The Peggy Lee Bio-Discography:
Appearances With Bing Crosby
(On The Radio, Part VIII)

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

Above: Bing Crosby with and without Peggy Lee. The first photo bears a 1947 publication date. By that year, Crosby was long gone from his hosting job on NBC's Kraft Music Hall and ensconced on to his next gig, at ABC's Philco Radio Time. If this picture was actually taken in 1947 (rather than just published on that year), then the presence of a NBC microphone might be explained by the fact that, at this early point in the history of ABC, the young network was sharing technical equipment with NBC. (During my navigation on the web, I have come across a statement from a seller who states that this photo is from 1944, but I have found no indication that his claim is accurate.)

Also dating from well past the Kraft Music Hall period, the second photo was probably taken on November 29, 1949, when the singing pair was filming a duet performance for his movie Mr. Music. The cameraman has caught the pair as they were checking the sheet music for a Burke-Van Heusen number, which they were scheduled to perform as a duet on the screen.

Down below: two issues, one a transcription disc, the other a CDr sold by a collectors' mail order label, each containing a diffrent May 2, 1946 version of "I Don't Know Enough About You."


Schedule

A rehearsal for this episode took place from 10:00 in the morning to 2:00 in the afternoon. A second rehearsal ensued, from 3:30 to 5:00. The half-hour broadcast aired at 6:00 p.m. (its regular slot). I have located a photo probably taken at one of the rehearsals. To see it, scroll down to the January 1, 1947 episode.


Peggy Lee's Reminiscences

In her autobiography, Peggy Lee expresses a deep sense of gratitude and admiration for Bing Crosby. Amidst the various Crosby-related anecdotes that she shares, there is a reference to an appearance in one of Crosby's Kraft shows: Bing was also so protective of me. Once he found me standing rigid outside the studio at NBC and asked what he could do to help me. He was so sensitive to my early days of nerves and self-consciousness. This was just before airtime on one of Bing's many Kraft programs. I managed to say something like: "When you introduce me, would you please not leave me out there on the stage alone? Would you stand where I can see your feet?" He agreed and always sort of casually leaned on a speaker or piano to give me the support and time I needed to learn about being at ease onstage. You have to love a man like that. He offered everything -- money, cars, his own blood, and even volunteered to personally babysit with our little daughter, Nicki, while [my husband] David was so sick in the hospital. If Peggy Lee is accurately recalling the episode in question as being part of Crosby's Kraft Music Hall series, then she is referring to the present, May 2, 1946 installment, as Lee was not part of any other Kraft episode hosted by Crosby.

In an article written for the September 7, 1947 issue of Radio Life, Peggy Lee had plenty more to add. The following is an excerpt from that article: ... Like ninety million others I've always been a Crosby fan ... He has great consideration for others, and understands so well how to make things easier for them ... But to get to the ... program, rehearsals are always relaxed and friendly with Bing's great sense of comedy showing up at frequent intervals ... his shirts, his ice ream, and his jokes. He is surrounded by pleasant people such as John Scott Trotter, Ken Carpenter, Bill Morrow, Mac McIntyre, Jane Hill ... So, when someone asks me what it's like to work with Bing Crosby, I think how lucky I am to be in a position to answer, "It's very, very pleasant." These particular comments were written by Lee when she already had over a dozen episodes of the show under her belt, having been a regular for over a season -- i.e., long after the present debut episode.


Personnel (Part I)

1. Episode's Guests
2. Bob Hope & Two May-Weather Birthday Artists
Identified by announcer Ken Carpenter as the show's guests are "the lovely songstress Peggy Lee and racetrack man -- the bookmakers' pinup boy -- Joe Frisco." Per the show's customary policy, Carpenter makes this announcement at the start of the program. At the end of the episode, Bob Hope makes a surprise, unannounced appearance. He brings in a birthday cake for Crosby, who would turn 43 on the next day -- the third of May. (On the 26th of the same month, Peggy Lee would turn 26.)


Patter

1. Introduction Of Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee's debut in the world of Crosby radio is preceded by the following words from the show's host: "A very handy little lady with any kind of a tune is our guest this evening. A highly personable, attractive young lady who has been hitting the jackpot with her recordings in just about every jukebox in the land. Here she is, Miss Peggy Lee." Applause from the audience ensues.

2. Preamble To "I Don't Know Enough About You"
Bing: Good evening.
Peggy: Good evening, Bing.
Bing: How are you, Peg?
Peggy: Well, I didn't know it was your birthday, Bing. I would have brought you a bag of gumdrops, or something.
Bing: Well, I'll take a check on the gumdrops, Peggy, but if you got a song in you, I'll settle for that.
Peggy: Alright, Bing. How about I Don't Know Enough About You?
Bing: Sounds clever. You wrote this song, didn't you, Peggy?
Peggy: Um-hmm.
Bing: And a lot of others. We'll lay it in there.

3. Postscript To "I Don't Know Enough About You"
After Peggy Lee finishes singing, and as the audience's applause is about to subside, Bing Crosby is heard making this somewhat curious comment: "Oh yes. That is worth the money, hmm?" There is no clear context for the comment, which could be taken as a figurative way of complimenting Lee's performance, and nothing more. I am left to wonder, however, if there was a pointed subtext to the comment: could it be that Lee's management had asked for a hefty fee?

Be that as it may, the Peggy Lee segment of the show closes with Crosby's comment. She does not appear in the rest of the episode. What's more, her participation is not even acknowledged during the closing credits. Since acknowledgment of the guests was customary at both the beginning and the end of the episodes, this omission is curious. It is likely to have been an unintentional oversight -- a side effect of the impromptu birthday celebration. Because of Bob Hope's unscheduled appearance and the ensuing singing of "Happy Birthday" in the host's honor, Crosby and Carpenter might have had to rush their reading of the closing credits, inadvertently skipping the credit to Lee in the process.






Songs & Issues

1. The Two Versions Of "I Don't Know Enough About You"
2. American Forces Radio Service's Basic Music Library P-607 & P-608 [ET]
Another unusual detail about this episode is that Lee's solo has been preserved in not one but two versions. One version clocks in at 2:21, the other at 3:07.

The shorter version is the one that was heard during the broadcast (at least in the West Coast). It is also the version heard on both Totem and Redmond Nostalgia CDrs listed above.

I have found no documentation about the 3:07 version, nor do I have evidence that it was broadcast. This longer version can be heard in the above-pictured AFRS transcription disc from the American Forces' Basic Music Library. That disc consists entirely of Bing Crosby vocals, except for Lee's number. I should clarify that the disc only lets us know who the tracks' performers are -- not from where the performances came. Fortunately, the song titles give away their source: all of them were sung in Kraft Music Hall, the vast majority during the 1946 season.

But, of course, we already know that this 3:07 version was not actually heard in the broadcast itself. We thus have a mystery in our hands.

Despite the absence of any factual data, the 3:07 version can be safely incorporated to this session on account of its extreme similarity to the 2:21 version. They are so similar that the latter sounds like an edit of the former. The main difference is the inclusion of an instrumental interlude and an additional chorus in the 3:07 version, both of them absent from the 2:21 version.

Could the AFRS track then be a full version of a performance that was edited for the actual broadcast? Since Crosby's Kraft Music Hall radio shows were not pre-recorded but broadcast live, the creation of an edit does not seem at all likely. (It was not until the show's subsequent sponsorship from Philco that the episodes began to be pre-recorded.)

A more plausible explanation for the 3:07 version of "I Don't Know Enough About You" is that it originates in the East coast enactment of the episode. (Due to the different time zones in the United States, each live episode had to be performed twice, once for the West coast and once for the East coast.) Unless both broadcasts featured the 'surprise' birthday appearance, there would have been enough time for a longer Peggy Lee vocal in the Hope-less broadcast.

An even likelier possibility is that the 3:21 version comes from the show's rehearsal. In his theory (to which I am leaning), the rehearsal would have been recorded to disc for use by AFRS or other entities.

3. Solos And Duets
Most of Peggy Lee's visits to Bing Crosby's show followed the tried-and-true pattern of one solo vocal and one duet with the host. (Sometimes, the pattern was expanded: Crosby and Lee would do more than one duet or, less frequently, she would sing more than one solo.) The pattern was not followed on this debut episode, however. Lee did only a solo rendition of her self-penned hit "I Don't Know Enough About You." Perhaps a prospective duet had to be skipped to make time for the celebration of Crosby's birthday.


Personnel (Part II)

3. John Scott Trotter, Conductor And Arranger
John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra provided the accompaniment for all the episodes of Bing Crosby's show that featured Peggy Lee. Naturally, he did not play in every single rendition. Some selections featured only the members of the rhythm section, rather than the full orchestra. Besides, certain guests brought their own musicians. Peggy Lee herself would sometimes be accompanied by husband Dave Barbour, who was not a member of Trotter's orchestra.

Trotter also served as arranger for the show's selections. Of course, some songs must have not needed Trotter's arranging skills; they might have featured head arrangements, or they might have been straightforward rhythm section performances. It should also be acknowledged that, like other busy arrangers, Trotter is known to have farmed out arrangements from time to time, anonymously enlisting the likes of Billy May and Nelson Riddle. Still, the arranger-bandleader and his orchestra were behind the bulk of the performances that are listed in this page.

4. The Members Of The John Scott Trotter Orchestra
The Trotter orchestra's members are identified by name in a handful of the sessions below (January 1, 1947; February 11, 1948; January 26, 1949; September 21, 1949). For all other sessions, we can only speculate that the personnel was similar. Since there is a span of 8 years between the first and last of the episodes to be discussed, changes in the orchestra's membership are likely to have occurred through the years (and through the various incarnations of Crosby's show). More data on the show's personnel is offered in an appendix near the end of this page

5. The Date's Unidentified Guitarist (Dave Barbour, Perry Botkin Jr., Les Paul)
Since the 1930s, Perry Botkin, Sr. was Bing Crosby's regular guitarist on both record dates and radio broadcasts. Botkin also played banjo, lute, ukulele, and other strings. We know that Botkin was present during the episode under discussion because Crosby addresses him at the start of the program. "Get the guitar right in there, Perry," the crooner is heard to say, as he is about to sing his theme song. Hence I have tentatively listed Botkin as one of the musicians who played on Peggy Lee's number, whose bridge prominently features guitar.

The main reason for the tentativeness is that, as has already been noted, Lee often came to the shows in the company of her husband, guitarist Dave Barbour. On such occasions, he would usually back her. (Then again, those other episodes consistently include on-air acknowledgment of Barbour's presence. Crosby credits barbour by full name. No such credit is heard in the present episode. Also pertinent to this discussion is Lee's already quoted anecdote in which her young nervous self was standing alone in front of the NBC studios. Her loneliness adds to the vague impression that she came to this broadcast without her husband.)

Yet a third possibility: Lee Paul on guitar. In fact, the above-listed CD from Submarine Records credits Paul as the man accompanying Peggy Lee. nevertheless, I do not know of a valid reason for this credit or attribution. Not owning a copy of the CD, I can only wonder if the notes include an explanation for the attribution. (I doubt that they do.) Be that as it may, I have seen the track listing, and noticed that the track which precedes "I Don't Know Enough About You" also identifies Les Paul as the accompanist. The track is "It's Been A Long, Long Time." The Les Paul Trio was indeed featured in the 1945 version of that song which Crosby sang and Decca released. I suspect that the makers of the Submarine CD have assumed that, since Paul was accompanying Crosby on "It's Been A Long, Long Time," Paul must also be playing in the next track from Program 607 of the AFRS Basic Music Library series. If such an assumption was made, the makers of the CD erred. For AFRS programs, tracks were often culled from a variety of dates and sources; "I Don't Know Enough About You" and "It's Been A Long, Long Time" are not from the same date.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Groaner and his pipes: two 1946 magazine front covers featuring Bing Crosby, "often called American's number one pipe smoker," at least according to the magazine Pipe Lovers. In the July 1946 issue of that publication, we are told that "Bing admits the only time he leaves his pipe alone is when he goes behind the mike on a nationwide broadcast." Furthermore, Bing himself reveals in the same article that he has about 150 pipes in his collection, out of which he preferred an English one that he had received as a gift from his Kraft Hall Music sidekick, musician-turned-comedian Bob Burns. Besides Pipe Lovers, the other magazine featured above is Films Pour Tous, which tended feature French and American actress in its front covers, but could occasionally fall for the manly Hollywood charms of a Bing Crosby, a Gary Cooper, or a Paul Cambo, or even a Fred McMurray. (With these two magazine covers, I have now begun a photographic series that I'm calling The Smokin' Hot Piper, and to which I will continue to add through this page.)


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed (3:00-4:00 p.m.) and transcribed (6:25-8:30 p.m.) on Sunday, November 24. For his part, Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint lists not one but two days of recording activity (the 22nd and the 24th, as shown above).


Personnel

1. Guests
Announcer Ken Carpenter refers to the episode's guests as "the charming chantoose Peggy Lee and Jerry Beaver Lip Colonna."

2. Solos And Duets
"Linger In My Arms A Little Longer" is a Peggy Lee solo performance. "It's A Good Day" would eventually prove to be the quintessential Lee-Crosby duet. In addition to this initial performance, Crosby and Lee went on to tackle the song on three additional broadcasts (January 8, 1947; March 19, 1947; April 23, 1947). Bing also sang a solo rendition during the June 19, 1947 episode of the show.

3. Dave Barbour
After Peggy Lee finishes her solo, Crosby credits "Peggy's husband, Dave Barbour" as the performance's guitarist.


Songs

1. "It's A Good Day"
The December 11, 1946 issue of Variety includes an ad on behalf of the Barbour-Lee composition. Placed by Capitol Songs, Inc., the ad highlights the fact that the song would be having its radio premiere in this episode of Crosby's show.


Patter And Sketches

1. Introduction Of Peggy Lee And Preamble To "Linger In My Arms A Little Longer"
Claiming that Bing Crosby's show is in need of more glamour, comedian Jerry Colonna tells us that he has "taken the liberty of bringing along three of the most beautiful and seductive stars" in Hollywood. Colonna then introduces the three stars that he has brought with him: Sonya Henie, Esther Williams, and Dorothy Lamour. Or rather, he supposedly introduces them. This is a gag; none of the three ladies is present. Shortly thereafter, Crosby proceeds to pave the way for Peggy Lee's entrance.
Bing: Oh, Jerome, those girls were grand but now if you don't mind I'd like to introduce a real-live doll. She does a great song, too. The lovely, vivacious, willowy blonde ...
Jerry: You mean Skitch Henderson?
Bing: No, Colonna. [Audience laughter.] I mean a gal whose special brand of vocalizing is making jukeboxes jump from Jackson Heights to Jasper Park: Miss Peggy Lee. [Audience applause.]
Peggy: Thanks, Bing.
Bing: You gotta a song for us, Peg?
Peggy: Well, I'd like to do Linger In My Arms A Little Longer, Baby.
Bing: Hmm. I'll stand close by in case you need a lingerer, hmm?
After she finishes the rendition, and as the audience applauds, Crosby remarks: "very sultry, Peggy. Très romantique." (He places a Latin-styled emphasis on the first letter of the adjective romantique.)

2. Santa Claus Sketch
In the episode's sketch, Bing Crosby plays Santa Claus and Peggy Lee plays mother to Jerry Colonna's lecherous character. The Colonna character (a child who paradoxically is fully grown and already shaving) wishes Santa to bestow on him "presents of the comely variety."

3. Preamble To "It's A Good Day"
Bing: ... I'd like to have another word with Peggy Lee.
Peggy: Right here, Bing.
Bing: Peggy, I heard one of your new tunes, from the record, the other day. One you wrote. I'd like to learn it.
Peggy: Which one was that, Bing?
Bing: I think it's called It's A Good Day.
Peggy: Oh, yes. Well, why don't you run through it with me right now?
Bing: Sure beats ?scratching [?grazing] by myself. You'll catch me if I slip, will you, moll?
Peggy: Alright; hang on tight.
Bing: Here we go.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

It Had to Be Big for Bing, or else: our mensch, pretending to huff and puff from a briar made only for giants such as he himself (ca. 1946) and receiving the oversized key to his Spokane hometown (1937). As published in the July 1946 issue of Pipe Lovers, the first photo was accompanied by an explanatory caption. Crosby is going along with a gag perpetrated by someone who had replaced his actual briar with this proboscis of a pipe. In the accompanying article, written by the crooner himself, he tells us that his preference is for a light-weight briar with straight stem and medium-sized bowl. The Scottish-English-Irish-American star adds that he favors "rough-cut and mildly aromatic" but "not too strong and harsh" tobacco brands, preferably from English, Irish or American origin As for his smoking quirks, El Bingo confesses to keeping a "sliced apple in [his] tobacco humidor so that the tobacco will remain moist and flavored," and to "dip [his] finger in a jar of honey whenever [he] breaks a new pipe." (These photographic images are part of what I'm calling The Smokin' Hot Piper series, already introduced in the notes to a preceding session.)


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed (2:45-3:30 p.m.) and transcribed (6:30-8:23 p.m.) on Monday, December 2. For his part, Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint lists not one but two days of recording activity (November the 30th and December the 2nd, as shown above).


