LP and artwork for Johnny “Guitar” Wilson’s album. Although the lp is quite brilliant, it’s seeing it framed HUGE like that is amazing. Johnny is rocking the afro!
I melt over this sign! I think this is hanging in the studio.
Doorway’s leading out of the studio, note the fabulous beer signs featuring African American couples and the “Color Purple” posters that are all signed!
This makes me ABSOLUTELY NUTS. Allee had the opportunity to work with Miss Miller (she added vocals or something that Allee was working on) and this picture says it all and shows her incredible spirit and gratitude. What REALLY killed me was that she calls herself “Tippy Tap”.
If there was room, “Willis Wonderland” could fill it with just these beer signs featuring African American couples enjoying a nice libation. Where is her hand?
I don’t know the history of this lamp but I captured this shot as the sun went down and it quickly became a favorite of mine. Note the candy dish FILLED with candy!
I did not get to plop my butt down in this chair. This is sitting in the living room at “Willis Wonderland”.
I mean really, look at this couch, the ceramics in the background, the silver ball ash tray (unused thank you!!), rug, 8 track player. This is a busy picture. Allee, was that TV in the background used in “French Kissing”?
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Allee Willis
The top photo of the Johnny guitar Watson LP cover is the actual LP and the ORIGINAL ART of the cover. I looks like a poster but it’s all hand painted, airbrushed and is a series of cut outs glued impeccably on the background.
The Record Spin sign is an original handmade 50’s sign.
I got the Ann Miller autograph when I flew to LA in 1975 to try and get Ann to tap dance on a Disco version of “42nd Street/Broadway Rhythm” I had cut with me as the artist. I met with her and she was really enthusiastic but wanted 90% of the royalties, literally, so we dropped it. But it was one of my favorite Hollywood moments ever to be able to go over to her house, sit with her and her little white toy poodle, FiFi, and watch her feet tap to the break the very first time she heard the song. She knew right where to come in.
I have two different Schlitz signs from this series. I love them because they’re dimensional plastic vacuforms mixed with a print.
The lamp is an almost 3 foot high resin chunk lamp. It looks hideous during the day but wonderful at night so I leave it turned on all the time.
I’m glad you didn’t plop your butt in the little blue chair as it’s not very sturdy. I keep it around as a spare. I also have four of the same ones in orange.
The TV in the last photo was not the one used in “French Kissing”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-c_s2GgJtk The silver ball ashtray is 1950’s Italian. I have two of them. The top ball part is magnetic and snaps to the pedestal.
Michael Ely
People often overlook / forget about talents like Ann Miller. She was an incredible dancer and a great star (and she invented pantyhose)! How cool that you got to meet and spend time with her!
Allee Willis
Did she literally invent pantyhose? I could believe it coming from a dancer. I love her even more, way more if so!
Michael Ely
From IMDb trivia – On an interview on Turner Classic Movies, she told a story about how each time she needed to dress for a dance on screen, the tops of her stockings needed to be sewn to the costume she was wearing. This was a tedious process and needed to be repeated each time there was a run, etc. One day, she suggested to the man supplying the stockings that he add a top to the stockings so they could be worn as one piece. …and that’s how pantyhose was born.
denny
I’ll never look at my panty hose the same way again. Tippy tap, tippy tap!