a cappella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
street
quartet
In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments.
Classical String quartet
In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, formed in 1978. The group appeared in '' HealtH'' and '' Popeye'', two films from director
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New H ...
that saw release in the early 1980s.
Career
Consisting of four actresses—Julie Janney, Diane Shaffer, Nathalie Blossom and Patty Katz— the Steinettes were formed in 1978 during a production at the Westbeth Theater. Another a cappella group, the Great American Dream, had been formed at this venue. Early on in their tenure, the quartet sang for donations at the Sheridan Square in Manhattan's West Village area. Eventually, they also served as a filler act for local comedian Phil Stein, and in 1981, they filled in for
Rodney Dangerfield
Rodney Dangerfield (born Jacob Rodney Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, his catchphrase "I don't get no resp ...
.
The group contributed vocal performances to the score of
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New H ...
20th Century-Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...
for over two years. During the shoot, they were dressed in vegetable outfits. A year later, they also appeared in another Altman production, '' Popeye''.
During their existence, the Steinettes appeared in commercials for television and radio, as well as in nightclubs. In 1985, they performed backing vocals on three tracks of a self-titled album by dance artist
Robey
. Notable people with the surname include:
* Don Robey (1903–1975), American record executive
* George Robey (1869–1954), English music hall comedian
* James N. Robey (born 1941), American politician
* Louise Robey (born 1970], British/French- ...
. One of them was a version of "
One Night in Bangkok
"One Night in Bangkok" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical ''Chess (musical)#Original album, Chess'' by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson, and Björn Ulvaeus. British actor and singer Murray Head raps the verses, while the chorus i ...
" from the musical '' Chess'', which peaked at #77 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in March 1985.
Diane Shaffer, one of the Steinettes, became a playwright in 1995 with the religious piece ''Sacrilege''. Another member, Julie Janney, became an actor by the late 1990s, starring in shows such as '' Ellen'' and '' Another World''.