Ev Wallace...Carpenters secretary

[cam83]

Hi All,
I remember Ev Wallace was an awesome person when she was in charge of the Carpenters International Fan Club...I would send her hundreds of questions and she would patiently answer as many of them as she could...I don't actually have them anymore as they got destroyed by accident, but I can remember some of my questions and some of the answers she gave me. It really touched me how she would answer them if she knew of them...

How many gold and platinum records do the Carpenters own worldwide?
Hundreds

On the YESTERDAY ONCE MORE video, does Karen wear a wig for the videos Superstar and Rainy Days and Mondays, cause her hair seems really shiney(like I thought a wig looked like)?
No wig

Did Karen ever appear on The Muppet Show, because there is a picture of her with Miss Piggy? And if so, why was it taken?
No. It was taken for fun

Were you at Karen's funeral?
Yes

Where did you sit?
Fifth row

Would the family talk to reporters like Star and National Enquirer after Karen died?
No. Would not talk to reporters.

What was Karen wearing at her funeral?
Rose colored suit

When Karen came back from her therapy in New York in November 1982, and she gained 31 pounds, did she look good?
No. Still too thin.

Was the actual house used in the Karen Carpenter Story, the same one from the cover of the NOW AND THEN album?
Yes.

Were you there during the filming?
Yes.

Did you get to chat with Cynthia Gibb, the actress who played Karen?
No time to chat.

Did you think she reminded you of Karen?
Yes.

Did she wear all of Karen's clothes during the filming of the movie?
Yes.

Were the gold and platinum records at the beginning of the movie, really Richard and Karen's?
Yes.

How many Grammies did the Carpenters win?
3

Does Richard know that ONLY YESTERDAY album in Britain hit Number One?
Yes.

Does he know that it went double platinum?
Yes.

Does he know that it hit triple platinum? Does he have to send it back to get the new one?
Yes. He had to send it back(to get the triple platinum one)

Which parent was Karen's favorite?
Dad

Of the two of Karen's parents, which one misses her more?
Dad.

Of Richard and Mary's daughters, which one reminds you of Karen?
Mindi Karen.

Was THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY a popular movie on tv?
2nd most watched tv movie of the year!

Could Karen sing and drum simultaneously flawlessly?
Yes.

Did Richard receive my Carpenters comics(that I had made)?
Yes.

Did he read them and if so, what did he think?
He doesn't want to see or read anything about anorexia.

Did the actress Cynthia Gibb have to lose weight for her role of Karen in the movie?
No. She is a tiny person.

Was Karen's actual drums, wedding dress and objects used in the movie?
Yes!

Are the Carpenters the biggest selling brother and sister duo in Rock History?
Yes!

Do you miss Karen?
Every day!


These are the ones I can remember...there were probably several hundred more but I can't remember all of them...

My jumbled thoughts,
Cameron Longo
[e-mail]

[smoothie2]

:)Very interesting Cam..I really like that movie...I read the Ray Coleman book the Unauthorized version of the Carpenters story..and I want to read others about them in time. Thanks for sharing.


smoothie

[Rick Henry]

thank you so much Cam for all the excellent information. I remember writing to Ev and she always ansered my questions.
I remember only one question I asked
Did "Bless The Beasts And Children" chart?
Yes. The b-side of "Superstar" reached #67.

[Laura]

I remember Eve but the one that wrote to me for so long was Lois that drown in Nevada..............I was 14 and felt like a member of the family..Just sat stunned..From then on when I did receive a letter, it was from Eve. Lois sure pulled me thru a lot and really made me think K&R really cared. Just 14 then......

[cam83]

Hey Guys,
Here are some more questions that I remember...

How come on Tv, they called The Karen Carpenter Story, an "Academy Award-winning movie?
They meant it was a great movie!


Did Karen really collapse like she did in the movie The Karen Carpenter Story?
No


Do Karen and Richard each own their own set of Grammys?
Yes


Was Karen a good drummer?
Yes

How come on some pictures of Karen featured in magazines, say her solo pictures were done in 1981, but really done in 1979-1980?(I think PEOPLE magazine had a photo of Karen and said it was from 1981 but was from 1979-1980)
They don't always have the right information.


Do Richard and Karen really like their fans?
Yes(and with that, RC signed an autograph for me)

Every year, do lots of fans send flowers to Karen's crypt?
Yes

Where is the fan club situated in the Carpenters home?
Main floor, under bedrooms.

