JOHNNIE RAY : DOROTHY KILGALLEN'S AFFAIR WITH THE GENERATION YOUNGER 1950's POP SINGER WHO BOBBYSOXERS THREW THEMSELVES UPON

Dorothy Killgallen was a personality.  She was normally polite and poised but also was known for her ability to have a good laugh. She wore beautiful clothing and was attended to by a personal hairdresser. She had a tremendous career as a journalist and author and was famous, popular, and social. She had a spacious decorated brownstone to live in and on the fifth floor a personal abode she used as an office, which also was furnished with a bed. She earned money, though how much more than Johnnie Ray is not known.  Why did his older married woman who coaxed her beauty appeal to the singer?

According to Mark Shaw:

Excerpt: "When Johnnie Ray, the rangy, handsome, humble son of a devoted mother and mill worker with the golden voice, appeared on What's My Line, Kilgallen was stumped, and not happy about it.  Regardless, backstage the two chatted for better than an hour."  (Page 57) 

(Johnnie appeared at Jill's fourteenth birthday July 16, 1957. Jill, Dorothy's daughter, and her friends were fans of Johnnie, so Dorothy called his agent and asked if he could send over some records for the party. Instead Johnnie himself showed up with an armful of records and entertained them for an hour. I note that by then, the toddler at the house, youngest son Kerry, was probably Johnnie's so I question why she would have to have arranged this with his agent.)

Dorothy asked Ray if he would go see the film An Affair To Remember with her.  

Ray asked Dorothy to a Count Basie concert.  Both Johnnie and Dorothy loved jazz.  After the concert, he took her back stage and introduced her to Count Basie.

In 1958, with Johnnie, Dorothy hosted "63rd Street" parties at his address, a 2000 square foot New York apartment. (Page 64)

Excerpt: "That Kilgallen paraded her romantic relationship with Ray out in the open air may have been risky for others in the entertainment industry but there is no evidence that she was condemned for this illicit affair in any newspaper or magazine article.  To the contrary, Kilgallen was given a pass as if she had the right to such companionship outside marriage." (Page 65)

(Friends reported that the couple were lusty and could be heard in the den where they cavorted at parties.)

Missy here:  I knew nothing of Johnnie Ray, who's fame and popularity was like that of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, in the 1950's. Coming up I'll be telling you about some surprises I learned by reading the book Cry, by Jonny Whitesides. Be sure to watch the videos I've posted.

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