THE HAT SQUAD - REMEMBERING JIM BAILEY

Celebrity impressionist Jim Bailey has passed away at the age of 77.  He was best known for his Vegas act in which he transformed himself into stars like Judy Garland, Barbara Streisand, Peggy Lee, and Phyllis Diller.  

He made his mark in Toobworld as well, adding such citizens as:

'Ally McBeal'
as Harold Dale
- Cloudy Skies, Chance of Parade

'Night Court'
as Chip / Charlene
- Best of Friends

'Vega$' 
as Jeremy Welles
- The Man Who Was Twice

The last one I found to be worthy of a theory of relateeveety.  I'm going to claim that Jeremy Welles was another Welles sibling who sought the limelight with tragic consequences.  I've written about his sisters Jenifer and Rosanna, in the past.  Jenifer Welles was a concert pianist who was murdered by her lover, the conductor of the orchestra for which she played.  ['Columbo' - "Etude In Black"]  And Rosanna (who changed her last name to "Wells") was a lounge singer working for a cruise line.  ['Columbo' - "Deadly Waters"]  

Because only a year separates Jim Bailey from Anjannette Comer, I'm going to claim that Jeremy and Jenifer were twins.)

Jeremy was under threat of death, but Dan Tanna was able to rescue him from his own worst enemy......

Looking through Mr. Bailey's credits on 'Old Reliable', the IMDb, I thought I had a case made for his inclusion into the Television Crossover Hall Of Fame as a member of the League of Themselves, without cheating by bringing in his appearances on variety programs like 'The Carol Burnett Show'.

Here were the three candidates for qualification, as listed by the IMDb:

'The Rockford Files' 
Himself
- Just a Coupla Guys

'Switch' 
Himself
- The Lady from Liechtenstein: Part 1 (1976) ... Himself
- The Lady from Liechtenstein: Part 2 (1976) ... Himself

'Here's Lucy'
Himself
- Lucy and Jim Bailey

Those last two were easy enough to prove, but I watched that episode of 'The Rockford Files' on Netflix and couldn't find Jim Bailey anywhere in it.  I may have missed him in a VERY quick cameo, but I'm thinking this was more of a case in which another actor was confused with him.  (In this instance, probably Greg Antonacci.)  

However, it could be that he appeared in "The Jersey Bounce", the other 'Rockford' episode which featured Antonacci and Gene Davis as Eugene Consigliaro and Mickey Long, respectively.

I have yet to check that out.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these clips of Mr. Bailey in Toobworld:

Good night and may God bless.......