FRANK SINATRA PROGRAM, THE {W.C. FIELDS} (RADIO)
Summary
One in this series of musical programs with a bit of comic relief starring Frank Sinatra. In this installment the singer welcomes legendary comic W.C. Fields. Sinatra opens by performing "Falling in Love with Love" and offers a special hello to members of the armed forces listening to the broadcast. He then trades banter with resident comic Bert Wheeler and announcer Truman Bradley. They joke about boxing, referring to Sinatra's investment in heavyweight fighter Tami Mauriello, and Sinatra reveals that his father was a boxer and that he even sparred a bit himself -- "in the paperweight division." After Sinatra sings "No Love, No Nothin,'" Fields walks on stage. The legendary confidence man offers to sell the singer his new invention, "the Sinatramizer," a device that makes anyone exposed to it sing like Sinatra. The singer explains that he will have to see the invention at work before he commits any money to it; while Fields goes off to fetch the device Sinatra croons "Long Ago and Far Away." Fields then returns with the Sinatramizer, and Wheeler volunteers to try it out. After raucous sound effects indicate that he has been assaulted by the machine, he emerges with his own voice rather than that of Sinatra. "Oh, I forgot to tell you," blithely rationalizes Fields. "It doesn't work on imbeciles." He suggests that Sinatra try the machine himself. When the singer emerges, Fields listens to Sinatra sing a few bars and discovers that he has made a mistake. "That's my Crosbymizer!" he reveals and departs. Sinatra then sings "My Heart Stood Still" with the Vimms Vocalists and concludes with his closing song, "Put Your Dreams Away." Includes commercials and a promo.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: February 9, 1944 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:30:09
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R:17669
- GENRE: Radio - Music/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Music, Popular (Songs, etc.)
- SERIES RUN: CBS - Radio series, 1944
- COMMERCIALS:
- Radio - Commercials - "Sensations of 1944" (theatrical release of a feature film)
- Radio - Commercials - Vimms Vitamins
- Radio - Promos - "The Frank Sinatra Program"
CREDITS
- Axel Stordahl … Conductor
- Vimms Vocalists, The … Choir/Chorus
- Frank Sinatra … Singer, Host
- Truman Bradley … Announcer
- W.C. Fields … Guest
- Bert Wheeler … Cast
- Bing Crosby
- Tami Mauriello