DAVID LETTERMAN'S CALVERT DEFOREST AKA 'LARRY BUD MELMAN' DIES AT 85

Calvert Deforest 'Larry Bud Melman'

Calvert DeForest, the white-haired, bespectacled nebbish who gained cult status as the oddball Larry "Bud" Melman on David Letterman's late night television shows, has died after a long illness. The Brooklyn-born DeForest, who was 85, died Monday at a hospital on Long Island, Letterman's "Late Show" announced Wednesday. He made dozens of appearances on Letterman's shows from 1982 through 2002, handling a variety of twisted duties: dueting with Sonny Bono on "I Got You, Babe," doing a Mary Tyler Moore impression during a visit to Minneapolis, handing out hot towels to arrivals at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. "Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself - a genuine, modest and nice man," Letterman said in a statement. "To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him." The gnomish DeForest was the first face to greet viewers when Letterman's NBC show debuted on Feb. 1, 1982, offering a parody of the prologue to the Boris Karloff film "Frankenstein." "It was the greatest thing that had happened in my life," he once said of his first Letterman appearance. DeForest, given the nom de tube of Melman, became a program regular. The collaboration continued when the talk show host launched "Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS in 1993, though DeForest had to use his real name because of a dispute with NBC over "intellectual property." Cue cards were often DeForest's television kryptonite, and his character inevitably appeared in an ill-fitting black suit behind thick black-rimmed glasses. DeForest often drew laughs by his bizarre juxtaposition as a "Late Show" correspondent at events such as the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway or the anniversary Woodstock concert that year. His last appearance on "Late Show," celebrating his 81st birthday, came in 2002.

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MARILYN MAYE STILL BELTING SONGS OUT !

Paul Shaffer With Legend Marilyn Maye

Late Night With David Letterman's PAUL SHAFFER partied Monday night At Jim Caruso's cast Party at Birdland Jazz Club on 44th Street. Aside the the dozens of great singers that night Schaefer and the capacity crowd were treated to a few songs by the Legendary Marilyn Maye accompanied by Billy Stritch.
Maye who holds the singer's record of appearances on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" an amazing 76 times! Aside from recording 7 albums and 34 singles is in town to appear in her first extended club date here in 17 years after teasing New York audiences with the rare one night performances and prompted Rex Reed to proclaim "Marilyn Maye is a true original... She sounds like a 35 year old. We knew she could still do it all and leave the audience screaming for more? With her jazz spiced chops, she has the theatrical flair the captivates and enthralls".
Maye along with Stritch bring her "An Evening With Marilyn Maye" to The Metropolitan Room 34 West 22nd Street(between 5th & 6th Avenues) opening this Thursday March 22nd . The show will run Thursday through Sunday for two consectutive weeks. For reservations call 212-206-0440

Billy Stritch Parties With Paul Shaffer At Birdland !

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