From My Collection: Jane Powell

I appreciate all the positive feedback to last night's inaugural post for a series titled "From My Collection."

When I wrapped up work this evening I pulled out one of my boxes of treasures and took a wonderful walk down memory lane. I even found a few things I'd forgotten about, such as a beautiful still of Marsha Hunt with Margaret O'Brien in LOST ANGEL. That was neat, given that I met Miss Hunt earlier this year.

For tonight, here's a fun item, given that Jane Powell is guest hosting on Turner Classic Movies this week: Miss Powell's autograph on the handout for a class I audited with my parents when I was in my mid-teens.

Note the class's other guests! (Click to enlarge.)

Miss Powell, as one might expect, was charming and gracious.

The prior year, as a matter of fact, I'd had the opportunity to see her on stage costarring with Howard Keel in SOUTH PACIFIC at the Pantages Theater.

I'd completely forgotten that Drew Casper was the professor teaching this class. I don't know how I could have forgotten such a memorable character, but it just slipped my mind. He's been at USC for nearly four decades. Roughly 30 years after I attended this class, my daughter was his student for several classes at USC, including one on musicals!