Part 1
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- An enthusiastic audience stamped their feet and clapped the moment they saw the wisps of cigarette smoke coming from off-stage at the 3,190-seat Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Many of them already knew most of the lines to Charles Pierces irreverent impression of Bette Davis. He had already regaled the mostly gay audience with Mae West (Warden, show me a hardened criminal.), Katharine Hepburn (You old poop) and the rhinestone-throwing Carol Channing (Im so cutesy-pie I could puke!). Pierce always saved the irreverent Davis impression for last. His devoted audiences would not let him off stage until he smoked at least one cigarette in the nervous and distinctive style of the temperamental star of All About Eve and Now, Voyager. There had to be at least three or four cutthroat remarks made about legendary rival Joan Crawford. Then there was the moment when he asked the audience to recite along with one of the campiest lines in Whatever Happened To Baby Jane. The musical director is Michael Biagi. Before his death, Pierce donated his papers to the Billy Rose Theatre Collection of the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center. For more tributes, go to www.bochynski.c....
This wasn't drag, this was the pinnacle of female impersonation. Charles Pierce was amazing!
So great to see this! Memories! My mom was Charles' cousin and we grew up with him visiting. When he got the Dorothy Chandler gig, my parents brought all us kids to the show. 😊 I loved it! He was also amazingly quick witted. A very special person, loving and generous. RIP ❤
Charles pierce was the best female movie star impressionist...so funny..so accurate..so adorable..watch his joan
crawford..Mae west impressions..he can always make me laugh..remember this was at the height of the AIDS epidemic..I was diagnosed in 1985..and am so glad someone like him could make me and us laugh when we weren't sure what tomorrow would bring..thanks charles. RIP. ♡♡♡♡
So i'm i
I’m 32, old enough to know who Betty Davis is, and have seen one of her movies (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane) But it wouldn’t matter if I’d never heard of her because Charles was hilarious! I just saw him on Designing Women on Hulu, then googled him & had to see him perform. Thank goodness technology lets us look back into the past. This was 1982, before my birth but I’m so glad I get to enjoy it now in 2019! Rest In Peace Charles, you shady, shady “lady”! 💛 😉
I had a friend who lived in NY in the '70s & he knew Charles. He told me that after a show he would "drop" Bette & then "become" Bette so easily that it was almost hypnotic. Charles Pierce would come to his table & chat. He apparently loved his fans.🏳️🌈
No one could do Bette Davis like Charles.
Does anyone know the entrance music?
Although I never had the pleasure to see Charles Pierce perform live I've watched these videos countless times. He still makes me laugh every time in this opening when he just says "thaaank you" like Bette Davis. Hysterical! Just the best!
WOW, he really DID LOOK LIKE Bette Davis!!!! INCREDIBLE!!!! Even sounded like her too, and ALL THE MANNERISMS!!!! What a TALENTED PERFORMER!!!!
The kindest, talented man in Hollywood! I am so grateful to have seen him live and to befriend him. Brilliant giving funny, funny man!
I spent an evening at Wayland Flowers apt. in Hollywood with Charles, Rudy de la Mor, and Rod Miller. I was 22 and had no idea the genius I was around that night. It was the after party at Wayland's place after his last public performance at Studio One Backlot on Robinson and SM Boulevard. That was in 1987
Use to see the show there many time in my twenties also knew Rudy de la Mor from the Little Shrimp in Laguna Beach. Great times.
What a wonderful treasure of a memory! I first saw Charles on a TV screen in a small out-of-the-way bar in Texas. I couldn't believe it--a drag performer in front of an huge adoring crowd at the Chandler Pavilion, then the home of the Academy Awards! It made me realize there was another world out there, one that was more accepting. Eventually, I left Texas to find that world in San Francisco, where I live still today.
My old roommate saw Charles perform in P-Town, he said that he was hysterical.
Bettie Davis said it BEST 'Charles Pierce is supremely talented man' And coming from Bettie Davis says volumes.
