Alma and Jack Paar

[Jot N. Tittle]

I recall seeing a reference to Jack Paar interviewing Alma Mahler on his TV program. Anyone else know anything about this? Does a video record of the interview now exist? There are two DVDs available of old Paar programs, but the details of their contents are not provided.

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[Toblacher]

I've heard this rumor for years, I suspect it is an 'urban legend'.

If it did occur, it would have been around the GM centenary (1960).
I can't imagine a 'pop' show having this sort of guest in which 99%
of the viewers wouldn't have had a clue who she was, or who Mahler was.

I heard she spoke English with a VERY thick German accent, so that
may have been a problem.

[barry guerrero]

Given the level of discourse on the Jack Paar show, it wouldn't surprise me if Alma had made an appearance. It really was like a cross between the Mike Douglass Show (or Merv Griffin) and Charlie Rose.

[Jot N. Tittle]

I've heard this rumor for years, I suspect it is an 'urban legend'.

If it did occur, it would have been around the GM centenary (1960).
I can't imagine a 'pop' show having this sort of guest in which 99%
of the viewers wouldn't have had a clue who she was, or who Mahler was.

I heard she spoke English with a VERY thick German accent, so that
may have been a problem.

The Jack Paar Show was renowned for NOT having pop stars as guests, unless Cliff Arquette, Dodi Goodman, Hans Conried, and others are considered pop stars.

What percentage of the television audience had any clear idea of who Albert Schweitzer (also interviewed by Paar) was?

Check out the Wikipedia article on Paar, where it is reported that "Paar enjoyed conversing with foreigners and knew their accents would spice up the proceedings."

So the search goes on.

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[john haueisen]

I may have found an explanation for the allegations that Alma Mahler had been on the Jack Paar show.  I found that Paar had once done an interview with Tom Lehrer, in which Lehrer talked about his song "Alma" and her marriages to Mahler, Gropius and Werfel.
FYI:  http://www.avclub.com/content/node/22863
Could this have been the beginning of a Mahler urban myth?