This post was submitted by Dr. Marl Trolice.

Ninety-six years ago today in a multi-storied tenement house in the Italian section of Hoboken NJ, an immigrant young couple were awaiting the birth of their first and, ultimately, only child. The delivery was difficult with forceps macerating the infants left cheek and ear. Assuming he was stillborn, the mid-wife tended to the ill mother while the lifeless child was handed off to his grandmother …who promptly placed him under a faucet of cold running water and aroused the newborn.
Entering the world with scars and the first of his several comebacks, this child developed his craft and became the standard in popular vocalization and interpretation conquering the areas of performance in recording, radio, television and captivated audiences in night clubs to the most celebrated venues of the world as well as in motion pictures…all without being formally trained in music or acting. While we are not able to canonize all of his life, Frank Sinatra more than repaid for his place on Earth through a multitude of humanitarian efforts that are now legion and many others that remain anonymous. Almost 14 years since his passing, he continues to influence other artists and to provide infinite joy to the many of us who remain ardent fans – the fortunate enduring recipients of his gift.

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Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” ranks as probably my most favorite stage show of his. Oh, wait… which version ?? Well, if nothing else, this theatrical idea has lasted through several incarnations: the original Broadway run in 1934 with Ethel Merman, William Gaxton and Victor Moore; the 1936 film version with Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman and Charlie Ruggles, another film version in 1956 with Crosby, Donald O’Connor and Mitzi Gaynor that bore little resemblance to its source, and several stage revivals, right up through the current 2011 Tony-winning production.

As the score has changed a bit over the years, with interpolations of other Porter songs thrown in, or original ones restored, so has the plot. The original storyline, concerning an ocean liner in danger mid-voyage, had to be altered when such an actual news item occurred. This resulted in the change to an ocean liner bound from New York to London, with a cast that includes a nightclub singer, a gangster disguised as a missionary, and a stowaway who assumes the identity of Public Enemy Number One,

Cole Porter & Ethel Merman

For the record, the 1962 revival, that was considered the “official version” for decades, has always been my benchmark. That score’s cast featured Eileen Rogers (a Merman heir whose style fell out of fashion), a young Hal Linden, and the physical comedian Mickey Deems.

When I became a Sinatra fan, I was thrilled to discover that the original show had been adapted for television and aired on February 28,1954 as part of NBC’s “Colgate Comedy Hour”. This historic production was a departure from the show’s regular variety format, and featured Ethel Merman, Frank Sinatra, and Bert Lahr. It was only available previously on tape through an old Video Yesteryear kinescope transfer. With that release, it was fun to have the original Colgate product commercials, but was disappointing due to occasional skips in the print, the abbreviated credits, and almost all of the “Friendship” number non-existent

Thanks to the work of the Archive of American Television, their latest effort has been to acquire a kinescope of “Anything Goes” from the Ethel Merman estate and release it on DVD. Gone are the commercials, but what remains is a pristine and complete copy of the show itself. Needless to say, it probably looks better today that it did on standard television sets originally.

We now can fully revel in the interplay between these three great stars, appreciate the orchestrations of Buddy Bregman, and chuckle as a hastily arranged reprise of the title song is done to fill time when the show unexpectedly runs short. Merman even brings in Lahr and Sinatra, who laughs and says “I wish I knew the words.”

As for the score, there is “Anything Goes” (Merman), “You’re The Top” (Merman & Sinatra), “Friendship” (Merman & Lahr)”, “All Through The Night” (Sinatra), the interpolated “You Do Something To Me” (Sinatra) & “Just One Of Those Things” (Sinatra, with a reprise by Merman), Merman’s “I Get A Kick Out Of You” (then reprised by Sinatra), and a young Maynard Ferguson on trumpet, wailing into the stratosphere as Merman leads the revival meeting production number of “Blow Gabriel Blow”.

At the time, the telecast was considered unique, and received great critical acclaim. With the team of Executive Producer Leland Hayward, Producer Jule Styne, and Director Al Goodman, “Anything Goes” remains a hallmark of television’s golden age.