Personnel

1. Guests
There are no guests in this episode. Peggy Lee's name is announced as part of the cast: "This is Ken Carpenter welcoming you to Philco Radio Time, produced and transcribed in Hollywood with John Scott Trotter, His Chorus And Orchestra, Skitch Henderson, The Charioteers, Peggy Lee, and here's our goldenboy trush himself, Bing Crosby."

2. Solos And Duets
"It's All Over Now" is a Peggy Lee solo performance. "Everything's Moving Too Fast" is performed as a Crosby-Lee duet.

3. Dave Barbour
After Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee's duet rendition of "Everything's Moving Too Fast" is over, Crosby makes the following acknowledgment: "Oh yes, sir, everything is moving, uh, muy rápido. And I would like to point out that Dave Barbour threw out in some fine [?hot] guitar behind us."


Patter And Songs

1. Introduction Of Peggy Lee And Preamble To "It's All Over Now"
Bing: The happy task at hand just now is to present Peggy Lee. Peggy was here last week and those of you who heard her will understand why she is a definite must for this week.
Peggy: Well, thank you, Mr. C. You seem to be in an expansive holiday mood this eve.
Bing: Oh, I'm jolly, Peg, jolly. Got my Christmas shopping all done.
Peggy: Um-hmm.
Bing: Bought the kids just want they wanted, you know. A herd of sheep.
Peggy: [Chuckles.] Well, what did your boys want with a herd of sheep?
Bing: Oh, they'll take anything to get out of mowing the lawn! [Audience laughter.]
Peggy: Gee, Bing. I just can't believe that you are the father of four boys.
Bing: Well, as they say in The Red Skelton Show, now medical science offers proof positive ... [Audience laughter] ... which brings us to your first musical offering. What'll it be?
Peggy: It's All Over Now.
Bing: Oh, this I know will be great.
After Peggy Lee's rendition, and as the audience applauds, Crosby adds: "oh, lovely. That was grand, Peg."

2. Preamble To "Everything's Moving Too Fast"
Bing: To those of you who are not accustomed to peering at the credits on sheet music, we'd like to remind you that Miss Peggy Lee not only has sung the songs through the mike. She's also put quite a few of them down on paper, along with Dave Barbour. Tonight they've come with a new one, recently titled -- uh -- I believe its in your script there, Peggy. Wh- what's the name of it?
Peggy: Yes, uh, Everything's Moving Too Fast.
Bing: Well, let's sing it together. I'll slow up for you a little.
Peggy: Heh. [Audience laughter.]
Peggy: Ha, okay Bing, let's take some, and leave some.
Bing: Yes, ma'am.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Richard P. Clark, Morton B. Friedman, Joseph "Joe" Krechter, John "Jack" Mayhew, George Moore (r), Robert "Bobby" Guy, Uan Rasey (t), William "Bill" Atkinson, Peter Beilmann, Wendell "Gus" Mayhew (tb), Arthur Frantz (frh), Loring "Red" Nichols (c), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p), Ann Mason (hrp), John Cyr (d), Harry Bluestone aka Blostein, Samuel "Sam" Freed, Jr, Harold Haybert, Henry Hill, Larry Kurkdjie, Bill Miller, Mischa Russell, Olcott Vail (vn), Meyer Bello, Leo Fleitman (vl), Cy Bernard, Karl Rossner (vc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

First image: the show's songbird, Peggy Lee, with the show's bandleader, John Scott Trotter (standing) and the episode's guest star, Joe Frisco. Despite the confluence of three of the participants of this 1947 installment, the photo was actually taken on the previous year, at a rehearsal for the show's May 2, 1946 broadcast, which had also counted with Frisco and Lee as guests .

Rest of the images: episodes such as the one under discussion were recorded onto transcription discs prepared by Bing Crosby Enterprises and the networks (ABC, in this case) for the show's sponsor (Philco, in this instance) to distribute them among participating radio stations. As invariably shown on the label of the discs, the stations were required to play the episode within a short period of time, the last stipulated day naturally preceding the first day for which the next episode was scheduled. These discs were most frequently 16" in diameter, and made of vinyl. They could hold nearly 15 minutes of programming per side, thereby making it necessary to use two sides at a minimum. The photos on display show this particular episode as having been recorded over not one but two single-sided discs (last image). This distribution of the contents over different disc sides probably eased the work of station engineers and announcers, during the airplay over the radio airwaves. (A preference for distribution over three sides is not uncommon, either.) Note that, rather than being left blank, the sides without episode content were designated to test the quality of the playback needle in use at the given station (fourth image above). See also photography under the broadcast dated May 11, 1949.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed (12:30–2:15 p.m) and transcribed (3:50–5:50 p.m.) on Monday, December 16. For his part, Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint lists not one but two days of recording activity (the 14th and the 16th, as shown above).


Personnel

1. Guest
Joe Frisco was the episode's guest. As in the previous show, Peggy Lee was billed as part of the show's cast, and she was again announced last, right before the identification of the guest. This billing pattern remains in place for the next episodes in which Lee appears. She is also among the various cast members who, at the start of this episode, exchange "happy new year" greetings with Bing Crosby.

2. Musicians
The above-listed personnel includes all the musicians that performed in this episode. Since it is a collective personnel, the claim that all of them were heard behind Lee should be deemed tentative at best. My source for this personnel is The Red Nichols Story: After Intermission, 1942-1965, written by Philip R. Evans, Stanley Hester, Stephen Hester, and Linda Evans. No bassist is listed.

3. Solos And Duets
Peggy Lee performed "Baby, You Can Count On Me" as a duet with Bing Crosby. "He's Just My Kind" was Lee's solo performance. She would reprise the solo a few weeks later (February 12, 1947).


Patter And Songs

1. Introduction To Peggy Lee's Solo
Bing: It's Miss Peggy Lee, our sensational song stylist. What are you going to tantalizing us with tonight, Peg?
Peggy: Well, I'd like to sing He's Just My Kind.
Bing: It'd just be très [unintelligible French adjective].

2. Introduction To The Crosby-Lee Duet
Bing: And now it's encore time for Peggy Lee. She's going to sing one of her current record successes, Baby, You Can Count On Me.
Peggy: Oh-aah, I thought you were going to sing Baby with me, baby.
Bing: Of course, what am I thinking of. I'm packing a small New Year's Day neurosis here, I guess. You start, don't you, Peg?

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. (Part III.) Amidst the myriad of commercial products which were promoted by Bing (or rather, by his image), a pipe brand could not possibly be missing, of course. Daddy Crosby's Mastercraft Pipe campaign was in full force during the mid-1940s.


Schedule

Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint does not specify on which days this episode was taped. For his part, Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane states that it was rehearsed (10:00–11:30 a.m.) and transcribed (1:38–3:38 p.m.) on Sunday, December 22.


Personnel

1. Guest
This episode's guest was Mickey Rooney.

2. Solos And Duets
"What More Can A Woman Do" is a Peggy Lee solo performance; she shares vocal duties with Bing Crosby on "It's A Good Day." Apparently a favorite duet of theirs, "It's A Good Day" was jointly sung by Lee and Crosby in four different episodes (December 11, 1946, January 8, 1947; March 19, 1947; April 23, 1947). Besides the likelihood that the pair of vocalists enjoyed singing it together, the recurrence of the hit song in the show was probably due to its popularity at the time. Crosby also sang a solo rendition during an episode broadcast on June 19, 1947.


Patter And Songs

1. Preamble To Peggy Lee's Solo
Bing: And now my lipped lips flutter as a lovely vision appears on the opposite side of this very mike. I'm quite sure it's Miss Peggy Lee.
Peggy: Hi, Bing; is that you around there?
Bing: Yeah; is that you, Peg?
Peggy: Umhmm.
Bing: What are you gonna sing for us?
Peggy: What More Can A Woman Do.
Bing: Yes, you and Dave Barbour did a nice job writing there, Peggy, on that song. As usual, I'm sure we can expect a lovely rendition by you as well.
Peggy: Thank you; I'll do my best.
Bing: Well, I don't know what more a man can ask for.
After Lee's rendition ends, and as the audience effusively applauds, Bing adds: "I loved it, Peggy. I loved every measure of it. Thank you."

2. Preamble To The Crosby-Lee Duet
The episode's script calls for the young Mickey Rooney to play an aspiring songwriter -- an over-eager and opportunistic one. Hence Rooney's songwriting skills become the main topic of conversation between the young guest and the Old Groaner. The conversation culminates in Rooney's successful attempt at having Crosby sing one of his songs. Right after the number is over, Peggy Lee is re-introduced.
Bing: Peggy Lee now returns and I hope to join her in a song called It's A Good Day.
Mickey: Weell. Hi, Peg.
Peggy: Hi, Mickey.
Mickey: Say, Peggy, you got a minute? Look. I got a little tune here I'd like to talk to you about. It's a small...
Bing (interrupting): Please, Mickey. Just -- listen, we've got to do a little work here. Should we take off, Peggy?
Mickey: Sorry, sorry.
Bing: Cue partner.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Dave Barbour (g), Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part IV.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed (2:15–2:45 p.m., 6:00–6:53 p.m.) and transcribed (2:45–4:15 p.m., 6:53–7:29 p.m.) on Tuesday, January 21. For his part, Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint lists not one but two days of recording activity (the 20th and the 21st, as shown above).

I am not clear about the logic behind the scheduling of two transcription sessions for this episode -- and ditto for many subsequent episodes. Was it performed and recorded in two separate parts? Or was it recorded twice, in the entirety? A third and, to me, likelier possibility is that the 2:45–4:15 p.m. timing was the actual performance period, captured on Magnetophon tape machines, while the 6:53–7:29 p.m. timing would have been mostly a non-performative, engineering period, dedicated to the transfer of the tapes onto transcription discs. That second process was being conducted due to ABC's stipulations. The network was not yet fully confident on the reliability of the machine and the efficacy of the taping process. It would not be until April of the next year that ABC's confidence grew substantially., thanks to the arrival of new Ampex machines.)


Songs

1. Solos And Duets
"It's Lovin' Time" is a Peggy Lee solo. This episode features no duet with Crosby.


Personnel

1. Guest
This episode's guest is Beatrice Lillie. She does not interact with Lee. (Above, under the Schedule sub-section, I mentioned that the episode appears to have been recorded in two sittings, separated by about three hours. Perhaps Lillie was present for only one of the sittings, and Lee was present only for the sitting from which Lillie was absent.)

2. Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee continues to be listed as part of the cast, not as a guest. She does her singing spot before Lillie is introduced.

3. Dave Barbour
The source for the credit to Dave Barbour on guitar is an acknowledgment made by Bing Crosby's during the episode.


Patter

2. Philco Commercial
1. Preamble To "It's Lovin' Time"
In this episode, announcer Ken Carpenter's commercial pitch on Philco's behalf starts with commentary about how bulky radios used to be. Peggy Lee is introduced in the middle of the pitch.
Ken: Here's one portable that's really light and compact.
Bing: Oh, something along my lines -- slender and svelte.
Ken: Well .... Uh ... I don't know. If you don't mind, Bing, I'd rather compare the Philco portable with Peggy Lee's lines.
Bing: Oh, you are positively psychic, Kenneth, because here comes Peggy Lee right now. Hi, Peg. You had a nice vacation up in Las Vegas?
Peggy: Yeah. Could I sing my song right now?
Bing: What's your hurry?
Peggy (tongue in cheek): I need the money!
...
Bing: Oh say, Peggy. I want to congratulate you on winning the Downbeat poll for the Most Popular Girl Singer
Peggy: Oh, thank you.
... [Carpenter finally makes his pitch.] ...
Bing: Peggy Lee returns from a smashing engagement in Las Vegas to sing It's Lovin' Time, by J. Chalmers MacGregor.
After Lee finishes singing, Crosby adds, "thank you, Peggy, that was lovely. Dave Barbour came on really good with that guitar, too."

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photo

Peggy Lee with Groucho Marx, in a shot taken during the rehearsals that preceded the recording of this episode (on January 27 and 28, 1947). The first version of the photo is actually part of a publicity kit, probably sent out to radio stations, which would in turn be expected to make the kit's contents available to the local press.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed (2:25–2:45 p.m., 6:20–6:47 p.m.) and transcribed (2:45–4:15 p.m., 6:47–7:17 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28. As indicated above, Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint lists not one but two days of recording activity, the 27th and the 28th.


Personnel

1. Guest
Groucho Marx guests on this episode. The very popular comedian is heard almost all the way through the episode -- i.e., more extensively than most other guests. Peggy Lee is listed as part of the show's cast.

2. Solos And Duets
"He's Just My Kind" is a Peggy Lee solo, "The Best Man" a duet with Bing Crosby. The solo had also been sung in a previous episode (January 1, 1947). The duet would be reprised in the next broadcast to feature Lee (March 12, 1947).


Songs

1. "The Best Man"
A brief coda, honoring John Scott Trotter, is sung by Crosby and Lee: "Could it be Trotter? Because he is the best man, the best man in the end."


Issues

1. Peggy Lee: Songwriter
Slated to feature only numbers (co-)written by Peggy Lee, this promotional BMG Music Publishing CD includes the song "He's Just My Kind" under the erroneous assumption that she wrote it. Thus the CD wrongly credits the composition to Dave Barbour and Peggy Lee. Furthermore, the audio of "He's just My Kind" on this CD has applause at its end. Peggy Lee's Capitol master does not. The applause is a probable indication of a radio source. We appear to be listening to the song as it was featured on The Bing Crosby Show, where it was indeed followed by applause. (The audio from Crosby's show sounds identical to the Capitol master, with the applause as the only easily discernible difference. It might be that, rather than having Lee sing the song on this episode, the producers of the radio show opted for playing the Capitol master instead -- released at the time on a 78 single.


Patter

1. Philco Commercial
2. Preamble To "He's Just My Kind"
After Bing Crosby finishes one of his solos, Ken Carpenter uses Peggy Lee's interpretation of "He's Just My Kind" as a pretext to promote Philco portable radios.
Ken: Well, that was very good, jolly. Very nice, but I -- I do wish that Peggy Lee would sing her number.
Bing: Why, is Peggy singing something about Philco?
Ken: Well, no, but the title of her tune is It's Just My Kind. That certainly applies to Philco radios and Philco radio phonographs.
Bing: There we go again.
Ken: They are everybody's kind.
Bing: I don't know of any tune called It's Just My Kind. Eh ... Peggy.
Peggy: Yes, Bing?
Bing: What are you singing tonight?
Peggy: He's Just My Kind.
Ken: He's Just My Kind. Gee, I wish it was It's instead of He's.
Bing: Ken, you will just have to talk about boy radio tonight.
Ken: Okay, i'll just do that: boy oh boy, what a powerhouse the new Philco portable is.
Bing: Miss Peggy Lee will now sing "He's Just My Kind."
Ken: Just a minute, please. On second thought, Bing, I object to that boy radio stuff. When I think a little portable radio gets you stations that are hard to tune in even big sets, I feel like blowing my top.
Bing: For heavens sake, wait till you wait home.
Ken: Anyway, it's a husky he-man portable radio, rugged enough to stand plenty of traveling ... [Carpenter continues with his pitch at length.] ... Call it a boy radio; I call it the giant of portables. And it's a Philco, famous for quality the world over.
Bing: What a brave man. I like you.

2. Segueway From "He's Just My Kind" To The Comic Patter
Bing: That was fine, Peggy. Mighty sweet.
Peggy: Thanks Bing.
Bing: Oh, it's nothing. I'd say that to any deserving kid. And if I might add, you are not only deserving, but also a very beautiful creature.
Groucho: Yes, she is a very beautiful creature, and a not a bad looking woman, either.
Bing: Well, if it isn't Groucho the-fun-loving Mark.
The audience applauds, and the two men move on to exchanging lines, without Lee's involvement.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part V.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed (1:30–3:15 p.m.) and transcribed (5:20–7:30 p.m.) on Tuesday, February 25. For his part, Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint lists a different, much earlier day of recording activity (February the 8th).


Personnel

1. Guests
2. The Ernie Felice Quartet
3. Peggy Lee
No guests are announced in this episode, but The Ernie Felice Quartet is a new addition to the mix. Although this is their only appearance during the season, Ken Carpenter lists the quartet as if it were part of the cast: "The Charioteers, Skitch Henderson, Peggy Lee and the Ernie Felice Quartet."

This episode is actually packed with music (as Bing declares at the outset) and relatively low on patter. The aforementioned acts are granted one solo each. Peggy Lee is also given a somewhat bigger speaking role than usual.

At the end of the program, the customary announcement of the next week's guest takes an usual turn. Ken Carpenter states that "at this moment" the guest's identity "is shrouded in mystery." Apparently, nobody had been securely booked yet.

2. Solos and Duets
For her solo, Peggy Lee sings "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe." As for "The Best Man," the Lee-Crosby duet, it had already been heard one month earlier in the show, during the previous episode to feature the songstress (February 12, 1947).


