Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Do You Know Connie Converse? - A Reader Needs Help

From time to time on this site, you the readers have tracked down some celebrities that have gone missing and now you are being asked again. A long time reader turned to me this weekend to ask if I could ask all of you bloodhounds for some help on a documentary that he is working on. The documentary is about a woman named Elizabeth (Connie) Converse. This is what the reader needs and where you can send any information if you find it or have any leads.

"I am helping someone with a documentary on Elizabeth (Connie) Converse.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Converse    http://connieconversedoc.com/the-film/

Connie tried her hand at music in New York in the early 50s, with limited success. She did appear on CBS's The Morning Show with Walter Cronkite in 1954.

We are trying to find out more about this appearance, but are coming up short.  We have contacted Archives at CBS, who do not hold any footage for The Morning Show. 

I though I'd take a stab in the dark and ask you what you would do - sice you are closer to the tv scene than I am.

I'd like to find:

1) where we would find a list of all guests
2) where we could find anyone who worked on this show in 1954


If you were faced with this problem, what would you do? Who would you talk to?

Any information about The Morning Show an CBS in 1954 period, people who worked in it, or any information about Connie Converse can be sent toconnieconversetips@gmail.com

 Feel free to ask for anyone who knew Connie at any paint in her life to get in touch.  It's a great story!"

So, thanks for your help everyone and hopefully one of you can solve the mystery or provide a lead to solving it. 


29 comments:

  1. The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago has a lot of old shows archived. Worth a shot.

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  3. Her story sounds like Midnight Train to Georgia for New Yorkers.

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  4. Hey, wait ! I can get paid for doing this...:)

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  6. Maybe the best contacts would be the historian Douglas Brinkley and his partner Johnny Depp. They have worked together for awhile and I think they have finished some Woodie Guthrie project that they have been working on. They would likely have access and interest. And of course Enty, who is BFF with Leo, who is BFF with Johnny, can hook you up:)

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  7. Wrong age, wrong middle name, wrong high school. However, the actual Ms. Converse is almost certainly dead as well, probably for a long time.

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  8. Don't know if this is her, would help to have a birthdate, but there is a musical instrument on her grave http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=converse&GSfn=connie&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=36882188&df=all&

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  9. Anonymous9:35 AM

    no idea

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  10. Birth name: Elizabeth Eaton Converse
    Born 3 August 1924
    Laconia, New Hampshire

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  11. Perhaps one of these might be helpful. Best of luck with the project.

    www.ny.com/museums/MTR.html
    www.paleycenter.org
    ncrtv.org

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  12. Also perhaps the Smithsonian might be of some assistance

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  13. Nothing to add but wanted to say I just read her story via the two links. Wow. Intriguing.

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  14. She really can't sing very well. Reminds me of a Jr High School music teacher.

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    1. Wow awesome comment your so helpful :(

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  15. Wish I could help as I was helped with a request a few years back. My sleuthing skills don't go past Google. Good luck!

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  16. SNapragon - which two links?

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  17. @Mngddess: they're hard to see on the original post, but are directly below "I am helping someone with a documentary on Elizabeth (Connie) Converse." Here they are for your convenience :)

    - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Converse
    - http://connieconversedoc.com/the-film/

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  18. Her Social Security Info reveals that she is not listed as Deceased. If she drove off and ended things - and the body was never discovered/identified, then this would fit.

    We can't find her license registration number.

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  19. Troll joe franklin web site. Hes got tons of info on everybody ever remotely famous off to read articles.

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  20. Vanderbilt University has a news archive, maybe they might know of someone who might have older stuff---
    http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/

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  21. Or see if there is someone from that era living at the Motion Picture and Film retirement Home:

    http://www.mptf.com/residential

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  22. You guys are amazing! I'll follow these up and let you know if they yield anything.

    If you are interested, the spinning on air special about Connie is great:

    http://www.wnyc.org/shows/spinning/2012/nov/25/

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  23. Do you have on your site all the links you do have? I found the spinning link via comments in the AWL piece, but I would imagine you already have those that can be easily found on line?

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  24. ann arbor,mi cold cases and newspaper archives for that area.

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  25. Have you tried getting in touch with Pete Seeger? He is very old, but still seems to have his faculties. He might be able to help.

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  26. Heavy drinking, heavy smoking depressive with health problems disappears for 40 years...it's 99.9% certain that she's dead, probably unidentified or under an assumed name. She would be 90 if she were alive. It wasn't that difficult in 1974 to change your identity.

    But if she did live for a while under a new identity, she may well have gone back to writing and playing music. Look for an older, obscure folk musician who suddenly appeared in the late 70's or 80's. Probably only semi-famous locally. Whose songs, other than her own, did she like to cover? Look for someone fitting that profile known for playing the same type of songs.

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  27. If you have her ss# and previous addresses, you should be able to get all 3 credit bureaus to see if any accts were later opened after 74. Was she officially declared dead?

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  28. She is not registered as deceased.

    Thanks for the suggestions.

    I will make a move on the credit checks now. You guys are the best!

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