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Here’s a look back at some of the things that might have been, but never were, in the world of Frank Sinatra.

November 1953
Frank Sinatra will return to MGM in the spring of 1954. Sinatra’s first film for his former studio will be the musical ”St. Louis Woman” with Ava Gardner and Gene Kelly. Later in the year, Frank and Gene will join forces in another musical, ”It Is Always Fair Weather.” Kelly and Stanley Donen will co-direct.

March 1954
Frank Sinatra has agreed to make six independently produced films over the next five years. United Artist will finance the films. They plan to invest $15 million and hope to reap a profit of $50 million from the films. Sinatra will direct one of the films and eventually move into the director’s chair full-time.

April 1954
Frank Sinatra will star in “One Way Out.” He will film it through his own independent Oxford Productions. Story is a human drama about a little man caught in the turmoil of a big city. Filming gets underway in the fall. It will be shot in New York City. Jerry Bresler will produce. U.A. will finance the production

note: Sinatra would later put this project on the backburner in order to film “The Loud Law” (retitled “Johnny Concho”). Sinatra and Doris Day were filming “Young At Heart,” at WB, in the summerof 1954. The original title was “Someone To Watch Over Me.” [read more…]

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Frank Loesser

Frank Sinatra never hesitated to say how awkward he thought the casting of the 1955 film version of “Guys and Dolls” was, including his own, and working with “Mumbles”. Frank Loesser’s love letter to Damon Runyon’s world has been called the quintessential musical on stage, and the film version has been referred to as anything but the equivalent.

Producer Sam Goldwyn simply wanted box office draw and that’s why Marlon Brando is Sky Masterson, and Jean Simmons is Sarah Brown. Vivian Blaine as Adelaide, and Stubby Kaye as Nicely-Nicely were the only originators retained from the acclaimed Broadway cast. Of course, gravel-voiced Sam Levene is a prime example of how the original concept of Nathan Detroit on stage was altered for the film, and even Blaine’s singing in the film is a different style than on the original cast album.

Brando and Sinatra

From the beginning of his career, Loesser was praised for the uniqueness and cleverness of his lyric writing. It is true that he is probably the most conversational lyricist the stage ever saw, and that style made audiences identify with his characters as an everyman.

Once Loesser was able to do both music and lyrics for his shows, he fought for as much control as possible over the finished product. This was no different when it came to the much-anticipated filming of “Guys and Dolls”. [read more…]

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Jimmy Durante in the recording studio.

Probably the most beloved entertainer in show business was Jimmy Durante. It is just as difficult to find a disparaging remark made about him, as it is to find one attributed to him.

Durante’s career and longevity were unique in the respect that he was born in 1893 and entertained in vaudeville, theater, radio, movies, television, records and nightclubs.

The Club Durant, of which Jimmy was part owner, opened in 1923. “”If I didn’t open dat club, and become a boss, I wouldn’t a stood up and started singing. . . . I knew everybody, started to give dem da big hello. . . .” The team of Clayton, Jackson and Durante was initially formed here, with Lou Clayton and Eddie Jackson. It broke up officially in 1931, but Jackson and Durante would occasionally reunite for a special appearance.

As for Durante’s singing, he personally composed most of the songs that would become associated with him throughout the years. These included “I’m Jimmy That Well-Dressed Man”, “Who Will Be With You When I’m Far Away, Out in Far Rockaway ?”, “Did You Ever Have the Feelin’ That You Wanted To Go, Still You Have the Feelin’ That You Wanted To Stay ?”, “I Know Darn Well I Can Do Without Broadway (Can Broadway Do Without Me ?)”, and  “Inka Dinka Doo”.

The Voice and Da Schnoz had appeared together on radio and then on television, in 1953, on NBC’s “Colgate Comedy Hour”. While most people immediately think of the Sinatra-Durante connection with “The Song’s Gotta Come From The Heart” in MGM’s ‘It Happened In Brooklyn’, there’s also a bit of what-might- have-been… and from an almost unlikely place.