Patter

1. Preamble And Postscript To "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe"
As music plays in the background, Bing Crosby makes the following comment.
Bing: Oh my. Such moody music could only presage the return to the Philco fold of Miss Peggy Lee. What are they building up to there, Peggy?
Peggy: Well that's Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe, Bing.
Bing: Well I'm all ears, and I'm only half kidding.
After Lee finishes the song, and as applause is heard, Bing speaks again.
Bing: Grand, Peggy, and thank you. But don't run away; I have important business with you here a little later.
Peggy: You mean you are going to give me my paycheck?
Bing: No, [Peggy is heard chuckling]; I thought we could sing a little song together.
Peggy: Oh, gee, that's better than money any day.
Bing: Hmm, Peggy if you only meant that.
Peggy: Oh, I do, Bing, I do.
Bing: Well, things are beginning to break for me. Peggy doesn't want to get paid and Hank Greenberg signed with The Pirates! Everything ... [The audience's applause seems to interrupt him, and what sounds like an abrupt edit follows. The rest of Crosby's comment is cut and the audience's applause suddenly stops. The crooner is then heard introducing The Ernie Felice Quartet.]

2. Preamble To "The Best Man"
Bing: And now, right on cue and standing mike-side with me is Peggy Lee with all her loveliness.
Peggy: Well, thanks, Bing; I appreciate what you say.
Bing: I appreciate what I see. [Quick chuckle from Peggy, the audience, and Bing himself.] Peg, we did a tune together some time ago called "Best Man." Two or three people told me it went rather well.
Peggy: Oh. Well, do you think we should do it again?
Bing: I think it's destiny.
[Peggy chuckles.]

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part VI.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was transcribed (2:15–4:15 p.m., 6:59–7:34 p.m.) on Tuesday, March 4.

Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint lists two consecutive days of recording or transcription activity, March the 3rd and the 4th. For his part, MacFarlane states that March 3 was the day on which Crosby rehearsed and recorded a different episode: the one broadcast on April the 3rd, which featured Al Jolson but not Peggy Lee.

Neither expert makes mention of a rehearsal for this March 19 episode.


Personnel

1. Guest
Danny Kaye, this episode's guest, does not interact with Peggy Lee during the broadcast.

2. Solos And Duets
"Just Squeeze Me" is a Peggy Lee solo vocal performance. "It's A Good Day" apparently was a favorite Lee and Crosby duet. They performed it in four episodes (December 11, 1946, January 8, 1947; March 19, 1947; April 23, 1947) -- more than any other number. A solo rendition of Lee's self-penned his was also sung by Crosby during an episode broadcast on June 19, 1947.

3. The Charioteers
This broadcast marks the vocal group's last regular appearance on the show.


Patter

1. Preamble To "Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me)"
Bing: And here's Peggy Lee. What's the tune tonight, Peg?
Peggy: Squeeze Me, But Please Don't Tease Me.
Bing: Very interesting thoughts in there. I'll work it out.
After Lee finishes the song, and as the audience applauds, Bing compliments her: "very nice, Peggy. Wonderful."

2. Preamble To "It's A Good Day"
Bing: And now, Peggy Lee, congratulations on yours and Dave Barbour's tune Good Day [sic]. It's right up there with the leaders.
Peggy: Oh, well, shall we sing it?
Bing: Well, I think it's a must.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

Taken at NBC's Studio B on March 11 (the day in which this episode was rehearsed and transcribed), here is a shot of Philco Radio Time castmembers Peggy Lee and Skitch Henderson with guests Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed transcribed on Wednesday, March 26 (9:00–9:30 p.m.). Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint also identifies the 11th as the day of recording activity. Neither authority makes mention of rehearsal activity.





Personnel

1. Guests
Guests Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone (Mrs. Benny) do not interact with Peggy Lee on the broadcast, but the attached photo seems to show them in the act of rehearsing a number together. (In a reciprocal arrangement, Bing Crosby had guested on Jack Benny's show on March 16.)

2. Skitch Henderson
This broadcast marks the pianist's last regular appearance on the show.


Patter

1. Preface To "For Sentimental Reasons"
Bing: Peggy Lee is here to sing and for a very definite reason -- eh, Peggy?
Peggy: Yep, For Sentimental Reasons.
Bing: Well, it worked out just like we [?thought of it {unintelligible}] and planned it.
After the number is over, Crosby adds: "that was very sweet, Peggy. Very sweet, indeed."

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Loring "Red" Nichols (c), Alec Templeton (p, v), Ken Carpenter, Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part VII.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed (1:30–1:45 p.m.) and transcribed on (1:45–3:45 p.m., 5:45–6:45 p.m.) on Monday, March 17. Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint also identifies the 17th as the recording day. Neither expert makes mention of rehearsal activity.


Personnel

1. Guest
Guest Alec Templeton interacts with Peggy Lee solely during the episode's variation on the customary Philco commercial.

2. Red Nichols
Bing Crosby credits Red Nichols with the prominent cornet backing heard during Peggy Lee's solo vocal. (Nichols was one of the series' regular musicians. Like other regular players, he was acknowleged and singled out only when he performed an attention-grabbing solo or had a notable role in a given interpretation.)


Songs

1. Solos And Duets
"Speaking of Angels" is a Peggy Lee solo performance. In this episode, she does not sing any duets with Crosby.

2. "Mr. Crosby And Mr. Templeton For Philco"
Written by guest Alec Templeton himself, this particular iteration of the show's customary promotional commercial is actually a parody, intentionally borrowing from songs of the day. It also features Templeton on piano. The bulk of the lines are sung by Bing Crosby and Alec Templeton. Peggy Lee sings merely two lines, one of them by herself ("Philco for me, says Peggy Lee") and the other in unison with the men. Ken Carpenter sings a line or two, too. I should also clarify that the above-shown title for this jingle is entirely my own invention (though based on my listening of the lyrics, of course). The sources at hand offer no particular title for it, other than the generic appellation "Philco Commercial."


Patter

1. Preamble To "Speaking Of Angels"
Bing: Peggy Lee takes over now. And the title of your tune is Speaking Of Angels, right, Peg?
Peggy: Right, angel.
Bing: Well, pardon me while I pull up a cloud. I got a little pink ?job I keep ?hanging for just such occasions. I wanna listen attentively to every ?measure.
After Lee finishes, and as the audience applauds, Crosby adds: "Lovely, Miss Lee, lovely."

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued (part VIII). Top row: front cover of Movie Story magazine (June 1940 issue) and the publicity shot that inspired the cover. Bottom row: any place, any time, any attire -- pipe smoking for all occasions.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was rehearsed (2:30–1:15 p.m., 5:40–5:55 p.m.) and transcribed (1:15–3:15 p.m., 5:55–6:55 p.m.) on Monday, March 24. Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint also identifies the 24th as the day of recording activity.


Personnel

1. Guest
Jimmy Durante is Bing Crosby's guest in this episode. On the matter of Peggy Lee's interaction with Durante, see below, under Patter.

2. Duets And Solos
"A Nightingale Can Sing The Blues" is Peggy Lee's solo spot. After performing only solos in her last two appearances, this broadcast returns Lee to the standard practice of sharing one song with Crosby ("I Still Suits Me").


Patter

1. Preamble To "A Nightingale Can Sing The Blues"
Bing: Here's a new tune. A Nightingale Can Sing The Blues. Should any student observer of bird lore be looking for action, I would lay you eight to five that no nightingale can sing it the way our own Peggy Lee does.
Peggy: Why, Mr. Crosby, how do you go on.
Bing: Well, I'm basically poetic, you know. [unintelligible remark; maybe "I admit it."]
Following Lee's rendition, while enthusiastic applause is heard, Crosby adds: "That is something, Peg, and eminently listenable."

2. Comic Dialogue
[Unfortunately, I am unable to clearly hear some of this dialogue's words. As a result, some portions of the banter among Crosby, Durante, and Lee might prove hard to grasp.]
Bing: Now if you move slightly to the ride, I'd like to present you to Peggy Lee.
Peggy: Hello, Jimmy
Jimmy: What a dish. How do you do, Miss Lee? I'd like to invite you over to my house some day for a swim.
Peggy: Oh, you have a swimming pool?
Jimmy: I have two pools. One's for ___.
Bing: Very stylish, Jimmy.
Jimmy: The other one's for my relatives.
Bing: Very chic, very stylish idea. And so are you, Peggy.
Jimmy: You are right, Bing. Well, if she'd get a crew haircut, I'd be would willing to forsake our ?remora.
Bing: It's a pickle, pickle.
Jimmy: What else can I be, what else can I be, the way they run me around that studio? What a day I had.
Bing: What transpired?
Jimmy: I spent a half an hour making love to Lana Turner, a half an hour making love to Greer Garson and half an hour making love to Rita Hayworth, then gave me half an hour for lunch and another half hour making love to Kathryn Grayson, and then another half an hour for lunch. I tell you it's a fantastic waste of time.
Bing: Waste of time?
Jimmy: Certainly! Who needs lunch?
Later on, Jimmy tells Bing about a "colossal" idea of his: Bing and Jimmy in a picture together. Jimmy will play the part of a "chicken filler" in a public market.
Peggy: You got a part for me, Mr. Durante?
Jimmy: Peggy, your part calls for a considerable amount of singing. Therefore, you'll have to undergo a bit of tutoring and I should be most happy to 'tooch' you.
Bing: Who ever said you were a singing teacher, Jimmy?
Jimmy: My good man, if you'd take time to see my latest Metro Goldwyn Meyer release It Happened In Brooklyn, starring Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, and Kathryn Grayson and an unidentified man who was visiting the set that day, you'd know that I'm a great singing teacher!
Bing: You are a teacher of voice? Who are some of your pupils?
Jimmy: Who are some of my pupils? Did you ever hear of John Charles Thomas?
Bing: Yeah!
Jimmy: Did you ever hear of Madame ?Golacucci?"
Bing: Yeah!"
Jimmy: Did you ever hear of Lawrence Melacure?
Bing: Yeah!
Jimmy: Did you ever hear of ?Izzo Prissouru?
[audience laughter]
Bing: Sure! I know all those singers.
Jimmy: Well, have them contact me. I need some business.

3. Preamble To "I Still Suits Me"
Jimmy: ... I notice you are singing better. You've got nothing to worry about if you stick with me.
Bing: But Jimmy, right now I'm supposed to sing a song with Peggy Lee.
Jimmy: Well, due to my deep profession for Peggy, I acquiesce.
Bing: Acquiesce?
Jimmy: Very seldom them writers can stick me!
Bing: There's a syllable item for you. You got it.
Jimmy: But I'll stand close by to whisper things in your ear.
Bing: Mine?
Jimmy: Don't be so conceited. Peggy's.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part IX.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was transcribed ((2:00–4:00 p.m., 6:20–7:20 p.m.) on Friday, March 21. Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint also identifies the 24th as the day of recording activity. Neither expert makes reference to a rehearsal.


Personnel

1. Guest
This episode's guests are Burl Ives and Les Paul. Neither is heard interacting with Peggy Lee.

2. Solos And Duets
"I'll Close My Eyes" is a Peggy Lee solo vocal. "It's A Good Day" is a duet with Crosby. Apparently a favorite duet of theirs, "It's A Good Day" was performed by Lee and Crosby in four different Philco episodes (December 11, 1946, January 8, 1947; March 19, 1947; April 23, 1947). Crosby also sang a solo rendition of the Lee hit during an episode broadcast on June 19, 1947.


Patter

1. Preamble To "I'll Close My Eyes"
Bing: Here's Peggy Lee who's gonna sing I'll Close My Eyes. You get your eyes closed, Peggy?
Peggy: All set, Bing.
Bing: Atta girl. Doesn't have to look at the paper. Sings good, too.
"Thank you, Peggy. Very pretty," says Bing after Lee ends, while the audience applauds vigorously.

2. Preamble To "It's A Good Day"
Bing: "Here's Peggy Lee's and Dave Barbour's hit tune "Good Day" [sic]. Peggy and I have done it before and we'd like to do it again. Right, Peg?"
Peggy: "Right, Mr. C.
Bing: "Yes, sir. We're gone."


Songs

1. "It's A Good Day"
This duet version of the Lee hit is sung in typical rhythmic manner by the groaner and the songstress. There are a couple of differences in approach though, First, the tempo is slightly lower than usual. Second, Crosby throws into the equation several euphoric interjections, to which Lee responds with an occasionally jocular undertone as she sings.

Richard P. Clark, Murray Cohan, Nicholas "Nick" Dann, Morton B. Friedman, Joseph "Joe" Krechter (r), Donald "Don" Anderson, Uan Rasey (t), Peter Beilmann, Wendell "Gus" Mayhew, Elmer Smithers (tb), Loring "Red" Nichols (c), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Doc Whiting (sb), Charles LaVere (p), Helen Hutchinson (hrp), John Cyr (d), Walter Edelstein, Samuel "Sam" Freed, Jr, Henry Hill, Caesar S. Kersten, Sam Leichter, Mayer Oberman, Nick Pisani, Mischa Russell (vn), Allan Harshman, Gary White (vl), Fred Goerner, Arthur Kafton (vc), Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

Al Jolson, captured in close proximity to both Peggy Lee and Bing Crosby. I have no specific details about either image. I do suspect that the shot with Lee was taken on March 31, 1947, when the present episode was recorded. As for the other photo, it is actually one out of quite a few extant pictures featuring Crosby and Jolson together in a recording environment. Not having come across dates for any of these photos, I am hoping that knowledgeable fans of Crosby or Jolson can offer their expertise. I am aware of the fact that they got together for a Decca studio session on March 25, 1947. Since the record label used the photo above on some of its Crosby releases, there is reason to speculate that the image originates in that studio session. However, other possibilities can not be discarded by any means. To wit: each gentleman also guested more than once on the other man's radio show. See also the discussion under the February 11, 1948 broadcast, where a companion shots of Crosby and Jolson (plus Oscar Levant) can be found.


A Problematic, Tentative Entry

I have listened to various online audio transfers of this episode of Bing Crosby's show, which aired on May 7, 1947. The episode has also been commercially released on LP and CD. Furthermore, various reliable experts in Crosbyana have identified and detailed the contents of the episode in their respective works. In all of these sources, Al Jolson and Irving Berlin are heard or listed as guests. Peggy Lee is not listed or heard at all.

Nevertheless, a Lee vocal has been (mis?)identified as coming from this episode. It can be heard in YouTube. While a listening of the clip does not help us in ascertaining whether May 7 is or isn't the correct date, we can clearly hear that the vocal comes from one of Crosby's radio shows, because the opening patter features the crooner in a fashion typical of his programs.

And yet, none of my various sources lists Lee as ever singing "Why Don't You Do Right?" on a Crosby program. Hence I can only operate under the assumption that the provided May 7 date is somehow correct, despite the fact that the performance was nowhere to be heard during my audition of the episode.

If we are to assume that the YouTube clip's date is correct, we will need to have a plausible explanation for the discrepancies at hand. One possibility: the West coast broadcast for this particular episode could have featured a version slightly different from the East coast broadcast. One coast would have heard Lee sing, while the other would have not. (This is a possibility that does not appear to be highly likely, however. Because Crosby was already pre-recording his shows by this point in time, both coasts should have broadcast the same episode, as pre-recorded on disc.)

A simpler possibility would be that the songstress's number comes from the dress rehearsal for the episode. In this hypothetical version of events, a Lee segment would have been originally planned and rehearsed for inclusion in the episode, but it would have been ultimately dropped due to time constraints. The YouTube clip would thus be an excerpt from a dress rehearsal. (Crosby and company usually recorded their dress rehearsals. In fact, the show's engineer created the show's episodes by combining the best parts from the dress rehearsal and the final live show. He would carefully edit the combination onto disc or, later on, magnetic tape.)

Yet another possibility would be that Lee's vocal of "Why Don't You Do Right" was heard not over commercial radio but on the AFRS network. In this scenario, AFRS engineers would have inserted Lee's vocal into their own edition of the May 7, 1947 episode, most likely because the edition was running short. Insertions of this type are by no mean uncommon in AFRS' catalogue. A Peggy Lee vocal such as this one could have been snatched the from any of the show's dress rehearsals, to which the AFRS engineers are known to have had access.


Patter

1. Preamble To "Why Don't You Do Right?"
Bing: And now, Peggy Lee. Clever girl, she always sings after the commercials, so the sponsor will be surely hearing her. What are you gonna sing for the old money bags back in Philadelphia, Peg?
Peggy: Heh, heh. "Why Don't You Do Right?"
Bing: Oh, yes, the song that was such a smash when you recorded it with Benny Goodman some years ago. [Barely audible:] A clever new reading!


Personnel

1. Al Jolson
2. Inving Berlin
The episode that aired on May 7, 1947 at ABC and its affiliates featured Irving Berlin and Al Jolson as guests. As explained above, Peggy Lee is not heard at all in the audio transfers that I have sampled. (The announcer does not make any allusions to her presence, either.)

3. Tentative Personnel
For most episodes of Crosby's radio shows, personnel details remain unknown. The exceptions are the installments which had Al Jolson as a guest. I found details about such Jolson-Crosby dates in the discographical book The Red Nichols Story: After Intermission, 1942-1965, compiled by Philip R. Evans, Stanley Hester, Stephen Hester, and Linda Evans. I presume that the authors' own source was an Al Jolson discography.

