The Psychology of People and Pets, 12/10/77
Virginia Belmont Radio Show

Mordecai Siegel’s Radio Show, Vets and Pets:

• Part A
• Part B

Virginia Belmont’s Famous Singing & Talking Birds

Editor’s note: Introduction printed on the record jacket

Virginia Belmont is an international and outstanding pet authority, and is also the owner of the renowned Belmont Bird & Kennel Shop in Rockefeller Center, New York City. Her shop always set a very high standard in the Pet World.

This record gives important highlights on the care and training of pets in the home. It also presents her amazing Bird Symphony, in which she has trained her beautiful canaries to sing on command – solos, duet, quartet, sextet, or chorus.

A recognized pet authority, Virginia Belmont is highly qualified to give advice to all pet owners, as her accomplishments in this field are many. She believes that respect, understanding, and especially love, are the prime requisites in training birds and animals – yes, and children, too!

Her life has been like a story book, full of almost boundless and wide varied experience. From her compact and elite Shop in Rockefeller Center, her love and sunshine have poured forth in all directions to those who have sought her advice on pets – or their own personal problems.

Love of life – animals – birds – people – has kept this vibrant and charming human being almost decades younger than her age (now in her 65th year). She has a gift of magic with people and pets. They feel her warmth and enthusiasm immediately when in her presence, and she has an uncanny ability to heal them when they come to her.

Since Virginia Belmont’s first professional stage appearance at the tender age of nine, she has attained many distinctions. One of the most notable was being proclaimed World’s Champion High Kick Terpsichorean Dancer – by none other than that legendary and never-equaled impresario, Florenz Ziegfeld. Her began her great association with Joseph Belmont, who had the featured presentation in the Ziegfeld Follies, with his famous singing birds, the Canary Opera.

She opened the beautiful Roof Gardens in Rockefeller Center in 1935 with her Belmont Bird Symphony, and her Shop has been in the RCA Building ever since.

She loves Rockefeller Center and all it represents – a truly magnificent “City Within A City,” which is the Mecca for visitors from all parts of the world – its great forum of buildings – a virtual emblem of the precious American heritage of freedom – the wonder and beauty of the enchanting floral displays in the Channel Gardens, surrounded by the United Nations flags waving in the universal breeze, providing inspiration to all those who may stop to contemplate – above all, the warmth of the Yuletide Season’s impressive presentation, crowned by perhaps the world’s most beautiful Christmas Tree symbolizing peace, love, and unity of all mankind.

With the Shop serving as the heart of her constant activity, she has been much sought after as a performer on radio and television, as well as a writer and lecturer. She toured the nation for years with her 3 famous Westinghouse Talking Mynah Birds – AC, DC, and TV – astounding audiences with their still unrivaled performances.

“The only record of its kind in the world” – indeed a modest caption – and further indeed, the accomplishment of one who has been called by so many, “the one and only” Virginia Belmont. It points up her vast knowledge and great rapport with the Bird Kingdom. And this can be said to extend to the Animal and Human Kingdom – which is to say, perhaps simply, God’s Kingdom.

By Virginia Belmont

This record is dedicated to Joseph Belmont, whose abilities and character have been a great influence in my life. It is also dedicated to all people who know and love pets.

To those who do not own or understand animals and birds, this recording will provide a much-needed source of information and advice.

The beauty and expression in the song or in the magic flight of a bird, brings us in much closer harmony with the oneness of the universe. A child who is taught to love, respect, and observe the natural habits of animals and birds, will surely be impressed with the beautiful and the good.

This recording has been many years in the making. While listening, you may feel the passage of time, patience, perseverance, and love, which enabled me to accomplish what you hear. All the birds are live and real, and have been trained to sing and talk on command.

There is a silent language which exists between God’s four-footed and winged creatures – and Man. When a human being is ready for this experience, it can change his whole aspect of life, for he comes to realize that everything that lives has some great value to share.

Perhaps you will note the natural response and love between myself and the birds. In the “William Tell Overture,” you will clearly hear the canaries stop and start at a silent command.

For your listening pleasure, birds from all parts of the world will delight you with their song – the Brazilian Cardinal, Pekin Nightingale, Indian Shama Thrush, and the incomparable Mexican Clarino.

You will enjoy Bambi, a Panama Parrot, who counts from one to five, and whose parrot antics entertain thousands of visitors who come to see him in my Shop at Rockefeller Center. You can hear my pet Cockatiel, who not only tells Bambi to “Turn over” when Bambi stands on his head, but also whistles the first part of “Caprice Vienois.”

TV, my dearly beloved Mynah Bird, will amaze you. Judged the smartest and most intelligent Mynah Bird in the world, with an astounding vocabulary of over 500 words, TV’s conversation with me may convince the most utter skeptic that anything is indeed possible – just as he amazed audiences, when performing throughout the United States for many years. He was the only bird ever to say the full commercial, “You Can Be Sure If It’s Westinghouse.”

Lastly, dear friends, it is my fond hope that this record will enlighten, instruct, and help create a much better understanding and relationship between humans and animals. Man cannot survive without these God-given creatures.

Be kind, gentle, and loving to those which have been entrusted to your care. You will then feel that heartwarming and unseen inter-relationship, enjoyment and happiness, which should exist between you and your pet.

My pets send love to your pets, and I send my love to you.