Director Frank Capra worked with Sinatra on the film, “A Hole In The Head” in 1959, and wrote: “I disappointed the press by extolling both Sinatra’s talent and his cooperation. Whatever tales of woe other directors had to relate about Sinatra’s intransigence did not apply to my experience— as witness the fact that we finished Hole under schedule and under budget.”

Frank Sinatra & Jimmy Durante in the recording studio

“…Frank Sinatra invited Lu and me to be his guests at the Sands Hotel, Las Vegas, where he was giving solo performances. Important conference, he said. It was during late supper in one of the lounge booths that Sinatra stunned me with his sudden question, ‘How would you like to produce and direct a film with me, Dean Martin and Bing Crosby ?’

‘Geez, Frank !’, I stuttered. ‘Throw in Garbo and I’ll consider it.’

‘Ain’t that the greatest ? Sammy Cahn came up with it. The life of Jimmy Durante and his two pals, Lou Clayton and Eddie Jackson. The ups and downs of the greatest team of laff-getters to ever hit show business. You like ?’

‘Does Jimmy Durante like ?” [read more…]

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It’s interesting that if one mentions Frank Sinatra and Saturday Night Live in the same sentence, people immediately divide into two camps and whether they preferred the impression by Joe Piscopo or Phil Hartman,

Phil Hartman as Frank Sinatra

Piscopo’s was done in 12 sketches on the show between 1981 and 1984, tending to be used more on the musical side, while Hartman’s 10 sketches, between 1990 and 1996, tended to rely on the more gruff and cantankerous side of Sinatra that had been portrayed in the media.

Either way, today’s technology gives us the opportunity to try and search out the potential to relive some of these classic television moments (for instance, excerpts of many SNL episodes throughout its history are available for viewing on Netflix).

Over the years, I’ve tended to side on the Piscopo side, due to the music parodies and overall premises, like Sinatra stumping for the value of US cars, singing a duet with Mick Jagger (Tim Curry), “Ebony and Ivory” (with Eddie Murphy as Stevie Wonder), the Sinatra-styled “Flintstones” theme on Gumby’s Christmas Special, and the party at Bob Hope’s house (with Rick Moranis as Woody Allen and Dave Thomas as Hope).

Joe Piscopo as Sinatra on SNL

Piscopo has also stated that he actually received Sinatra’s blessing to do the impression after having performed it for him in person.

Hartman’s impression was more of a caricature and everyone seems to remember the infamous “Sinatra Group”, a takeoff on PBS’ John McLaughlin panel show in 1991. My personal favorite, though, is the masterful “Sinatra Duets” sketch in 1993, where celebrities are continually pushed and pulled in and out of the recording studio, at breakneck speed, after singing a few lines with Ol’ Blue Eyes.

One Sinatra-esque moment that is usually forgotten comes from January of 1987 when Paul Shaffer hosted the show. Before the goodnights, Shaffer says to the audience, “”You know, it’s been fun tonight, but sometimes after the fun’s over.. a man stops.. and reflects…“

Paul Shaffer

Then, singing a parody of the Ervin Drake classic:

“In 1975
It was the very first year.
It was a very good year
For bees and “Never Mind” For laughs and getting small
And Chevy would fall
Something new had arrived
Way back in ’75.

In 1978
That was a wild and crazy year.
It was the year of the Stones
Of movie stars for hosts
And Brothers Czech and Blues
When Billy did the news
Belushi’s chauffeur would drive
That’s when that cat was still alive.

Then 1980 came along
That was Doumanian’s year.
Gets kinda foggy after that
Then Eddie Murphy busted through
Joe Piscopo sneaked in there, too
Then Ebersol cleaned house
“You look mahvelous” was the phrase
Those were some ten year heady days.

And now the days seem short
but, baby, this damn show’s still here.
We got a gang of fresh, young talented kids
I don’t quite know their names
But that Liar guy’s a hoot
And one of those chicks is kinda cute
We’ve launched some fine careers
It was a mess of good years.”

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