The above-listed personnel was the one who played this episode's rehearsal, conducted on March 31, 1947. Since there is no mention of Peggy Lee's presence or involvement, this personnel should be deemed tentative.

That having been said, we can surmise that most of the listed players were regular members of the Trotter-led orchestra that played on this show every week. It is for such a reason that I have listed the entire personnel, even if at least one of these instruments (harp) is not heard in this particular "Why Don't You Do Right?" performance.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

Shots, both featuring this episode's guest, Gary Cooper, next to host Bing Crosby. The last photo was taken on August 10, 1947. The first photo was actually dated August 29, 1949 in one source whose veracity I have not been able to confirm. (I'd be more inclined to deem it from an earlier year.) The context or raison d'être for either photo is not known to me. (It is worth noting that Cooper and Crosby were fine friends, and hence likely to have been around one another on many an occasion. In addition to the present episode, Cooper guested on an episode of Crosby's show broadcast on March 8, 1950.) Also seen above: one of the discs which contained the episode, and which were sent out to radio stations for broadcasting.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was taped (3:35–5:35 p.m., 6:12–6:46 p.m.) on Sunday, August 10. Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint does not identify the day of recording activity, but he does quote a Variety article on which there is a reference to August as the month on which the taping had taken place. Neither expert makes reference to a rehearsal.


A Seminal Show

Starting with this season opener, all episodes of Philco Radio Time would be pre-recorded on magnetic tape. Imported from Nazi Germany (where a German-Austrian engineer had invented it in the late 1920s), magnetic tape had never been previously used in the United States -- not, at least, for the purposes of recording media. The innovation would prove hugely successful; all the radio networks had adopted it by the end of the decade. Through their introduction of tape into the industry, Crosby and company thus made a seminal contribution to the world of radio - a contribution that was applied, for the very first time, to the present episode of the show. (For related photography, consult next session.)

This season opener is easily one of the very best episodes of the Philco series. Crosby is in fine form, Cooper proves an effective line reader, and Lee not only sings but also speaks her lines in engaging ways. Furthermore, the audience displays a sheer amount of enthusiasm, laughing, clapping, and clearly enjoying the proceedings throughout. Trade reviewers were just as enthusiastic. Witness, for instance, this excerpt from a review published by Variety:

Show seemed, to this reviewer at least, to have picked up markedly in quality of the reproduction, even over the final platters of last season — a fact apparently attributable to a switchover from acetate records to German-made "magnetaphone" tape recorders to transcribe the program. Show is now edited on tape, then transferred to platters. Result, as it came through last week, is the most "live"-like tones yet fed over network skeins. Aside from the stanza's achievements in waxed fidelity, however, it is additionally improved 100% as an entertainment article. A formula has been arrived at, as an outgrowth of last season's trial-and-error experimenting, in which El Bingo seems perfectly at home. Format has none of the rigidity of, say, Bob Hope's show, but rather allows Crosby to croon and caper through the half-hour in a leisurely, old-hat manner.



Personnel

1. Guest
For the first installment of the season, Hollywood star Gary Cooper is enlisted as the guest. He and Peggy Lee participate extensively in the episode's sketch -- as shown below, under Patter.

2. Solos And Duets
The lengthily titled "It Takes A Long, Long Train With A Red Caboose (To Carry My Blues Away)" is Peggy Lee's solo for this episode. The other above-listed number, "Allá En El Rancho Grande," is a trio with Crosby and guest star Gary Cooper.

3. Perry Botkin, Sr.
The identification of Perry Botkin as the man playing guitar on "It Takes A Long, Long Train With A Red Caboose" should be deemed tentative, though very likely. (There is no question that Botkin was present for this episode; Bing Crosby refers to him by name. The question is whether Lee is backed by him or by somebody else, the "somebody else" being her husband, guitarist Dave Barbour. In a few episodes of the previous season, Barbour had backed Lee's numbers, and Crosby had acknowledged his presence. Since no such acknowledgments of Barbour are heard in this or in any other episode of the second season, Botkin is the likelier possibility.)

4. The Rhythmaires
The previous season haad seen the departure of the show's long-tenured vocal group, The Charioteers. With this new season, Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires take over the role.


Songs

1. "Allá En El Rancho Grande"
Singing mostly in unison, Cooper, Crosby, and Lee tackle the English lyrics of this song (not the Spanish ones). They do only two choruses. As can be gathered from the dialogue transcribed below, the tune is part of the episode's comic sketch.


Patter

1. Preamble To "It Takes A Long, Long Train With A Red Caboose"
Music is heard while Bing Crosby utters the following words.
Bing: Let that feathery little musical vamp serve as an introduction to an old friend of our Philco fest fans, the very mellow, super-talented, Miss Peggy Lee.
Peggy: Hi, Bing!
[Audience applause]
Bing: Beautiful [probably said in response to Peggy's special intonation of the words "hi, Bing"]. Peggy, you are looking just as bright as a bamboo jukebox. What are you going to sing for this October coming-out soiree?
Peggy: It Takes A Long, Long Train With A Red Caboose To Carry My Blues Away.
Bing: Oh, it's bad all over the country, isn't it?
Peggy: Ha, ha!
Bing: Wait til I join John Scott Trotter on the tender. [A]Booooard!
[As the music keeps playing, Crosby is briefly heard in the background, yelling like a train conductor.]

2. Comedy Dialogue
After she finishes singing, Lee and Crosby continue to chat.
Bing: Oh, Peggy. That's a trip. That was a gas. Just like the record. You are singing better and better every year. I wish I could say the same for myself.
Peggy: Ha. Golly, Bing. You have no idea how thrilled I am.
Bing: Oh, it's just a little compliment; I'm full of it. I mean, full of them.
Peggy: Heh, heh. Oh, what I really meant, Bing, is that I'm thrilled that Gary Cooper is going to be on the program tonight. You know, I just love those tall, lean men.
Bing: Um-hum. Couldn't you hold still for a medium round chile?
Peggy: [Chuckles.] Not with [stops very briefly, trying not to laugh] ... Not with a tall, lean one available.
Bing: Well, Peggy, I think it would be better if you met Gary later. He's such a very shy sort of fellow. Doesn't talk very much. As a matter of fact, he's pretty bashful.
Peggy: You mean, you want me to leave, Bing?
Bing: No, no. Look, why don't you go over and hide behind the moose? [n.b.: At the opening of the episode, and as part of a gag alluding to his well-publicized hunting trips, Crosby is said to enter the studio with a moose as company.] Coop loves animals and that will put you in solid with him.
The preceding dialogue elicits a fair amount of laughter from the audience.

3. The Sketch
The episode's sketch is categorized as a "new-fangled western" starring High-Pockets Cooper, Creep-Along Crosby, and gal. The plot grows out of the long chat that Cooper and Crosby had had, in which Crosby had asked Cooper if he had plans to make more westerns. Cooper had remarked that the new westerns had more rhythm (i.e., music) than ranching. Hence, for his next western, Cooper was feeling that he needed to enlist Crosby, due to his singing skills. After more banter on the same topic, they move on to the sketch. The action opens with Crosby and Cooper singing "Home On The Range" as they ride their horses into Sage-Grouse, on the outskirts of Tuscaroura, Nevada. "Home On The Range" is sung in hillbilly style and with partially new lyrics that refer to the characters' situation. A few minutes into the sketch, they come upon a gal.
Peggy: Hiya, boys.
Gary: Haw.
Bing: Gee.
Bing: Say, what kind of horse is that you are riding?
Peggy: Ain't no horse. It's a bicycle.
Gary: It's only got one pedal. What's the idea?
Peggy: I ride side-saddle.
Bing: Side saddle, huh?
Bing proceeds to sing a tune called "Side-saddle Sue," with Gary helpfully interjecting a few lines.
Peggy [interrupting the singing]: Just a minute, boys. Just a minute. My name ain't Sue. It's Peg.
The men then sing "Side-saddled Peg."
Peggy [interrupting the singing again]: Boys, boys. Just a minute. How would you like a job?
The men then sing the words "side-saddled job, side-saddled job."
Peggy: Hey, boys, stop. This is important. I'm in desperate need of some hands over my ranch, the ?Sixmore ?Red. We're organizing a party.
Bing: Yeah?
Gary: Well, without being a bright man, I'd like to say that we're the toughest ?_____ in these parts.
Bing: Why man, we are tougher than the Sons of the Pioneers, and I include the Old Ranger!
Gary: Yes, sir. Should we ride over with you, ma'am?
Peggy: No, you go on ahead and I'll join you. I just did my wash and I got to hang it up to dry!
Bing: Ah, When the Bloomer Is On The Sage.
Bing & Gary proceed to sing a couple of made-up lines to the tune of "When The Bloom Is On The Sage" (changing the word "bloom" to "bloomer"). The sung lines are abruptly cut by instrumental music. (Presumably played by Trotter, this bit of instrumental music is clearly used as a transitional device. It's meant to signal that some time has passed since the previous dialogue and the upcoming exchange.)
Peggy: Howdy boys. Ready to work?"
Gary: Howdy, Miss Peggy. I thought you had some laundry to hang out. How come you got here so soon?"
Peggy: Well, I got them quick-drying bloomers."
Bing: Ho! Wrong emphasis. Quick-drying bloomers?"
A new character steps in then, telling them in an excited voice that the warm and wet Chinook wind is coming into the area.
Bing: What's a-coming?
Peggy: The big Chinook from the North! We gotta catch it!
Gary: What can a handful of cowpokes do about a Chinook? When 'em start coming straight down, it ain't nothing nobody can do.
New Character: Oh, yes, there is, stranger. That's why we need you.
Bing: Why?
New Character: Well, partner, this ranch is full of gopher holes. When that wind comes blowing down the canyon across 'em holes, it plays the prairie like a piccolo!
Bing: Well, hot doggett, that's what I call a _____! What tune does the big wind plays when it rips across 'em gopher holes?
Peggy: El Rancho Grande.
Bing: El Rancho Grande? Well, we are in luck. That's the best tune my partner Low-Note Cooper does.
Gary: Yep, yep, let's hit it. Here comes the wind.
The sketch concludes with the singing of the tune by Cooper, Crosby, and Lee.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

Pictures of Bing Crosby and the device with which he and his associates changed the word of radio recording: Ampex machines, used to tape his shows from October 1947 onwards. Ampex 200, the original machine, is seen on the second image. The other solo Crosby photographs show Ampex 600, the first portable model, which did not come into existence until the 1950s. In the last two photos, the top team at Bing Crosby Enterprises appraises the boss of their progress. From left to right: engineer and key conceptualizer Jack Mullin, company publicist Frank Healey, engineer Wayne Johnson, and their paying man. For general detail on this topic, consult the notes under the preceding session.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was taped (1:53–2:53 p.m., 4:40–5:17 p.m.) on Friday, August 15. Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint does not identify the exact day of recording activity. Neither expert makes reference to a rehearsal.


Personnel

1. Guest
Following his last appearance in the show (April 16, 1947), Jimmy Durante returns as a guest, noticeably elevating the atmosphere of revelry and playfulness.


Patter

1. Introduction To "Just One More Chance"
As instrumental music is heard, Bing Crosby says: These lovely bars of music herald a new song written by Peggy Lee and Dave Barbour, Just An Old Love Of Mine. Peggy is gonna sing it, too.

2. Peggy Lee Contributions To The Comedy Routine
Jimmy Durante tells Bing Crosby that lately he has been driving a Stanley Steamer, which operates on coal.
Jimmy: The embarrasing part is when I take a girl out. By the time we get up to the top of Lookout Mountain, the poor thing is pooped out from stoking.
Bing: I don't believe it. I can't believe that even a man of your magnetic personality could charm a girl into shoveling coal.
Peggy: Hi, Bing. Is this boy talk or can I muscle in?
Bing: Well, come right in, Peggy. You know Peggy, don't you, Jimmy?
Jimmy: Of course! I had the honor of driving Miss Peggy Lee to the studio tonight.
Bing: Right, Peggy?
Peggy: Right. And here's your shovel back, Jimmy.
Jimmy: Hi, hi, hi. I've never had any luck with singers. The same thing happened with Hildegarde.
Bing: You mean that you had Hildegarde shoveling coal for you?
Jimmy: Only for a brief moment, Bing. After three blocks, she got out of the car and said, "a little walking music, please, Harry."

2. Jimmy Durante's Rexall Show
At the end of the episode, Durante's new radio show is plugged. "Say, Jimmy, the word's out that you -- that you've got your own show for United Rexall Drugs this year," Crosby remarks. "That's right, Bingo," replies Jimmy, before he moves on to another joke. Peggy Lee would go on to become the girl singer of Durante's show, too. For an overview of Lee's work in the comedian's programs, consult this page.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Emmanuel "Manny" Klein (t), Loring "Red" Nichols (c), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Edwin "Buddy" Cole, Oscar Levant (p), Nick Fatool (d), Harry Bluestone aka Blostein, Joe Venuti (vn), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

Advertisement for the present episode of Crosby's show (first and third image). Head shots highlight the participation of Oscar Levant and Joe Venuti. Moreover, a short text proclaims their joint performance of the Gershwin songbook, plus the "perky" presence of Peggy Lee. Not part of the ad, the above-shown photo finds Levant and Crosby getting together for another performance, with Al Jolson also in tow. Note that this undated photograph seems to be a companion take to a Jolson-Crosby photo shown up above, under the May 7, 1947 broadcast. The two shots may capture one out of about a dozen Jolson guest appearances on Crosby's Philco and Chesterfield programs, or perhaps one of their joint Decca sessions. An additional, likelier possibility: the occasion could have been either of Crosby's guest appearances on Al's Kraft Music Hall show (October 16, 1947; January 15, 1948), in which Levant was also a regular, strong presence.


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was taped (5:00–6:18 p.m., 7:30–8:30 p.m.) on Sunday, December 21, 1947. Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint does not identify the exact day of recording activity. Neither expert makes reference to a rehearsal.


Personnel & Cross-references

1. Guests
As the episode's guests, announcer Ken Carpenter lists Oscar Levant, Peggy Lee, and Joe Venuti (in that order). At the end of the show, Carpenter adds that Peggy Lee "appears through the courtesy of the Rexall Drug Company" (an indirect reference to her contract as the regular girl singer for The Jimmy Durante Rexall Show). Note also that, in terms of featured players and performances (specifically, the song medley to be itemized below), this episode had a sequel, broadcast on February 11, 1948.


Songs

1. A Gershwin Medley
The bulk of this episode is dedicated to the compositions of George Gershwin, as performed by Bing and his guests. Here is a list of the compositions, in the order in which they are performed:

Somebody Loves Me - Bing Crosby vocal
Oh! Lady be Good - Joe Venuti instrumental
Second Rhapsody - Oscar Levant instrumental
Do, Do, Do - Oscar Levant instrumental
Someone To Watch Over Me - Bing Crosby solo
’S Wonderful - vocal duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
I’ve Got A Crush On You - vocal duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
I’ve Got A Crush On You - Oscar Levant instrumental
I’m Just Wild About Harry - Oscar Levant on vocal and piano
Love Is Sweeping The Country - Bing Crosby vocal
They Can’t Take That Away From Me - vocal duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
Third Prelude For Piano - Oscar Levant instrumental
Bidin’ My Time - Oscar Levant vocal
I Got Rhythm - vocal duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
[Interruption: a promotional commercial on behalf of Philco - delivered by Ken Carpenter]
Summertime - vocal duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee

This is a medley. The performed selections are not sung in full. Most of the Crosby-Lee duets are delivered in two or three choruses, but other lyrics are
circumscribed to just a couple of lines. For a few of the selections, Crosby and Lee quickly identify the year and the show in which the song originated. (These identifications are not impromptu comments, but part of the episode's script. In this session's listings of performances, the timings reflect not only the playing and singing of each song but also those preceding, spoken introductions.)

In the case of the medley's last tune, "Summertime," the song is heard at length, as suggested by the timing above. However, an upload featuring a truncated or edited version (about two lines of lyrics) also circulates. I do not know the origination of that abbreviated version. Its existence could be an indication that this performance had to be cut for one of the two coast's broadcasts, due to time constraints. Just as likely, the edit could have been carried out by the uploader, or his source.


Patter

1. Peggy Lee's Incorporation To The Medley Segment
Bing: We also have a very fancy young lady to help out, too. You know Peggy Lee, don't you?
Oscar: Sure. Hello Peggy.
Peggy: Hello, boys.
[Audience applauds.]

2. Prelude To " 'S Wonderful" And "I've Got A Crush On You"
Peggy: Hey, Bing you know a Gershwin tune that always sends me?
Bing: Which one is that, Peggy"
Peggy: " 'S Wonderful."
Bing: Oh, yeah, good old wonderful. From Funny Face, 1927. Should we sing it, Peg?
After they finish singing, Crosby proceeds to introduce the next song.
Bing: That was a big smash, and there was another big Gershwin hit too, Strike Up The Band.
Peggy: Bing, wasn't that the show I've Got A Crush On You came from?
Bing: That's it, Peggy.
Peggy: Let's sing that one.
Bing: Well, I love it ...