America's version of Kabuki. Genius on many levels. This is the best of the best.
Unquestionably, the master of female impersonating and the Greatest Bette Davis. Having said that, I can't get enough of Charles Pierce R.I.P.
Just discovered this gem! Charles was incomparable. I once saw him live, turning side to side, doing a conversation between Bette Davis and Tallulah Bankhead. Fantastic. Also loved his Bette and Joan Collins ❤ on an episode of Designing Women (on a cruise ship). Dearest Charles, YOU are just too much ❤, I'd love to kiss 💋 you, but I just washed my hair. MERCY!!!
I saw this...and taped it...about 20 years ago. It is Still laugh-out-loud funny!
"LIT!" Love it!
^^X^^
He was pretty wonderful wasn't he? He impersonated Bette Davis very well.
Such a dramatic entrance! Pure fabulousness 😁😁😁
The entire show is fantastic. I have watch it when I need to remind myself of how fun life can be!
Charles Pierce is just magnificent.
I agree.
He really was. Back when being a transvestite (to be technically correct, a female impersonator) was special. Not totally mainstream. I think that running about and trying to make something special into part of the "community" is so dull and dreary. LGBQTXYZ....doesn't anyone want to be special instead of whatever regular people are? Just be. This separating into little groups for God-only-knows what is both mainstream and rather alarming, especially as so many smart people keep buying into it for some reason. Sorry, I ranted. Such a silly little fool I am!
Charles Pierce is just magnificent.Charles looked more like Bette than Bette
So funny! He does Betty Davis the best!
I love twisted humor and drag! This was so funny! I subscribed!
I am a huge Bette Davis fan and Charles is absolutely brilliant. I’m sure anyone would find him hilarious, but when you know Bette Davis well you pick up on the slightest details that Charles just nails. It is sublime to put all of that together into a set that well. Bravo. I always come back to watch this every now and again
brilliant
the man was adored by many
Wow !! Thanks for posting this video !! I would love to see Joan Collins too !! Thank you so much. RIP Charles pierce !! You are missed.
So good- the physicality is perfect, even those eyes!! Amazing person :)
That Shelly Winters anorexia line almost killed me😂
He was so fabulous! There will never be another like him!
this video is the only thing that could make me laugh .Charles Pierce was great!
First time I ever saw this guy as Bette Davies. Great impersonation, although I'm not sure the tone of the voice is quite light enough. I know Bette had a rougher voice when she was older but not sure it's quite right, but the look and mannerisms are brilliant, and the flouncing walk is spot on.
Bettie Davis said it BEST. 'Charles Pierce is supremely talented'
Utterly genius!!!! I haven't laughed so hard in ages. Where can one get the FULL recorded show????!!!!
He was absolutely fantastic!!
Glad to have seen him perform at Freddie's Supper Club in NYC up close and personal in the early 80's. A legend.
I am wayyyyy too addicted to this video
As I am as well..at least once a week
I was appearing in LA in the '80's and I stumbled into the Backlot club in West Hollywood one night and saw Mr. Pierce...fabulous!! Years later I met and became friends with his musical director (seen at the piano here) Mr. Michael Biagi.
The greatest, that's for sure.
He doesn't get her voice perfect, but he doesn't have to because he gets her ENERGY down perfectly.
Shane de Leon he sure looks a lot like her though. Especially in the nose and cheeks.
Any one here in december 2019 tell your friends "This is A Must See"
Watching in Dec. 2019 ... This guy is FUNNY! ABSOLUTELY looks like Bette Davis and sounds like her too!
Has all the mannerisms (exaggerated of course).
Me too, i never knew or heard of this guy until last week but he is incredible. His Mae West is off the scale
You just couldn't get away with many of these jokes today.
Impressively BRILLIANT 🌟 Kudos to you, Mr Charles Pierce! 🎋
He is fantastic!
This is just INCREDIBLE!!!
