Margaret Whiting

Johnny Mercer was my father's best friend and became mine as well. And Harold Arlen, whom I would call Uncle Harry, and Harry Warren: those were ones who I really became close to.

Rosemary was a little nervous about going onstage, but she went on with us. I saw her at a party, and a couple of months later they called me about doing the act.

The musicians recommend that I sing a sing the way it is written the first time and then start to look for other notes that aren't in the melody.

I'm always writing lyrics. I have so many lyrics on so many stray pieces of paper. Everywhere.

I think for any actor, for the roles they deeply, truly want? They always have to audition for them.

I was about 29 or 30, and I started writing monologues for myself. I felt I got more immediate encouragement from that than I ever had in acting.