3. Prelude And Postscript To "They Can't Take That Away From Me"
Bing: Say, Oscar, would you like to stand by for a minute while Miss Lee and I do a chorus of a really great Gershwin ballad? Bring me in, John.
After the duet performance, and amidst audience's appreciative applause, Crosby continues to offer factual tidbits.
Bing: That was from George and Ira Gershwin's score Shall We Dance.

4. Prelude To "Summertime"
Bing: From the great American folk opera Porgy And Bess, this is a classic among American folk songs.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

In this episode's comic patter, Peggy Lee corners herself into a tough spot, where she has to make an impossible choice: on which of the two radio hosts for whom she assiduously worked should she bestow the title of "best voice?" Should the ultimate praise go to Crosby's croon ... or should it fall on Durante's grunt? (The photo with Durante dates from March 10, 1948, the photo with Crosby from November 29, 1949.)


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was recorded (3:20–4:40 p.m., 6:30–7:10 p.m.) on Monday, December 22. Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint also identifies December 22 as the day of recording activity. No references to rehearsals are made by either expert.


Personnel

1. Guest
At the start of the program, Peggy Lee is identified as this episode's guest. At the end of the show, Bing Crosby thanks her for the appearance (as he regularly did for every guest) and Ken Carpenter adds that she appeared in the show through the courtesy of Rexall Drug Products. (By this time, Peggy Lee was the girl singer of Jimmy Durante's Rexall show.)


Songs

1. Solos And Duets
Of the above-listed performances, only "Golden Earrings" is a solo. All the other numbers are Lee-Crosby duets.

2. The All-Time Flop Parade
A parody of the popular show Your Hit Parade, this episode's All-Time Flop Parade consists of 6 numbers, of which 4 were sung as duets and two as solos. Crosby and Lee preface each number with slightly mocking, playful commentary, and with the identification of each songwriter by name. Here is a list of the so-called flops, arranged in the order in which the two vocalists performed them:

Mississippi Moon - Bing Crosby solo
It’s About Time That I Wrote To The Folks In Terra Haute - duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
Was Last Night The Last Night With You? - duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
Tortured - Bing Crosby solo
Boise, Idaho - duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
These Lush Moments - duet by Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee

This All-Time Flop Parade was actually the second round of flops heard in the show. The first round, broadcast as part of the October 15, 1948 episode, had also consisted of six songs, interpreted by Bing Crosby with his guest Dinah Shore. In that previous round, four of the six above-listed had been performed by Crosby and Shore. "Tortured" and "Boise, Idaho" were newly added to this episode.

A third round of the All-Time Flop Parade would be heard on May 19, 1947, with Ethel Merman as Crosby's duet partner. On that round, a total of 5 numbers were performed, including the Crosby solo "Tortured" and the duet "Boise, Idaho." Merman and Crosby would join forces again for the fourth round (March 23, 1949), which featured a brand new set of songs. Though no longer identified as part of a Flop Parade, some of these songs would also be tried by Crosby with guest Judy Garland in a 1950 episode. (That guesting Garland episode was part of Crosby's series for Chesterfield, not Philco.)


Songwriters

1. John Kinley
2. Jack Brooks
3. Ed Walsh
4. Johnny Burke & Jimmy Van Heusen
My attribution of the above-listed songs to the songwriters next to them is entirely based on Bing Crosby's acknowledgments of these men during the airing of the episode. It should be noted that these acknowledgments are uttered with tongue planted in cheek. For instance, Crosby tells his audience that he and Lee will be doing "John Kiley's immortal song of a Hoosier lad who strayed from home, It's About Time I Wrote The Folks In Terra Haute."

Of the five songwriters in question, three (Burke, Van Heusen, and Jack Brooks) are relatively well-known. My attempts at finding information about the other two have not proven successful. In the case of Ed Walsh, Peggy Lee informs us that the song he wrote was meant "for the homecoming extravaganza show of the University of California." My follow up of her lead did not trigger any additional details, unfortunately.

As for John Kiley, he might or might have not been the organist of that name who worked in silent movies and at various Boston, MA recreational spaces (Fenway Park, Boston Garden). That John Kiley had strong ties to radio programming, serving as music director at a MA radio station (WMEX) from 1934 to about 1956. However, his geographical whereabouts do not betray any direct connection with Crosby's California-based show: Kiley appears to have remained in the Boston area for much of his life, including the years under consideration.

Since I have found no corroboration for any of these songwriting credits (aside from the existence of three of the songwriters), and since Crosby and Lee's comments were clearly made in a jocular vein, all attributions should be deemed tentative.


Personnel

1. Perry Botkin, Sr.
During the episode, Bing Crosby credits guitarist Perry Botkin for his participation in It's About Time I Wrote The Folks In Terra Haute.


Patter

1. Preamble To "Golden Earrings"
Bing Crosby waits for Peggy Lee to hum quite a few bars of Golden Earrings, before he finally says: "One of the greatest records Peggy Lee ever made was Golden Earrings. Here tonight is her personalized version of it."

2. Dialogue Preceding The All-Time Flop Parade
After Lee finishes singing, she and Crosby engage in small talk.
Bing: That was very gossamer, Peggy. Got some more like it?
Peggy: Lots-some, Bing.
Bing: While I'm still under the spell of your voice, I wanna confess something to you. The work you've been doing over on Durante's show's very impressive.
Peggy: Oh, thank you.
Bing: I'm not the least bit mad because you threw me over for Jimmy. The best man won.
Peggy: [Chuckles.] You know, there are times when Jimmy's voice really thrills me. It's so haunting.
Bing: Haunting?
Peggy: Yeah.
Bing: Oh, Peggy, come, pull yourself together.
Peggy: Pull myself to...
Bing: Let's face it, Jimmy's a sweetheart but his voice to me sounds like two st[i]cks of celery chewing each other to shreds on a tin roof.
Peggy: Of course, you -- you can't compare Jimmy's voice with yours.
Bing: Not after what I just said. Anyhow, Peggy, you recall a few months ago when Dinah Shore and I did a batch of ballads that nobody had heard before?
Peggy: Oh, sure, you did sort of a broken-down hip parade
Bing: Yeah, that's right. You do hear our show once in a while.
Peggy: Yeah, yeah, ha.
Bing: You are the one! Say, I wonder if you'd like to break down with me tonight, Peggy, and do a second edition of that show?
Peggy: Well, why, certainly. What can I lose?
Bing: Just your reputation.
Peggy: Ha, ha. Well, Bing, I think it's a good idea to do some tunes that never quite made the grade.
Bing: Yes, you are so right. Who needs popular songs?
Peggy: [Chuckles.] Well, not me. I've heard The Best Things In Life Are Free so many times I tore up all my money.
Bing: I know what you mean. I've sung Dance Ballerina Dance so often I can't get off my toes. Alright, maybe the next ?Mrs. ?H__
Peggy: You know, and once a song catches on, it sure gets around.
Bing: And how. I've heard Too Fat Polka -- you know that song -- so many times I've ordered a girdle!
Peggy: Heh, heeh. Well, you've never worn a girdle, have you, Bing?
Bing: No, but Hope tells me they feel great when you get them off. Hey, Peggy, let's get started on our program of songs fighting for recognition.
Peggy: Ready, Bing. But what will we call the program?
Bing: Stand by, Peggy. John Scott Trotter, fan us a fare.
After Ken Carpenter jokingly announces The All-Time Flop Parade (complete with even a made-up commercial, promoting not a hair product but hair itself), Crosby and Lee continue. In addition to singing the numbers, they also introduce them in suitable manner -- adopting hillbilly accents in one case, for instance.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v), Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires {Conlon, Mack McLean, Loulie "Lily" Jean Norman, Charles Parlato, Gloria Wood} (bkv)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. (Part X.) Crosby caught in fraganti ... Aye, the betrayal. How could you, Bing, how could you cheat on your comely, lissome pipe -- and with such ordinary cigarettes, no less? .... But wait. Perk up, Pipe: it is all make believe. Both of these images are publicity shots (the first promoting the 1935 Paramount musical film Two For Tonight).

Bing's lips did have a shameful past in which they had tasted forbidden pleasures, though. According to at least one of his biographers, our crooner was originally a cigarette smoker. He had given up cigarettes and taken to pipe smoking out of a desire to appease his mother, who could not stand the former (but presumably found the latter tolerable). Furthermore, Crosby promoted cigarette brands in the early 1930s, and again in the late 1940s (when, as we will see below, Chesterfield Cigarettes became his show's sponsor).


The Show

1. Live Or Pre-taped?
In their respective Crosby texts, chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane and radio expert Lionel Pairpoint label this episode as "transcribed," but give no date for the alleged taping.

In the February 1948 issue of Capitol News, we are told that Bing Crosby, busy with charity snd social events, film, sports, and many other activities, had recently been "able to wax enough airshows to run him through March 17. From then on, he goes live." It thus may be that the present episode was prepared in the 'old manner.'

However, we can not discard the possibility of a change plans, either. Crosby and his associates could have eventually made the time to pre-tape the episodes that followed the one that aired on March 17, including the present one. For the time being, this matter remains unsolved.


Personnel

1. Guests
Ken Carpenter credits both Wild Bill Elliott and Peggy Lee as guests.


Songs

1. Solos And Duets
Peggy Lee sings no solos in this episode. Both of her numbers are duets with Bing Crosby. One duet, "Easter Parade," would be sung again during the April 13, 1949 broadcast of the show. The other number, "Mañana," would also be heard again, though much later (on December 7, 1949) and as a Lee solo vocal.


Issues

1. It's Magic [CD, Gav Records]
Because I have not listened to this Bing Crosby CD, my identification of version of "Mañana" as the one from the March 28, 1948 broadcast is tentative. The alternative is that the CD contains instead the aforementioned Lee solo version, from the December 7, 1949 broadcast. However, the fact that It's Magic is a Bing Crosby issue makes this session's duet version the likeliest to be in that CD.


Patter And Sketches

1. Preamble To Mañana
During the segment between Ken Carpenter and Bing Crosby that customarily happens at the start of the show, the announcer informs the crooner about the mail that has been arriving at the station. After joking about two letters sent by Crosby's brothers, Carpenter makes mention of Lee.
Ken: Peggy Lee sent you a copy of the latest song that she wrote woth Dave Barbour.
Bing: Oh, Mañana. That really jumps. I wish Peggy were here. I'd like her to sing it with me.
Ken: Yah.
Peggy: I'm here, Bing.
Bing: Well, Peggy Lee!
[Audience applause]
Bing (tongue-in-cheek): Now, isn't that radio for you. You just mention somebody's name and up they pop!
Peggy: That's right, Pops. Shall we hit it?
Bing: Let's cut it but good, Peggy. John [Scott Trotter], let's make like [Xavier] Cugat, huh?
After the duet is finished, Carpenter asks Crosby why he hasn't written any songs. (The scripted question is actually a means to the end of doing the episode's promotion of Philco products.)

2. Wild West Sketch
During the episode's sketch (an old west/hillbilly piece), Wild Bill and his sidekick "Gaby" Crosby are joined by both Ken Carpenter and Peggy Lee. The former actually plays a prominent role (Rattlesnake Carpenter) with quite a few lines; the latter is heard only for a couple of brief lines, playing a hillbilly horserider upon whom Elliott and Crosby come across, on the road.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

Bing Crosby starred in three musical films showcasing the songs of Irving Berlin: Holiday Inn (1942), Blues Skies (1946), and White Christmas (1954). Fred Astaire was scheduled to be his co-star on the entire trilogy, though he ultimately decided to bow out of the third, 1954 installment. The photos above capture the celebrated men first at rehearsal and then on the actual shooting of Blue Skies -- the trilogy installment that happens to be chronologically closer to the present radio broadcast.

Of course, Philco was keen on radio-capturing the pair's magic (or, shall we say instead, some of their popularity and its dividends). Accordingly, the ad above promised to Philco audiences a whole song-and-dance show on the evening of April 7, 1948. When the time for the broadcast came, listeners who tuned did hear plenty of song .... but had no dancing to watch. Peggy Lee joined the musical proceedings as well, performing side by side with Astaire and Crosby, though never ever cavorting in their above-shown manner.


The Show And The Technology

1. Live Or Pre-taped?
In their respective Crosby texts, chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane and radio expert Lionel Pairpoint label this episode as "transcribed," but give no date for the alleged taping. See Show notes in the preceding section, discussing the likelihood that this episode was not pre-taped but performed live at the time it first aired. Then again, see next entry.

2. Tapes, Discs, And Ampex
Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane quotes from an article by engineer John Mullin that High Fidelity published in April 1976. Mullin tells us that ABC received its first two Ampex tape recorders (200 model) in April 1948, followed by a dozen more machines shortly thereafter. He further specifies that the new machines went into use on the 27th episode of the show, which would actually be the last episode of March, preceding the present one (March 31, 1948, sans Peggy Lee).

Before the arrival of these machines, Mullin had been both taping the episodes on his own, somewhat outdated Magnetophon machines, and then transferring the tape contents onto transcription discs. The reason for the need to transfer to ET disc appears to have been ABC's lingering unease over the reliability of the Magnetophon tape machines. Hitherto, the network had stipulate that the episodes had to be broadcast from the ET transfers, not from the original tapes.

With the arrival of the brand new Ampex machines, confidence on the taping process increased, and ET discs began to lose their prevalence.


Personnel

1. Guests
Fred Astaire and Peggy Lee are as credited as the episode's guests. At the end of the show, Bing thanks them both ("I want to thank Fred Astaire for dropping in tonight ... Also a deep bow to Miss Peggy Lee") and they reply in kind ("I had fun, too, Bing," says Peggy.) As part of that end, Lee is tasked with the customary script question about the guests for the next episode. But, as she is in the process of asking, she completely cracks up, to the audience's merriment. "Sing it, Peggy!," Bing helpfully advices. Lee follows the advice, half-speaking and half-singing the line "who's with you next week?," though still with a laughing, cracking voice. (The cracking up was probably triggered by a bit of hilarious humming by The Rhythmaires. Their humming had taken place during Bing's thank you to Fred, and had elicited general laughter.)


Songs

1. Astaire Medley
All the titles listed in this session were performed as part of a medley that consisted of songs from Astaire's movie musicals. Each number receives fairly brief coverage -- about one chorus. Heard between the songs are spoken snippets -- mostly amicable dialogue, aiming at introducing the next song. Naturally, only the performances which feature Peggy Lee are listed above. Below is a full list of all the songs and their performers:

Top Hat, White Tie And Tails - Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire
Cheek To Cheek - Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
Isn’t This A Lovely Day? - Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Peggy Lee
A Fine Romance - Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Peggy Lee
They Can’t Take That Away From Me - Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - Peggy Lee solo
Dearly Beloved - Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
White Christmas - Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee
Catalogue Day - Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Peggy Lee
Kamehameha Day - Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Peggy Lee
Everyday Is A Philco Day [Commercial] - Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Peggy Lee
Kamehameha Day [quick reprise] - Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Peggy Lee

2. "Catalogue Day" & "Kamehameha Day"
3. Astaire & Crosby
4. Burke & Van Heusen
Unlike the rest of the medley's songs, these two tunes are not from Astaire's movies. They are instead parodic, intentionally subpar pieces. Supposedly, Astaire & Crosby wrote them themselves, in response to Irving Berlin's tendency to compose numbers in honor of every holiday in the calendar (see Patter below). Most probably, the writers were not Astaire & Crosby but Burke & Van Heusen, who are credited with the writing of special material at the end of the episode. I have thus tentatively entered Burke & Van Heusen as the writers of both numbers.

5. Philco Jingle
The above-shown title for the Philco jingle is entirely my own invention (though based on my listening of its lyrics, of course). The sources at hand gives no title for it, other than "Philco Commercial."


Patter

1. Introduction Of Peggy Lee And Her Participation In The Dialogue
Bing: Look who's here. The writer of Mañana, countless other hits, Peggy Lee. [Audience applause.] Peggy, you know Fred Astaire, don't you?
Peggy: Oh, yeah. I learned the coffee master conga at his dancing school.
Bing: Coffee master conga.
Peggy: Oh, it's terrific. The top part of it stands while the bottom percolates."
Bing: Put the coffee on, honey; I'll be right over.
Fred: Steady, Bing.
Peggy: Gee, Fred, I remember seeing all of your old pictures. How I wish that I could dance like you did.
Fred: Oh, me too; thanks. You know, Bing, I remember all your old pictures. Now I always wish I could sing like you did.
Bing: I wish I could sing like I did, too.
Peggy: Oh, Bing. I think you are singing better now than ever.
Bing: You mean better now than Everett. [n.b. Everett was one of Bing's brothers, and a frequent subject of the show's jokes.]
Fred: I agree with Peggy, Bing. Your voice seems to get more mellow as the years go by. Like good wine, it improves with time.
Bing: Yeah, but every now and then my good wine pops a cork. Hey, but speaking of Fred's pictures, he's done some great ones -- really wonderful pictures. How about those great musicals you made at RKO with Jimmy Durante, hmm?
Peggy: Oh, there were some real gone tunes in those. What do you say we uncork a few?
Fred: Suits me. Hey, Bing, remember Top Hat?
Bing: Remember? Why, they wanted me to make a sequel to it, called ?Satch Hat. Why don't we give the folks a little of the title tune from that movie?