Charles looked more like Bette than Bette.
He was one of the best Impersonators wow just wow ..good Bette Davis Impersonators are rare,gotta have the look down and demeanor
Saw Charles Live in New York. Funny & Great.
Brilliant. I'm go glad I got to know him, ever so briefly.
Fans of Bette Davis, often hate on his impersonation of Davis, but Charles was brilliant and funny as Davis.
Superb comic actor and great routine! The voice isn't exactly Bette but the persona more than makes up for it
and Miss D LOVED him
I met Charles Pierce in 1984 in San Francisco after his show at the Plush Room. He was very good in the show and was very nice to me when my friend and I went backstage to meet him I do impressions but I was too embarrassed to show him. He was very polite and gracious to me though.
First line should have been “What a dump!” 😀
You must see all of the videos from this show Fabulous
fabulous!
Brilliant
Bette was a difficult person to please, even SHE would have liked this. She was known for being braless and temperamental. Need a few more of them around.
She admitted in an interview that, her favorite joke was the cigarette "lit!"
Braless?
@@miriamhavard7621 Yeah, what does that mean?
When she said Thank you I cracked up wow bahahahhaha
the master!! loves it!!!
Mr. Biagi is going strong..Tommy Tune's musical director for the past 20 years or so..and a good friend.
Charles pierce was, in every sense of the word, a great artist! The stars are a little less bright since his passing.
this is really a master class in how to do stand up - what great timing class and not a 4 letter word spoken
He did slip in a "fuck" but WTF?!
Wow. This guy has Bette Davis down perfectly. I've never seen a better impression of her. Absolutely flawless! :D
theblazingangel Barbara Heller during the Dean Martin Roast.
Jimmy James. See the videos on TH-cam.
Drag Queens love Bette Davis
Wonderful. 🙂✌️Wonder if he ever worked with Jim Bailey?
I was really fuked up I really was looool
Sheer anarchy and class fo'evah!
yeah the best :D
Anyway to get a copy??? I saw Pierce at the Backlot in West Hollywood in the 1980's. My friend Michael Biagi was Mr. Pierce's pianist and musical director -- seen here.
Type ‘save TH-cam mp3’ into google and you could rip it
He sounds a little bit more like Lauren Bacall than Bette Davis here...
FAB! HES DEAD ON! love herim
He was divine and a genius!
awesome thanks
where can i buy this full show on dvd. pls let me know i just fell in love with him never seen this befor. he is right on with all his impersonate
This isn't a wig, you know, I have loose scalp.
Still brilliant!
can anyone get the full coco song they had to cut out because of coppy rights of then?????
Love Charles take on being Bette
Histerical,he is pretty good.
I'm amazed!
PLEASE POST HEPBURN!
LOVE!
Debbie Reynolds!
Hilarious!
Crack up hilarious.
Where can I get a copy? I would LOVE one!
haha haha wow so funny
😂
I love this
Bette = 123 movies
ohhhh kaftan!!! i get it thanks!!!!
THE BEST!! RIP
I’ve used that “roll in flour and look for a wet spot” several times and older people just die laughing and the younger ones, well..... they’ve never fried a chicken I guess 💁🏻
(Or had sex with Shelley Winters!!)
lets take this video past 200k January 2020 anyone here
Can someone explain me the Hindu Avon lady joke?
does anyone know if Bette ever saw him perform...and what did she think.
@darkeyes909 fabulous
Super gooood
Does anyone know the entrance music?
"Now Voyager": Music by Max Steiner.
now that we are going trough a difficult adjustment hope this video brings you some comfort you must laugh best Medicine march 2020
Since "Ednay Arkspay" (remember Pig Latin?) posted this video, my book "Write That Down! The Comedy of Male Actress Charles Pierce" has been published, and furthers the memory and greatness of Charles Pierce.... Look for it on amazon.com
OMG, He is Good, nope, Great as Bette Davis..
Does anyone know where Michael Biaci (piano) is?