Beverly Sills on Merv Griffin singing Sigmund Romberg duet

In case the youtube link breaks, here's a kludgy recording:

Merv Griffin (1925-2007) and Beverly Sills (1929-2007) in conversation & song
Musical excerpt:
'Close as Pages in a Book' (Romberg/Fields)
"Beverly Sills - Made in America"
Deutsche Grammophon/Universal Classics
www.deutschegrammophon.com/dvd

Beverly Sills: In the early days when my lessons were very expensive in what is known in our city as an after hours club

Merv Griffin: Were you known as Bubbles Silverman then?

Sills: No, no, I

Griffin: Here's Bubbles!

Sills: No, siree, as a matter of fact it was the kind of the place where I didn't even have a last name! [laughs]

Sills: No, I was just "Ole Bev". And yes, I became expert at singing "Danny Boy."


[I couldn't find a video of Beverly Sills singing "Danny Boy" but I found Beverly Sills singing with the muppets in "Pigoletto"]






[ and I found a muppet trio singing "Danny Boy" - so six degrees of separation ]






Sills: It was during the time of "South Pacific" heyday, you know. It had just opened and it was a smash hit.


Griffin: We're going to do something for you. Just like being in one of those great East side, dimly lit cafes. And if you want to, you can put some money on the piano.


Sills: My mother didn't know what kind of club it really was. She just thought these are the hardships that young singers have to go through and that's fine.

Griffin: [singing] We'll be close as pages in a book, my love and I

Sills: [singing] So close, we can share a single look, Share every sigh

Griffin: [singing] So close that before I hear your laugh, Your laugh breaks through

Sills: [singing] And when a tear starts to appear, My eyes grow misty too

Sills: My singing teacher, I didn't dare tell her.  And my hour for lessons was 9 [ A.M.] o'clock. And of course the after hours club closed on a slow night at 2 [A.M.] and on a fast night at 3 [ A.M.]. And I used to stagger  into that singing lesson and she'd holler and yell at me because I seemed so comatose.

Sills: [singing]  Never to part


Sills and Griffin: [singing] Your life is my life, And while life beats away in my heart, We'll be close as pages in a book, Never to part


And here's Bing Crosby singing the entire "Close as Pages in a Book" song:





And here's José Ferrer portraying the "Close as Pages in a Book" composer, Sigmund Romberg, singing another one of his compositions "Fat, Fat, Fatima"