2. Commentary After "Top Hat, White Tie And Tails" And Before "Cheek To Cheek"
Peggy: Grand, grand boys. Hey, Bing, let's go you and me dancing Cheek To Cheek.
Bing: Well, that's not a fair offer. I'm captain of the rowboat. Let's go!

3. Commentary Before "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"
Bing: Hey, Fred. I don't know about you, Fred, but I'd like to inhale a little oxygen for a minute. I wanna lay back. I wonder if we get Peggy to do Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
Peggy: How about Smog Gets In Your Eyes In Los Angeles.
Bing: Oh, no, ha, And incidentally Roberta was the musical that introduced Bob Hope to Broadway.
Fred: Also incidentally, Bing, if you remember, I was the fellow who took you to Bob's room and introduced you to him.
Bing: I was thrilled .... then. But I should have known that A Stair would lead to a stew.
Peggy, go smoke screen over this whole thing -- quickly.

4. Dialogue After "White Christmas" And Before "Catalogue Day"
Fred: Berlin really did it that time, didn't he?
Bing: Oh, he does it every time.
Peggy: He sure does. As a songwriter, I wanna lodge a complaint against him.
Fred: What's the matter, Peg?
Peggy: Well, in Holiday Inn Berlin wrote a song for every holiday there is: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, New Year ...
Bing: That's right, Peggy. He also hit Washington's birthday, wrote one for Lincoln's birthday, Fourth of July, Valentine's Day ...
Peggy: He swept the calendar clean!
Bing: That's what you think, Peggy, and that's what Berlin thinks. But Fred and I know differently, don't we, Fred?
Fred: We sure do.
Peggy: What do you mean?
Fred: Well, we did two pictures with Irving, and when he wasn't looking, we wrote some songs about days he overlooked.
Peggy: Oh, don't ?get me, fellows. ?__ never missed a day in a year.
Bing: He did, too, Peggy. And Fred and I got tunes to cover every day he forgot.
Peggy: Those I gotta see.
Fred: Here, Peggy. Take some of our special lyrics.
Peggy: Well, I'll be darned. These are days he forgot.
Bing: Ladies and gentlemen, here is a beautifully sentimental ballad, written by Astaire and Crosby: Catalogue Day.
Peggy: Catalogue Day? Hmm? What's that?
Bing: This gal's never lived in a farm, ?I ?reckon.
Peggy: Heh, heh.


5. Closing Commentary
A jocular mood takes over the participants of this broadcast, especially after The Rhythmaires do some laughter-inducing humming. Most affected of them all is Peggy Lee, who can barely ask the show customary, stock question "who is going to be your guest next week" without cracking up.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

First image: Peggy Lee graces the front cover of "Love (Your [Maagic] Spell Is Everywhere)," one of her chosen numbers for this date. This photo of Lee was probably taken in 1948, and is thus contemporaneous with the present broadcast. (Though not included here, Peggy Lee's image can also be found on the front cover of her other number, "You Came A Long Way From St. Louis." That image is from well into the 1950s, and thus not contemporaneous with the present broadcast.)

Third image: a late 1940s postcard view of San Francisco's Civic Auditorium, the venue on which this broadcast was taped.

Second image: Mister Crosby and Mrs. Lee are seen decked in wardrobe suitable for a gala event. Neither the occasion nor the date are known to me, but I suspect that we may be looking at the present broadcast taping, which doubled as a benefit for the Bellarmine Preparatory College Building Fund and the Boys’ Clubs of the Bay Area. William Gargan and William Powell were in attendance as well, fulfilling double duty as guests of not only the Boys' Clubs benefit but also the Bing Crosby broadcast. It was reported that Peggy Lee received $1250 for this appearance in San Francisco. By comparison, Judy Garland was paid $5,000 for an equivalent 1949 taping of an episode in San Francisco, at least according to contemporary press reports. The salary difference serves as an illustration of the huge sums that artists with an established Hollywood career have been perennially able to command. (I should stress that I do not have corroboration for my suspicion, however. The photo of the two singers could stem instead from any other special event in the late 1940s, such as the Los Angeles premiere of the 1950 Crosby movie Mr. Music, on which Lee had a cameo.)


Schedule

According to Crosby chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, this episode was recorded at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium on Saturday, October 9, as part of a benefit show on behalf of the Boys’ Clubs of the Bay Area and the Bellarmine Preparatory College Building Fund. The show started ad 8:30 p.m. See also Photo notes above. Crosby radio authority Lionel Pairpoint also identifies that Saturday as the day of recording activity.


Personnel

1. Guests
William Powell, William Gargan, and Peggy Lee are billed as the guests for this episode. Violinist Joe Venuti is credited for accompanying Bing Crosby in one number, but is not named among the guests. (Venuti was actually a regular, long-standing member of the show's ensemble, but occasionally he was billed and featured as a guest.)

2. Solos And Duets
Peggy Lee sings "Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere" as a solo, "You Came A Long Way To Saint Louis" in a duet with Crosby.


Songs

1. "You Came A Long Way To Saint Louis"
This playful duet includes additional lyrics in which Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee sing about their respective birthplaces.


Patter

1. Chat With Peggy Lee
2. Preamble And Postscript To "Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere"
Bing: Tonight, folks, we welcome a girlfriend of yours, and of mine. She's sort of been playing hooky for my Philco funfest for a time. She's a great singer. Got her own show now for Chesterfield. As far as we are concerned, we always buy Peggy Lee. Purr something into the mike, Peggy.
Peggy: Hi, Bing.
Bing: Peggy, you -- you've changed. There's something different.
Peggy: Well, sure, Bing, I had a new coiffure.
Bing: Yeah, and you had your hair cut, too.
Peggy: Ha, hah, ha.
Bing: Very soigné.
Peggy: Well, thank you. Ha, ha ha.
Bing: Now, if you've got a real mellow tune for us c'est soir, hmm?
Peggy: Well, I thought I might do Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere.
Bing: Oh, I'm gonna pull the chaise lounge and get spellbound out of this American country.
After Peggy Lee finishes singing the tune, and while the audience applauds, the host has a few more words to add.
Bing: Very sweet, Peggy. Very fine. Lovely arrangement. Thank you, Peggy.

3. Gay Nineties Sketch
4. Preamble To "You Came A Long Way From Saint Louis"
In this episode's sketch, Bing Crosby and William Powell are "gay young blades" vying for the affections of Miss Peggy Lee Gargin, daughter of police officer William Gargin. The events take place in the 1890s. The youngsters visit Miss Gargin at her home in Telegraph Hill, overlooking the San Francisco Bay.
Peggy: Good evening, gentlemen.
William: Good evening. May I kiss your hand?
Peggy: Well, of course.
Bing: You know, Peggy, I was, uh ... Peggy. Peggy!! ... Why, that blundering Powell caught her square in the mouth.
Peggy: You sure has nice friends, Mr. Crosby.
Bing: Gee, Peggy, remember last night when I harked the buggie and a team of horses and how I headed them into the woods and how we were parked there for over an hour?
Peggy: Yes, and I didn't even notice the time, with all that kissing going on.
Bing: Me neither. Those two horses sure were in love with each other. [Audience laughter.] You know, watching them made me think of you and me. Why don't we be like them and get hitched?
Peggy: Well, I've thought a lot about marrying you, Mr. Crosby, but now that I've met Mr. Powell, I've changed.
Bing: I don't understand.
William: That's because you are not a woman. [Audience laughter.] My dear Miss Peggy, it would be an honor indeed to have your hand in marriage. Think how happy we could be together. You and I on a bicycle built for two. And maybe someday, we'll build a bicycle for three.
Peggy: And what if we added a little seat before?
William: I figure that I oughtta have some place to put my feet while you are peddling."
Bing: I guess is up to you to choose between us, Peggy.
Peggy: Oh, but that's not for me to decide. You must ask my father.
The sketch continues with the appearance of Gaugin, who has already promised her daughter's hand to an Irish boy, and who does not want her to marry a singer such as Bing or an actor such as Dick. Bing retorts that Peggy herself is a singer, and that she "sings mighty pretty." He then asks Peggy to demonstrate, and the two proceed to sing "You Came A Long Way From Saint Louis." There is no follow-up after the song; the sketch is left unfinished. (That is to say, we do not find out the decision made by Peggy's father, in regard to the winner of her daughter's hand.)

5. Closing remarks: Upcoming Guests
Peggy: What happens next week, Bing?
Bing: Next week, Peg, you are going to be with us.
Peggy: Well, thank you.
Bing: And also we'll have Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. It should be quite a show.
Lee and the other guests then proceed to protest and demand that Edgar Bergen be invited to the next show as well. (Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd are Edgar Bergen characters.) The following week, Edgar Bergen indeed appears in the show, as previously announced, but Peggy Lee does not. We enjoy her return on the episode after the next one, though.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Loring "Red" Nichols (c), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p), Joe Venuti (vn), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued (part Xi). First: front cover of Radio Guide magazine (September 1936 issue), featuring Bing next to some suspect-looking plants and smoking something that (shocker!) is neither a pipe nor a cigar. Blame it on the weeds -- or the illustrator. Second: front cover of Look magazine, January 17, 1950 issue.


Personnel & Cross-references

1. Guests
At the opening of the show, announcer Ken Carpenter identifies this episode's guests as "Oscar Levant, Peggy Lee, Red Nichols, Joe Venuti, and Ziggy Elman." Note that, in terms of featured players and performances (specifically, the song medley to be itemized below), this episode offers a sequel to the one broadcast on February 11, 1948.


Schedule

Neither of my two main Crosby sources, Malcolm Macfarlane and Lionel Pairpoint, have specifics to give about this show's taping or recording. Pairpoint does note that "[a]lthough the Rhythmaires and Ziggy Elman are mentioned in the credits, the Rhythmaires’ presence cannot be detected in any of the vocal items and, unusually for a listed ‘guest’, there is no further acknowledgement of Ziggy Elman’s presence." I suspect that the contents of this show were, to a large degree, holdover material, recorded much earlier, perhaps as alternate performances. In that regard, recall the aforementioned existence of a similar medley to the one performed here, dating back to February 11, 1948.


Songs

1. Medley
In this episode, all the numbers which feature Peggy Lee happen to be part of an 11-song medley. As with previous medleys, the songs are limited to about one chorus each. Here are the numbers and their performers:

Wildflower, I Love You - Bing Crosby (with Oscar Levant on piano)
Look For The Silver Lining - Bing Crosby (with Oscar Levant on piano)
Take Me Back To Manhattan - Oscar Levant (vocal & piano, solo)
What Is This Thing Called Love? - Peggy Lee (with orchestra members)
Mandy - Bing Crosby (with Oscar Levant)
Exactly Like You - Bing Crosby & Peggy Lee (with orchestra members)
You Are Too Beautiful - Bing Crosby (with orchestra members)
Blame It On My Youth - Bing Crosby (with Oscar Levant on piano)
Lady, Play Your Mandolin - Bing Crosby (with Oscar Levant on piano)
I Got Rhythm - Bing Crosby & Peggy Lee (with Buddy Cole, Perry Botkin Jr, Red Nichols, and Joe Venuti, all of whom Crosby credits by first name; my listing of Ziggy Elman among players backing Lee should be deemed tentative, since he is not credited in this number nor in her other others)
[The medley is then interrupted by a Philco commercial. After the commercial, the medley ends with the addition of just one more song.]
They Can’t Take That Away From Me - Bing Crosby & Peggy Lee


Patter

1. Peggy Lee's Contribution To The Dialogue
Bing Crosby's chat with Oscar Levant includes various jokes at the expense of Al Jolson. Pianist Levant claims that his boss Jolson has retired to Shangri-La, which he identifies as a monastery in Tibet. Crosby asks if Jolson still keeps up with his son, Al Jolson, Jr., who is supposedly substituting for him on the Kraft show. (This was most likely just a joke. The adopted child would have turned 18 this year, but Jolson is said to have fully stopped contact with him after his 1940 divorce from Ruby Keeler.)
Oscar: Certainly. Every week he sends a flock of ducks to pick up the kid's paycheck.
Bing: He's in touch.
Bing: Why, Oscar, here's Peggy Lee.
[Audience applause.]
Peggy: Hi, fellows.
Bing: Peggy, Oscar and I were just talking about the original Al Jolson.
Peggy: Oh, well, I never knew him. But I know his son quite well.
Bing: You do?
Peggy: Yes, I was over at his house for a duck dinner last night."
Bing: The kid revolted, huh?
Oscar: Good for him and good for us, too. Shall we go on now with something charming?
Bing: As you wish, Oscar. Let's say, for instance, you, Peggy and I hit some tunes that we hope will bring back a few pleasant memories to our listeners, hmm?
Oscar: Sure.
Bing: What will we do? Some oldies?
Oscar: No, we'll do some 'antiquies.'
Bing: Antiquies.
Oscar: They were before oldies. Remember this one?
The men then launch into the medley's first number.



Issues

1. Educated Guesses
Please notice that, in the case of CDs that I do not own, I have had to make educated guesses as to which versions of certain songs they contain. The songs from this radio program offer particular difficulty, because Peggy and Bing Crosby sang most of them in multiple broadcasts. To determine which versions have been commercially released, I have naturally listened to the issues that I do have, and have then made educated guesses on the remaining issues. Corrections will be very welcome.

Take, for instance, the case of this session's version of "What Is This Thing Called Love?" I can vouch for the accurate placement of the following issues, to which I have listened:
Magic/Submarine LP: Bing's Magic (1980)
Parrot CD: It's A Good Day {Bing Crosby And Peggy Lee} (1992)
Castle's / TrueTrax CD: Let There Be Love; The Best Of Peggy Lee (1994)
Platinum/Start Entertainments CD: Peggy Lee ("The Platinum Collection" Series) (1997)
Snapper/Recall CD: Linger (2000)
Sunflower CD: El Rancho Grande {Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee} (2005)

On the other hand, I have made educated guesses as to the version of "What Is This Thing Called Love?" that appears in the following issues:
Hughes Leisure Group CD: Peggy Lee ("20 Golden Greats / Starburst" Series) (1994)
Pickwick International's Hallmark CD: Peggy Lee Gold (Hallmark's Series) (1995)
Janda CD: The Lady Is A Tramp ("Platinum Collection" Series) (1996)
Golden Options CD: Fever [also issued as Let's Do It, minus 2 tracks] (1998)
Magic / Submarine CD: It's Magic (2007)

Some guesses and arguments are easier to make than others, of course. Take, for instance, the above-listed 2007 Magic/Submarine CD. Since it is essentially a digital reissue of the LP that the same label released in 1980 (a LP that I do have, and which I have also listed above), I feel reasonably confident that both issues include the same version of the song.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Bob Crosby, Peggy Lee (v), Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires {Conlon, Mack McLean, Loulie "Lily" Jean Norman, Charles Parlato, Gloria Wood} (bkv)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued (part XII). First: front cover of Radio Album magazine, summer 1948 issue. Third: front cover of the New York Herald Tribune's TV And Radio Magazine, March 4-10, 1956 issue. Fourth and second: the publicity shot used by those magazine covers. Date unknown, but obviously no later than mid-1948.


Schedule

Neither of my two main Crosby sources, Malcolm Macfarlane and Lionel Pairpoint, have specifics to give about this show's taping or recording.


Personnel

1. Guests
"This is Ken Carpenter, welcoming you to Philco Radio Time, produced and transcribed in Hollywood, with John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra, Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires, and Bing's guests Peggy Lee, Kathy Crosby, and Bob Crosby. And now here's my friend, Kathy Crosby's uncle, Bob Crosby's brother, and Peggy Lee's music rag, Bing Crosby!"

2. Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires
This group is heard in "A Little Birdie Told Me" only.

3. Peggy Lee Solos And Duets
No solos are performed by Peggy Lee in this episode. "On A Small Boat To China" is a Lee-Crosby duet. "A Little Bird Told Me" is a trio, the third partner being guest Bob Crosby. Both of these numbers would be reprised in the next broadcast (December 8, 1948), the latter one as a duet (i.e., sans Bob Crosby).


Patter

1. Introduction To Peggy Lee And Preamble To "On A Slow Boat To China"
Bing: One of the brightest luminaries in song circles these days is a frequent visitor to Philco Radio Time. She chants for Chesterfield, and every so often writes a hit too, with Dave Barbour. It's always a pleasure to greet the beautiful blonde from North Dakota, Miss Peggy Lee.
[Audience applause.]
Peggy: Hello again, Bing!
Bing: Uh-ah; you can't say hello again: that's Jack Benny's opening line.
Peggy: Oh! Ha, I'm sorry. Well, could I say, helll-o everybody?
Bing: Can't ?say ?this line; you want to hear from Ted Collins, hmm?
Peggy: [Chuckles.] Looks like I'm trapped, Bing. Goodbyyyye.
Bing: That's [Jerry] Colonna!. So long, so long now. Where are you going anyhow?
Peggy: I'm taking A Slow Boat To China.
Bing: Well, wait till I flip into my mandarin coat and I'll join you.