[Alan]

Great trivia, Cam ... love this stuff! You and Rick post more as you remember. I'm fairly new and haven't dug back to all past posts to have seen this. Intend to eventually read all. I'll have to read the book I see mentioned above and referred to on other posts. But I wouldn't have had to ask if Karen was a great drummer!! LOL ... Just kiddin' here and trying to give you a hard time!

Rick - I didn't realize "Bless the Beasts" charted. Another pleasant surprise to me! I shouldn't be surprised as remember it received considerable airplay for a B side. That was a year or two before I started reading Billboard where I would have seen it and jumped for joy!

Keep it comin'!

[jeffturner]

Hi

As a member of the fan club I always looked forward to getting the newsletters. Always wanted to know what was happening.

I bought a pendant and key chain from the club, which always treasured.

The question and answer sections were always of use and kept us up to date. Always hoping they would come to the UK again, but alas not to be.

The concert at the Palladium will always stay in my memory, was in the second row, it was so good, could not beloieve my iodols were feet away from me. It was a perfect moment and would love to share my memory of it with anyone else that actually saw them live.

Cheers

Jeff

[Alan]

jeffturner said:

Hi

The concert at the Palladium will always stay in my memory, was in the second row, it was so good, could not beloieve my iodols were feet away from me. It was a perfect moment and would love to share my memory of it with anyone else that actually saw them live.

Bet the concert was wonderful. I saw them twice, but didn't sit anywhere nearly as close as you did! But they were wonderful all the same.

I enjoyed listening to "Live at the Palladium" album. Felt very lucky to find a copy. I found one rummaging through an imports bin at a very offbeat, off the wall record store near The University of Texas campus in Austin. You would never have found it in either one of the big department or record stores! But was surprised to find it there as well as this was somewhat of what I would've called at the time ... a "hippieish" store! This was in the mid '70s. I regret to say, I no longer have that record.

[Rick Henry]

jeffturner said:

The concert at the Palladium will always stay in my memory, was in the second row, it was so good, could not beloieve my iodols were feet away from me. It was a perfect moment and would love to share my memory of it with anyone else that actually saw them live.

Cheers

Jeff

Wow, you got to see the famous Palladium concert and second row at that. That's neat. I saw them on December 29, 1977 (my 18th birthday) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It was an excellent show. The highlight for me was watching Karen do her drum solo. she was absolutely fabulous.

[Moe]

Is Ev still alive? She answered my questions as well and commented on my nice letters. She seemed like such a nice lady. I was writing during the time just before "Old Fashioned Christmas" was about to be released. I remember asking if Richard was going to include the 1974 ballad version of "Santa Claus is coming to town." She told me that Richard was planning on including it and hoped he would, but then she said he does change his mind from time to time.

I didn't join their fan club until after Karen had passed. I bought several posters and she threw in pictures, bumper sticker, and all sorts of Made in America memorablia. I still have some of the soveneirs, but unfortunately, lost the posters through the years. I have seen those same posters going for big bucks on EBAY!

[Rick Henry]

Ev did seem to be really nice. She always answered all my questions. I joined the fan club just after "There's A Kind Of Hush" was released as a single in 1976.
I bought a good amount of memorabilia back then, but somehow all of it is gone, except for the photos and books. But I bought a "Horizon" photo shoot poster, a key ring, a patch and a few other things - can not locate any of it now.

[cam83]

Hey All,
Ev WAS awesome! I remember I would look forward to getting any mail back from the Carpenters Fan Club, with her beautiful handwriting. Usually I would get a thick envelope back, containing all my many questions and would be in seventh heaven if she answered some of them.

I remember buying the Carpenters Sun Visors, of the MADE IN AMERICA logo on with the Carpenters logo. I had 3 of them, but now only have one. I also obtained the 1977 poster(Karen in red satin pant suit), Karen in 1973(wearing maroon print dress, with RC wearing pink shirt and maroon sweater), and Made in America inner sleeve pic. I obtained DECADES book, many 8x10's, 1973 TOUR PROGRAM BOOK, book cover, newsletters...

My thoughts,
Cameron

PS. Does anyone know where EV is living. Someone told me a few years ago and gave me the address to Portland,Oregon, but the letter got returned...