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sir pball

(5,195 posts) Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:26 PM Saturday

I'm not that young, but I only ever knew Mel Torme as a running joke on Night Court...

This has certainly changed my mind. I'm currently going down a rabbit hole and…holy mother of god, The Velvet Fog indeed…

(and by "not that young" I mean barely GenX, b. 1979)

14 replies

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I'm not that young, but I only ever knew Mel Torme as a running joke on Night Court... (Original Post) sir pball Saturday OP

He wrote "The Christmas Song" Fiendish Thingy Saturday #1

He started as a drummer BeerBarrelPolka Saturday #2

I don't remember why, but the judge played by Harry Anderson loved him. chicoescuela Saturday #3

He did. But the shows creator said that turned out to be coincidental, not on purpose. Wiz Imp Saturday #6

Kind of hard to believe, but ok. chicoescuela Saturday #9

His celebrity status was also used as a gag in the Val Kilmer movie "Top Secret" (1984). John1956PA Saturday #4

He was f'n amazing musette_sf Saturday #5

He was a serious actor as well Norbert Saturday #7

He played himself in the TV series Sliders DavidDvorkin Saturday #10

The Velvet Fog. cachukis Saturday #8

I love Mel Torme! Ilsa Saturday #11

That made me wish I could still jitterbug but my 82 yr legs and lungs would think I lost my mind. appleannie1 Sunday #12

The man had some mellow pipes. marble falls Sunday #13

My Favorite Mel Torme Hit Billsdaughter Sunday #14

Fiendish Thingy

(21,479 posts)

1. He wrote "The Christmas Song"

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:33 PM

Saturday

You know, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”

BeerBarrelPolka

(2,108 posts)

2. He started as a drummer

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:33 PM

Saturday

and of course became legendary as a singer.

chicoescuela

(2,482 posts)

3. I don't remember why, but the judge played by Harry Anderson loved him.

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:35 PM

Saturday

Maybe Anderson loved him in real life too.

Wiz Imp

(8,085 posts)

6. He did. But the shows creator said that turned out to be coincidental, not on purpose.

Reply to chicoescuela (Reply #3)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:55 PM

Saturday

From Wikipedia:

Anderson was a longtime fan of singer Mel Tormé, and his character Judge Stone on Night Court was also a Tormé fan; the singer appeared on the sitcom six times. Night Court creator Reinhold Weege said that Anderson and his character both being Tormé fans was completely coincidental. Anderson was among those who delivered eulogies at the singer's funeral in 1999.

chicoescuela

(2,482 posts)

9. Kind of hard to believe, but ok.

Reply to Wiz Imp (Reply #6)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 10:04 PM

Saturday

Little known fact, Harry Anderson was the Grand Marshal of the Nevada Day parade one year. I can’t remember the year but probably early 90s and I don’t remember why he was selected .

John1956PA

(4,611 posts)

4. His celebrity status was also used as a gag in the Val Kilmer movie "Top Secret" (1984).

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:40 PM

Saturday

https://m.

musette_sf

(10,441 posts)

5. He was f'n amazing

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:51 PM

Saturday

Last edited Sun Nov 9, 2025, 09:13 AM - Edit history (1)

and I am thankful to have enjoyed an evening at a show of his in Houston in 1993. I wasn’t dating anyone, and didn’t have any friends who wanted to pony up the dough for a ticket to go with me. Buying a singleton seat can work out very well, since they’re scattered throughout the theater. I got a fourth row center seat, and was transfixed and amazed.

I met my DH the following year, and he too was a Mel fan, so we went to see him at The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston. Great venue and a great show.

Norbert

(7,452 posts)

7. He was a serious actor as well

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:55 PM

Saturday

Aside from his guest starring on Night Court. He acted in some movies in the 50s and early 60s. I may be wrong but most all were B grade movies.

DavidDvorkin

(20,424 posts)

10. He played himself in the TV series Sliders

Reply to Norbert (Reply #7)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 10:06 PM

Saturday

The star was his nephew in real life, I think.

cachukis

(3,564 posts)

8. The Velvet Fog.

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 09:58 PM

Saturday

Ilsa

(63,605 posts)

11. I love Mel Torme!

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2025, 10:09 PM

Saturday

His voice is so lovely. And Ella is the Queen.

The best most recent scatting I heard was the ending of a recording of Pentatonix singing White Christmas in multiple variations. The scatting starts around 2:52:

?si=k9eUXG3xhcE3TWXf

I love the sudden pitch variations.

appleannie1

(5,384 posts)

12. That made me wish I could still jitterbug but my 82 yr legs and lungs would think I lost my mind.

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sun Nov 9, 2025, 12:13 AM

Sunday

marble falls

(69,217 posts)

13. The man had some mellow pipes.

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sun Nov 9, 2025, 12:15 AM

Sunday

Billsdaughter

(105 posts)

14. My Favorite Mel Torme Hit

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Sun Nov 9, 2025, 12:19 AM

Sunday

I Cover the Waterfront. He contributed so much to the soundtrack of America and particularly to The Greatest Generation.

I heard his son's album of Mel's hits on an NPR segment several years ago and boy he sounds a lot like his dad.

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