2. Preamble To "A Little Bird Told Me"
Peggy: Alright, boys. Break it up, break it up.
Bing: Hi, Peggy. You know my brother, don't you?
Bob: Sure she does. Hi, Peg!
Peggy: Hey, Bob, you and Bing look quite a bit alike. Are you really blood brothers?
Bob: Why, sure we are, except his blood is richer than mine.
Bing: Peggy, you and Bob have something in common: you both have daughters.
Peggy: That's right, Bing. But my Nicki doesn't sing; she's too young.
Bing: What do you mean, too young? When I started singing I was only 11 months old.
Peggy: Eleven months?!
Bob: Sure! That's why he sings the way he does today. A whole spoonful of pablum got stuck down his throat.
Peggy: Ha, ha. Bob, sometimes you sound a lot like Bing, you know.
Bing: Spoon and all got stuck in his throat. Pablum too.
Peggy: Ha, ha. Well, as long as the three of us are standing here, Bing, why don't we try singing together, hmm?
Bing: I'm game as Truman. How about you, Bob?
Bob: I'm game as Doctor Gallup! If we make it sound good, Bing, we may get a 15-minute program of its own.
Bob: If we don't make it good, Philco may cut this one down to 15 -- or a fast 5 or something.
Peggy: Hey, you fellows heard the song about a little bird?
Bing: A Little Birdie Told Me?
Peggy: Yeah.
Bing: Evelyn Knight and The Stardusters does this. Got a smashing disc cut out for Decca. Who's gonna start it?
Peggy: Johnny Trotter. Let's take some and leave some.
Bing: Good enough. John, start the music.
Bob: That's a good idea for a radio program: 'start the music'.
Peggy: Ha, ha.


Issues

1. Educated Guesses
2. "On A Slow Boat To China"
Please note that, in the case of CDs that I do not own, I have had to make educated guesses as to which versions of certain songs they contain. From this broadcast, the duet "On A Slow Boat To China" offers particular difficulty. Peggy Lee and Bing Crosby sang it on this broadcast and then again, for a second time, on the next broadcast. Though very similar, there are definitive differences between the two versions -- most notably, Bing's addition of the word "honey" to only one of the two takes. Both versions have been released on various CDs. Unfortunately, I have listened to only a few of the issues that I have tentatively listed under this session's performances of "On A Slow Boat To China." I can vouch for the accuracy of the releases on GNP, Redmond Nostalgia, and Sunflower. All the other items that are listed under this performance should be considered educated guesses which could turn out to be wrong (i.e., they could contain the version from the next session, rather than this session's version).

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v), Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires {Conlon, Mack McLean, Loulie "Lily" Jean Norman, Charles Parlato, Gloria Wood} (bkv)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued (part XIII). First: front cover of Billboard magazine, July 13, 1940 issue. Second: front cover of Life magazine, October 7, 1946 issue.


Schedule

Neither of my two main Crosby sources, Malcolm Macfarlane and Lionel Pairpoint, have specifics to give about this show's rehearsal and taping.


Personnel

1. Guests
Ken Carpenter identifies the episode's guests as Bob Hope and "Miss Peggy Lee."

2. Peggy Lee Solos And Duets
"I Wanna Go Where You Go (Then I'll Be Happy)" is a Peggy Lee solo. It is also the first of her two performances of the number in Bing Crosby's radio shows. The second performance, from the February 23, 1949 episode, is actually a duet with Crosby.

The other two numbers listed above are duets by Crosby and Lee. Both duets are reprises: they had been performed in the previous broadcast. (In the case of "A LIttle Bird Told Me," the earlier broadcast was a trio, the third partner having been Bob Crosby.)


Issues

1. Educated Guesses
2. "On A Slow Boat To China"
Please note that, in the case of CDs that I do not own, I have had to make educated guesses as to which versions of certain songs they contain. From this episode, the duet "On A Slow Boat To China" presents some difficulty. Peggy Lee and Bing Crosby sang the number not only on this episode but also on the previous one. Though very similar, there are definitive differences between the versions -- most notably, Bing's addition of the word "honey" to only one of the two takes. Both versions have been released on various CDs. I can vouch for the accuracy of all the issues listed under this session's version "On A Slow Boat To China;" I have verified that none contains the version from the previous session. (Conversely, I cannot guarantee that all the issues listed under the earlier "On A Slow Boat To China" contain that version, instead of this one.)


Patter

1. Reliability of Transcripts
My only aural source for this particular broadcast is a very, very poor-sounding MP3 file. As a result, plenty of dialogue turned out to be inaudible to me -- and some words or phrases that I could have transcribed incorrectly, too.

2. Peggy Lee's Contributions To The Episode's Banter
During Bing Crosby's chat with Ken Carpenter, the host mentions that he has been supplementing his income moonlighting as a Santa Claus during the holidays.
Ken: Oh, look who's here, Bing.
Bing: Peggy Lee. Hiya, Peg.
Peggy: Hi, boys.
Bing: Hey, Peggy, you sure were busy Christmas shopping at the farmer's market yesterday.
Peggy: How do you know? Did you see me?
Bing: See you? I was Santa Claus. You sat on my lap.
Peggy; Oh, that's the lap I sat on.
Bing: Yes, and don't think I didn't appreciate it.
Peggy: Hmm - ha ha.
Bob: Look, Peggy, it's none of my business, but honestly you are a pretty big girl to oughtta be sitting on Santa Claus' lap.
Bing: She oughtta sit where she wants to.
Bing: Would you care to join The Rhythmaires and me in something softly and good?
Peggy: Sure would.
Crosby makes a few more comments before he and Lee finally launch into A Little Bird Told Me.

3. Introduction To "I Wanna Go Where You Go"
Bing: "Comes now Peggy Lee with a great old timer. ?Bounce ?it, Peg."

4. Preamble And Postscript To "On A Slow Boat To China"
Bing: Right now, about, you'll have to excuse me for a minute because Peggy Lee and I are gonna do a stylish duo, On A Slow Boat To China.
Bob Hope: What are am I gonna do while you are singing?
Bing: You can sit down and relax.
Bob: Do you ever do that?
Bob: No, how does it go?
Peggy: Hi, Bob, Bing.
After one more line from Peggy and another from Bing, the host and the female guest sing their duet. Once they are finished, Hope briefly jokes about their performance, saying that it was "sung by ?Pingboat Lee and Tugboat Crosby."

5. Closing Banter
Bing: Well, that about ?wraps it, My thanks to Bob Hope and Peggy Lee for joining our little group tonight.
Peggy: I enjoyed it very much, Bing.
Bing: I enjoyed you, Peggy. I hope you enjoyed yourself, too. I'm feeling so close to Christmas I'd like you, Peggy ___.
A bit later on, Crosby and Hope talk about their plans to go out together after midnight, and Peggy asks if she can go along with them. The men's responses include joking about how she's "got her own money" and "is loaded," now that she's "got her own show for Chesterfield."

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Phil Stevens (b), Joe Venuti (vn), Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires {Conlon, Mack McLean, Loulie "Lily" Jean Norman, Charles Parlato, Gloria Wood}, Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part XIV. In which Bing teaches us that reading with a pipe is fundamental (be it a radio script or a music score). So is having your own ready-to-wear plaid shirt collection, ably accessorized with hats of all straws and stripes.


Schedule

The episode's date of recording (Monday, December 13) is given by both of my main Crosby sources (chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, radio authority Lionel Pairpoint). No rehearsal date is given by either expert.


Personnel And Songs

1. Guests
Near the start of the program, Ken Carpenter announces that the guests will be Peggy Lee and The Mills Brothers. "Peggy Lee and The Mill...?!," exclaims Bing, "Holy smoke. Our show tonight oughtta be jumpier than a bullfrog on a pogo stick."

2. Perry Botkin, Sr. (guitar)
3. Phil Stevens (bass)
4. Joe Venuti (violin)
Bing Crosby credits the above-listed musicians as the trio that accompanies him in his solo rendition of "Tea For Two." That Crosby solo is the only performance for which the players are identified. Therefore, the trio's inclusion in this session's personnel should be deemed tentative: the bassist and the guitarist are just presumed (not confirmed) to have also played behind Peggy Lee during her numbers. However, I am excluding Joe Venuti because I have not been able to identify a violin among the instruments playing behind Lee's three performances.

5. Solos and Duets
"Cuánto Le Gusta" and "Maybe You'll Be There" are Crosby-Lee duets. As for her solo, this is the first of two Peggy Lee performances of "I Got Lucky In The Rain" in Bing Crosby's show. The second performance, from the January 26, 1949 episode is actually a duet with Crosby, unlike the one from this date.

6. Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires
For their duet performance of this song, Bing Crosby and Peggy Lee receive heavy backing from the 4-member group The Rhythmaires.

7. Ken Carpenter
Bing Crosby mentions that Ken Carpenter has just done his 2000th broadcast.


Patter

1. Peggy Lee's Contribution To The Dialogue
Bing: Say, Ken. Peggy Lee is here. You are early, Peg.
Peggy: Hi, Bing, Ken. Was Santa Claus nice to you, boys?
Ken: Oh, ho, I did great.
Bing: I scored lightly. Trixie got me a wonderful electric sleeping bag for pack trips.
Peggy: Electric sleeping bag, eh?
Bing: Yes.
Ken: Say, how can you plug an electric sleeping bag when you are way back in the woods?
Bing: No plug. A very clever cat comes with this bag. You stroke its back and it generates your own electricity. Wonderful thing.
Further patter along the same lines is exchanged among the thee individuals, until Carpenter finally asks the other two to sing, and Crosby lets us know that they will start with the 'musical Berlitz' "Cuánto Le Gusta."

2. Introduction To "I Got Lucky In The Rain"
Crosby explains: "Mike Todd has a new Broadway musical that is a big hit. I'm glad but I'm not surprised because with Bobby Clark in it and such songs as the one that Peggy Lee brings us now it's only understandable. Peggy! [The latter is an exhortation for Lee to start.]" After Peggy Lee finishes her rendition, and while the audience is still applauding, Bing adds, "ah, swell, Peggy, swell."

3. Introduction To "Maybe You'll Be There"
"Peggy and I are ready with a current hit," says Crosby. The duo then tackles "Maybe You'll Be There."

4. Closing Remarks
Peggy: Who's with you next week, Bing?
Bing: Next week, Peggy, Betty Grable, who looks like Philco's new table radio phonograph, will be here.
Peggy: Well, you've got a table or you're gonna hold her on your lap?
Bing: [seeming to ignore Peggy's question, and eliciting audience laughter] "Alllso Harry James will be here.
Peggy: Ooh. I seeee what you mean. [n.b. At this point in time, Gable was married to James.]
Bing: Good night, folks, and a Happy New Year from Philco and all of us. Thank you.


Issues

1. The American Red Cross' 1949 Fund Campaign Presents The Bing Crosby Show [Transcription Disc]
2. Red Cross Programs [CD]
Because I have not listened to either of the above-listed issues, I can only tentatively assume that they contain this broadcast's version of "I Got Lucky In The Rain." Alternatively, these items could contain the version sung on the January 26, 1949 broadcast, to be discussed below.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mercer (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part XV. Also continued: the Reading Smoker sub-series.


Schedule

Neither of my two main Crosby sources, Malcolm Macfarlane and Lionel Pairpoint, have specifics to give about this show's rehearsal and taping.


Personnel

1. Guests
Ken Carpenter announces this episode's guests as "Johnny Mercer, the songbird from Savannah, and Peggy Lee, the North Dakota nightingale." (Carpenter then proceeds to call Bing Crosby "the Spokane sparrow.")

2. Peggy Lee Solos
For her solo spot, Peggy Lee tackles "Trouble Is A Man." The other above-listed number is a trio, featuring Crosby, Lee, and Mercer.


Songs And Songwriters

1. "On A Small Mule To Memphis And Macon"
A parody of the novelty hit "On A Slow Boat To China," this song is not identified by title during the broadcast, and there are no other known known versions of it. The title "On A Small Mule To Memphis And Macon" is actually my own invention -- an educated guest of mine. As will be seen below, this song is part of the episode's comic sketch; a bit of interspersed dialogue has been factored into the timing indicated above.

2. Johnny Mercer
My crediting of guest Johnny Mercer for the parodic lyric "On A Small Mule To Memphis And Macon" should be deemed tentative. It is based on indirect, collateral evidence. (Collateral: the episode also includes a new set of lyrics for "Small Fry." Before Crosby and Mercer sing those lyrics, the host's commentary suggests that his guest wrote them.)


Patter

1. Introduction Of Peggy Lee And Preamble To "Trouble Is A Man"
Bing: The first of our charming guests is certainly no stranger to frequent followers of Phlico's fest roster. By now, she is more a member of our family than just a casual dropper-inner. This of course can only mean the duteous Chesterfield chantoose Miss Peggy Lee.
Peggy: Hi Bing. [audience applause]
Bing: Good evening, Peggy, and how are things going over on the Chesterfield show?
Peggy: Oh, just fine, Bing. Cigarettes, anyone?
[Audience laughter.]
Bing: Take a pack of Philcos! What's your big number tonight, Peg?
Peggy: Well, I thought I might go a little torchy tonight, Bing, and sing Trouble Is A Man.
Bing: In that case, I shall light your torch and sob softly in the corner while you sing.
Peggy: Well, if you are gonna sob, please sob on key, eh?
Bing: It should be strictly contrapuntal sobbing tonight. John Scott, Miss Lee awaits your downbeat.
After Peggy finishes singing and as the audience applauds, Bing adds: "Oh, that was sheer enchantment, Peggy. Now dry your eyes and report back later, hmm?"

2. Sketch: A Mountain Life Love Story
The episode's sketch is a "steering drama" of mountain life that takes place in the hill country of Georgia.
Johnny: I'm Johnny Mercer, a simple mountain boy.
Peggy: I'm Peggy Lee, a simple mountain girl.
John Scott Trotter: I'm Old Pappy Trotter, a simple mountain.
Bing: I'm Bing Crosby; I'm simple.
After a bit more of that type of presentational banter, the action starts.
John [Peggy's grandfather]: Peggy, what's the idea of hanging our cow on the clothes line?
Peggy: Welll, that ain't the cow. That's young doctor Malone's rubber gloves! I wonder where my boyfriends are.
[Knocks are heard on the door.]
Peggy: Come in.
Bing: I'm in.
[A clanging sound is heard.]
John: Bing, what are you wearing on your feet?
Bing: Horse shoes.
Peggy: Horse shoes?!
Bing: Yeah, I took a mule down the blacksmith's shop and they were having an one cent sale and I paid an extra penny and I got 4 more shoes.
Peggy: Well, you are only wearing two. Where's the other two?
Bing: You oughtta ?handle 'em when I sit down!
John: Well, what are we waiting for. Why don't we eat?
Peggy: We oughtta wait for Johnny Mercer.
John: He can't eat. He ain't got no teeth.
Peggy: He has now. I whittled him myself.
John: You oughtta see him. He has the prettiest n_____ smile you ever saw.
[Knocks are heard again.]
Johnny: Hi, Peggy. Can I have a kiss?
Peggy: Okay, baby, dokey.
[Sound of a kiss.]
Johnny: "Wow, what a kiss. Look at the teeth you whittled. Charcoal.
The sketch continues with a bit more banter among Crosby, Mercer, Trotter, and Lee. Then there's the introduction of Ken Carpenter, yet another suitor. Peggy eventually goes on to lament that she doesn't know who to marry, peppering her lament with a string of southern interjections. Bing's plea on his own behalf involves the singing of the parodic song "On A Small Mule To Memphis." Peggy joins him half way through. A second plea-in-song comes from Johnny, who sings "On A Small Mule To Macon;" once again, Peggy joins halfway through. The three main characters end up singing one final chorus of the song, as they take a ride together on the same mule to Memphis. This ending basically leaves the matter of choosing a suitor unsolved, thereby opening up the narrative to the implication that poligamy might be in Peggy's future. (Bing comments that she can marry them both.)

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), A. J. Cicerone, George Hall, Alex Massey, John "Jack" Mayhew, Paul Rosen, George Smith (r), Robert "Bobby" Guy, Earl Penny (t), Lou McGarity, Willard Spencer (tb), Loring "Red" Nichols (c), Ted Bergren, Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), James Moore, Israel "Izzy" Rosenbaum (sb), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p), Nick Fatool (d), Walter Borella, Frank Houser, Joseph Maita, Mischa Novy, Mayer Oberman, C. Russo (vn), Melvin Bandel (vc), Abe Burrows, Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part XVI. A shocked Bing bears witness to the adage to you can't believe everything you read -- not even in your own autobiography! Next up is our turn to be shocked: Monsieur Crosby reads the 1939 edition of Charles Henderson How To Sing For Money. You too, Bing, in need or a lesson or two?


Schedule

The episode's date of recording (Monday, January 3, 1949) is given by both of my main Crosby sources (chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, radio authority Lionel Pairpoint). No rehearsal date is given by either expert.


Personnel And Sources

1. Guests
Announcer Ken Carpenter identifies the episode's guests as "Peggy Lee, who sings for Chesterfield, and Abe Burrows, who sings for laughs." (He then adds, "and now, here is Bing Crosby, who sings for the fun of it.")

