The News And Views

NEW YORK -- When the curtain rang down on the Broadway musical, "Three Wishes For Jamie" on Saturday night it left an enthusiastic but tired cast in need of some sleep.

But sleep is not what they got. Sunday morning the chorus appeared, somewhat less than bright-eyed, at a recording studio in mid-Manhattan. There they went through their paces again for the critical ear of the microphone and cold-blooded tape of the recording equipment.

This time they are preparing an album of Capitol records with the same show they are playing on Broadway.

The first principal who appeared was jovial Bert Wheeler, a veteran of many stage and movie productions. He is still excited and nervous about doing the first recording date of his career. Once started he is okay. The other singers immediately tagged him "One-Take Wheeler."

Near the end of the session, I walked over to where Wheeler was reclining on a baby grand piano.

"I never knew what a tough job this recording of an album could be," he said. "The takes and re-takes are much tougher than playing a role either in the movies or on the stage."

That same Sunday morning Charlotte Rae, who is singing in her first Broadway show, and Robert Halliday, who is Tim Shanaghan, her father, in "Jamie," ran through the show-stopping tune, "Love Has Nothing To Do With Looks."

In the afternoon lovely Anne Jeffreys, attired in a three-quarter length ranch mink, sang "It's Spring" just as though she and her husband, actor Bob Sterling, were walking hand-in-hand in Central Park. Anne, however, had previously recorded the original-cast show of the musical, "Street Scene."

"Of course I like recording," she said. "But it's much more difficult than singing from the stage. I suppose that's because seeing a live audience in front of you gives you more inspiration."