Larry Blum has worked with Hollywood's elite

Larry Blum has worked with a veritable who’s who of Hollywood. Already this year he has worked with Madonna, Michelle Williams and Meryl Streep. He has previously graced the stages of American Idol, America’s Got Talent and Dancing With the Stars and has ongoing gigs on both The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital. So why has no one ever heard of him before? Because quite literally, if you blink you will miss him.

Take for example Blum’s most recent brushes with fame that included Madonna, Williams and Streep. This isn’t some top-secret Weinstein movie we’re talking about, this is the trio finding themselves on Blum’s arm as he helped each of them up the stairs after winning their Golden Globes at the ceremony just a few weeks ago. As for the reality shows?  He has been a stand-in for Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Len Goodman during rehearsals. And as for the soap operas, he plays background characters.

Blum’s long list of celebrity also includes work on the 1979 pre-condom porn classic LA Tool & Die but while he says he was asked to be in it, he decided porn was not something he wanted to get into as a performer and worked as a production assistant on the flick instead.

But more than reality shows and porn, Blum’s list of credits is about as long as some of the award ceremonies that he has appeared on over last 12 years.  He was one of the original Solid Gold dancers, played the role of Gregory in a national tour of A Chorus Line and in one of his favourite moments appeared as a dancer in the opening ceremonies for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Blum even made an appearance in the cult-movie classic Xanadu with Olivia Newton-John, for which he takes some credit for Newton-John’s hook-up with her future ex-husband Matt Latanzi.

In his one-man show, the aptly titled Blink and You Might Miss Me, coming to this year’s Chutzpah! Festival, Blum takes audiences on a journey through his decade’s long career complete with rare video clips, photographs and mementos. But while Blum’s road to the stage is paved with countless brushes with fame, stepping back into the footlights wasn’t easy for him and only came about from a desire to share his stories that others found fascinating.

“I hadn’t been on the stage since 1978,” admitted Blum as he spoke to me from his home in Los Angeles before leaving for the studio for a taping of General Hospital. “I’ve been telling stories at parties for years now and everyone kept telling me how fun and interesting they were and they told me I should put it into a show. There was no overt drive [for me] to get back on stage, but I wanted to get out there and get some credit for my funny stories.”

And for those of you, like myself, that are just a tiny bit curious about Blum’s claims to having the Hollywood elite on his arms, we found this video from the 2012 Golden Globe Awards of Madonna’s win for best song. Watch for Larry at approximately 1:45 offering his arm to Madonna and helping her to the podium. I never did ask him about what appeared to be his rather one-sided conversation with Madge, but perhaps he’ll tell us in Blink and You Might Miss Me.

Blink and You Might Miss Me
Part of the 2012 Chutzpah! Festival
River Rock Casino Show Theatre, Richmond
22 - 26 February 2011

A one-man tour de force, Blink & You Might Miss Me is Hollywood veteran Larry Blum’s humorous look back at his personal journey through the rough and tumble, dishy, glamorous and sometimes cruel world of show biz. Sharing engaging stories along with rare clips and photos from his long and wide-ranging career in TV and film, Larry reflects on the unique opportunity he has had to experience celebrity up close and personal. Visit http://chutzpahfestival.com for tickets and information.