2. Musicians
3. Ted Bergren
My source for the above-listed personnel is The Red Nichols Story: After Intermission, 1942-1965, written by Philip R. Evans, Stanley Hester, Stephen Hester, and Linda Evans. Under this January 26, 1949 session, the authors note that "neither the contract nor the payroll sheets for this period were located, but the personnel is believed to be" the group of musicians in question.

Notice also that the authors list two guitarists for this broadcast, one of them being the show's regular (Perry Botkin, Sr.) and the other one being Ted Bergren. Under another broadcast (September 21, 1949), Bergren is listed by the authors as the session's librarian or copyist. (Botkin, Sr. is also known to have served a double function on the show. He was not only its guitarist but also its hiring contractor.)

4. Solos and Duets
This is the second of Peggy Lee's two performances of "I Got Lucky In The Rain" in Bing Crosby programming. The first rendition, from the December 29, 1948 broadcast, is actually a solo. In this episode's reprise, she duets with Crosby. "So Dear To My Heart" serves as Peggy Lee's solo for the episode.

"When You’re In Love With The Lover You Love" and "California" are part of a musical sketch that parodies both operettas and westerns. "When You’re In Love With The Lover You Love" is another duet with Crosby, "California" a trio with Abe Burrows. For more details, see the Patter transcribed below.


Patter

1. Introduction Of Peggy Lee And Preamble To "So Dear To My Heart"
Bing: Here once again this evening your guest is your dear friend and ours pretty Peggy Lee. What are you going to chant for us tonight, Peggy?
Peggy: So Dear To My Heart, Bing.
Bing: Heh, you are going to make Mister Disney very happy -- and me, too.

2. Peggy Lee's Banter With Bing Crosby
Bing: Oh, Peg, that was real, real good.
Peggy: Heh, heh, thank you, Bing. Hey, by the way, I have a message for you.
Bing: A message for me?
Peggy: Yeah, I was parked in Mullholland Drive last night ...
[This mention of Mullholland Drive refers back to comments made by Crosby in his earlier patter with Ken Carpenter.]
Bing: Yeah?
Peggy: Yeah, and an owl stuck his head in the car and said, whatever happened to Crosby? [Audience laughter]
Bing: Yeah, whatever happened to him. It's probably one of your lovebirds.
Peggy: Ha ha! Nnoo!
[This sounds like a genuine rather than a scripted reaction; Peggy sounds both tickled and scandalized at the implications -- i.e., the charge that she is among those who habitually park at a well-known lovers' lane in order to carry 'lovebird' affairs.]
Bing: Peggy, I think we better scurry into a tune before too much of my reckless, peckless p____ comes to light here.
Peggy [still sounding genuinely amused]: Ha, ha. Okay, let's do Jimmy McHugh and Harold Adamson's new tune I Got Lucky In The Rain.
Bing: Oh, we could stand a little rain, I guess. John Scott, reach up with your baton and puncture the clouds.

3. The Purple Phantom Sketch
According to guest Abe Burrows, his operetta "takes place in Old California about 78 years ago," and its hero is a Robin Hood-like bandit named the Purple Phantom. Peggy Lee plays Jennifer, the British niece of an earl, with whom she is traveling on a stagecoach. After shooting the coach's driver and hitting the earl, the Phantom kidnaps Jennifer, taking her to the mountains. They fall in love, of course, and their affection is proclaimed through the parodic song "When You’re In Love With The Lover You Love." Serving as the sketch's big finale is a song called "California," described by Burrows as an Oklahoma-type number. The whole sketch greatly amuses the in-studio audience, as well as the participants. (During the singing of the fast-paced "California," Peggy Lee is heard losing her place at one point, in part because of the fun that she is having.)

4. Closing
Bing: I'd like to offer a firm hand and a hearty thank you to Peggy Lee and Abe Burrows for contributing to this evening's concerto.
Peggy: Ha, ha, ha! What happens next week, Bing?
Bing: Well, actually, Peggy, we are being beamed from San Francisco.
Peggy: Uuff.
Abe: Who's gonna be with you, Bing, and should I bring my 'piana?'
Bing: Well, if you do -- if you do, it will be shambles because the mighty Jimmy Durante will be onstage and you knows what he does to a 'pianer.'
Peggy: Well, can you handle Durante alone?
Bing: Not up to it -- not up to it, I'll get our dear girl Gertrude Niesen to assist me.
Peggy: Ha, ha.
Abe: Niesen and Durante? It should be a smash!
Bing: We are going all out.
Peggy: I'll be riveted to my Philco, Bing.
Abe: I'll try to dig it, too, son.
Bing: Thank you. So long, Peggy. So long, Abe. Good night, folks, and thank you very much.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Unknown (g), Milton De Lugg (p), Abe Burrows, Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v), Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires {Conlon, Mack McLean, Loulie "Lily" Jean Norman, Charles Parlato, Gloria Wood} (bkv)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part XVII. First volume of the definitive, most authoritative of all Bing Crosby biographies. First published in 2001.


Schedule

The episode's date of recording (Monday, February 7) is given by both of my main Crosby sources (chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, radio authority Lionel Pairpoint). No rehearsal date is given by either expert. Macfarlane adds the time for the recording activities (3:15–4:27 p.m., 6:40–7:15 p.m.).


Personnel And Songs

1. Guests
Ken Carpenter introduces the show's guests as "Peggy Lee, a pretty girl," and Abe Burrows, "a funny man." (While introducing the show's host, he adds, "oh, and here's Bing Crosby, a carefree boy.")

2. Solos And Duets
Peggy Lee did not sing any solos in this show. "I Wanna Go Where You Go" and "So In Love" are duets with Crosby.

This is the second of two Peggy Lee performances of "I Wanna Go Where You Go (Then I'll Be Happy)" in Bing Crosby radio programming. The first performance, from the December 15, 1948 episode, is actually a Lee solo.

"So In Love" is the first of also two performances. Crosby and Lee's second take on "So in Love" was heard again during Lee's next appearance in the show, on the March 9, 1949 broadcast.

The other above-listed pieces are part of the episode's parodic sketch, described in some detail below. The Crosby-Lee duet "It Means That We Are" is actually a very short piece -- one chorus or so. "Happy, Happy Days" features the singing of all three sketch participants: Burrows, Crosby, and Lee. So does "The Philco Dittendorten National Anthem."

3. "The Philco Dittendorten National Anthem"
This is a promotional commercial on behalf of Philco products, adapted this time to form part of the episode's sketch. I should clarify that the title "The Philco Dittendorten National Anthem" is entirely my invention (though based on my listening of the lyrics, of course). The data at hand gives it no title other than a generic "Philco Commercial."


Songwriters

1. Abe Burrows
A celebrated parodist, guest star Abe Burrows is presumed to have written all the songs that are part of the episode's main sketch. The show's patter certainly suggests that he did so. However, since no official corroboration for the claim is known to me, all songwriting credits to Burrows should be deemed tentative. (The possibility that he might have co-written this material could also be entertained.)


Personnel And Music

1. Milton Delugg
Toward the end of this episode, Bing Crosby thanks his guests (a customary practice on his part. Right after he mentions Abe Burrows' name, Crosby also thanks accordionist and pianist Milton Delugg, whose presence had not been acknowledged at the start of the show. DeLugg was Burrows' regular accompanist at the time, and probably supplied the piano playing in all the Burrows-written sketches and musical numbers. (During the 1947-1948 radio season, The Abe Burrows Show had aired with DeLugg as Burrows' accompanist.)

2. "So In Love"
The initial vocal choruses of "So In Love" are accompanied by guitar only. Strings join in during the ensuing choruses, in which the guitar is still prominently featured.


Patter And Sketches

1. Introduction Of Peggy Lee And Preamble To "I Wanna Go Where You Go"
Bing: ... I have a very charming accomplice this evening.
Ken: Oh, you mean Peggy Lee.
Bing: The Chesterfield girl herself. Take a bow, Peggy.
[Audience applause.]
Peggy: Hi, fellows.
Bing: ?That's quite ?an ?ensemble tonight.
Peggy: Oh, thank you.
Bing: Peggy, how about it; are you ready?
Peggy: I'm all set, Bing.
Bing: The Rhythmaires are gliding alongside in their canoe, bringing along beads, hard cocoanuts, bits of coral, and a very stylish arrangement of I Wanna Go Where You Go.
Peggy: Ah, the natives look so charming in this quaint little aisle of Philco.
Bing: Yes. Let's go. Shall we? _______ segueway right into aloha on the steel guitar. John, let's do it.

2. Preamble To "So In Love"
Bing: Miss Lee, would you join in presenting for the first time in this radio program a song entitled So In Love?
Peggy: Oh, I'd love to.
Bing: You got yourself a boy, Peg.
Peggy: And you got yourself a girl.
Bing (wistfully): At last.
[Audience laughter.]

3. The Duke Of Dittendorten Sketch
This parodic sketch is described by Abe Burrows as a "romantic kingdom operetta." Peggy Lee plays the role of Schnapsie, a German barmaid "dressed in a gown [with] a plunging neckline [and an] apron-plunging helm, carrying a gold plunger." Lee's intentionally wacky German accent elicits hearty laughs from the audience, and ditto for her delivery of a joke about the bar's beer. Of course, by the end of the sketch, her character has evolved from a commoner to the duchess of Dottendittern, the nearby kingdom. Dottendittern merges with Dittendorten when that kingdom's Duke (played by Crosby) picks Lee during his search for a wife. (Incidentally, a wife is defined in the script as "one of those soft round things").

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Photos

The Smokin' Hot Piper Series, continued. Part XVIII. Second volume from Gary Giddins' trilogy of biographical crosbyana. Also, a magnified version of the photo that adorns this volume's front cover.


Schedule

Neither of my two main Crosby sources, Malcolm Macfarlane and Lionel Pairpoint, have specifics to give about this show's rehearsal and taping.


Songs

1. Repertoire
This episode concentrates on songs from the then-upcoming movie A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court, starring Bing Crosby.


Personnel

1. Guests
Contrary to customary procedure, the guests of this episode are not announced at the start of the show. (On this matter, see also the Patter below, point #1.) The first guest to eventually make an appearance is Peggy Lee. The second guest is Phil Harris, who comes accompanied by his sidekick Elliott Lewis (aka Frank Remley, supposedly Harris' guitar player). Lewis is also identified as a guest, and thanked at the end of the show, along with Harris and Lee.

2. Perry Botkin, Sr.
The accompaniment for "So In Love" consists almost exclusively of guitar, presumably from Botkin. As part of the banter with Phil Harris and his make-believe guitarist Elliott Lewis (banter about the possibility of hiring the latter for Philco Radio Time), Bing Crosby says that he can't fire guitarist Perry Botkin because Botkin has been with him for over 10 years and knows his "every nuance."

3. Duets And Solos
"When Is Sometime?" serves as Peggy Lee's solo for this episode. "So In Love" and "Once and For Always" are Lee-Crosby duets. This was Crosby and Lee's second take on "So in Love"; the first had been heard during Lee's previous appearance in the show, broadcast on February 23, 1949.


Patter

1. Dialogue About The Supposed Absence Of Guests For The Episode
Ken Carpenter and Bing Crosby start their banter by saying that they are in trouble, because their scheduled guests Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, and Joe Venuti won't be in the show until the following week, after all.
Ken: But Bing, this is serious. What are we gonna do?
Bing; Well, somebody is bound to drop in and help us tonight, Ken. Our agents ?throughout are scouring the town at this very moment, armed with guns, nets and money. Meanwhile, while they are at it, John Scott Trotter and The Rhythmaires are ready.
Crosby then announces his first solo. After Crosby finishes singing, Ken Carpenter returns to topic:
Ken: But Bing, I'm still worried about not having any guests.
Bing: What do you mean, no guests? Look yonder there. Isn't that Peggy Lee?
Ken: Well, it certainly is!
Bing: And I bet this is only the beginning. Hi ya, Peg. What brings you here?
Peggy: Well, I was standing in the lobby of the St. Francis and a fellow stuck a gun on my rib and threw a melee with me and handed me a five dollar bill and here I am.
[Audience applause.]
Bing: Well! And I'm glad to see you, as well as I might be. You see, Ken, you see what I told you? I knew our boys would snag some people. You can take the net off now, Peg.
Peggy: Ha, ha!
Bing: Say, Peggy, a few weeks ago we did a duet on that fine Cole Porter tune So In Love. You want to do it again now while you here and ...?
Peggy: Yeah, I've got my five bucks --that is for something.
Bing: You got it.

2. Sketch
Phil Harris is trying to find guitarist Frank Remley a job with Bing Crosby, but Frankie is too captivated by Peggy to go meet Bing.
Phil: Hey, Frankie!
Frank: Hi, ya, honey. What's your name?
Peggy: Peggy Lee.
Phil: Look Frankie, this is Bing over here -- the one on the smock. You got the wrong blonde.
Frank: What are you doing here, honey?
Peggy: Well, I work here.
Phil: Frankie, will you break it up? I'm trying to get you some work.
Frank: I don't need work. My girl's got a job!
Phil: Listen, Frankie, you just don't go out and grab some blonde because she happens to have a good job.
Bing (in an aside): Look who's talking. [n.b.: Harris was married to Hollywood star Alice Faye.]


Issues

1. Special Opportunity Drive Guest Star [Transcription Disc]
2. Treasury Of Stars [Transcription Disc]
These two items are not available to me, and information about them is scant. However, I have seen photos online. As shown above, Lee is heard in only one of the songs featured in these transcription discs: "So In Love," performed as a duet with Bing Crosby.

The fact that I have not actually listened to these items pose significant challenges in my ability to pinpoint their particulars. Hence I am only tentatively identifying this session's version of "So In Love" is the one heard on these transcription discs. "So In Love" was sung by Crosby and Lee not only on the present episode of Philco Radio Time but also on the episode dated February 23, 1949, which has already been itemized above. The version from the earlier date remains a viable alternative.

See also separate discussion of each disc, below.

3. Special Opportunity Drive Guest Star [Transcription Disc]
This disc's label bears the inscription "do not play before May 29, 1949." The material featuring Crosby and Lee can be found on side #1 of the disc; the other side features Jo Stafford and The Starlighters with Paul Weston. As with all other Guest Star transcription discs, the Treasury Department's U.S. Saving Bonds Division produced the first of these discs.

Please note that the contents of this particular episode of Guest Star is atypical. Most of the other episodes of late 1940s-early 1950s episodes Guest Star which feature Peggy Lee contain new, fresh performances from her. (Details about them can be found in this discography's this page for military- and government-produced shows.)

I believe that late 1940s-early 1950s Guest Star episodes which bore a special name, such as this one (i.e. Special Opportunity Drive) are exceptions to the pattern described in the previous paragraph: they do not feature fresh performances, but cull instead material performed on other shows.

4. Treasury Of Stars, 25th Anniversary [LP]
The front cover of this 2LP set describes its contents as "music through the years for the United States Savings Bonds." It features a spoken intro by Merv Griffin. (As is also the case for the item discussed in the preceding paragraphs, this LP is not available to me, and I have not been able to listen to its contents.)

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Louis Armstrong (t), Jack Teagarden (tb), Loring "Red" Nichols (c), Perry Botkin, Jr. (g), James Moore (b), Edwin "Buddy" Cole (p), Nick Fatool (d), Joe Venuti (vn), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)

Schedule

The episode's date of recording (Monday, February 21) is given by both of my main Crosby sources (chronicler Malcolm Macfarlane, radio authority Lionel Pairpoint). No rehearsal date is given by either expert.


Photos

Above: Jack Teagarden, Peggy Lee, and Louis Armstrong. Though undated and uncaptioned, the photo is most likely to stem from this February 21, 1949 broadcast, or otherwise from its rehearsal. The additional presence of an ABC microphone strengthens the likelihood of a direct relation to ABC's Philco Radio Time. I should also mention that Armstrong, Lee, and Teagarden joined forces once more on January 18, 1950, for a taping of Crosby's CBS Chesterfield show.

Also worth pointing out is the fact that this photo is at odds with the contents of its broadcast: we do not hear Peggy Lee sing solo, as she seems to be doing here. There are several scenarios which could account for the discrepancy. Taped performances might have sometimes failed to make it into the broadcasts, due to timing constraints and abundance of material. Or all three artists could have been asked to just pose for a publicity photo -- i.e., to pretend to perform, for the benefit of camera lens. Naturally, we should not discard the additional possibility that the trio was not captured at a taping of Crosby's show, after all, but on a performance for a live event.

Yet another plausible scenario lingering on my mind involves a bit of trickery. On the later, 1950 CBS broadcast, Lee is accompanied by Armstrong and Teagarden on her solo performance of "I'm Coming, Virginia." It occurs to me that the 1950 CBS episode might have actually consisted of remaining material from this earlier, Philco-era taping, and that the photo above may have captured their performance of "I'm Coming Virginia." (The CBS episode was supposedly taped on January 18, 1950, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that only some portions of it date from that day, the others having been culled from the February 21, 1949 date. See my notes under the later episode, broadcast on January 25, 1950.)

Further down below: according to the Louis Armstrong House Museum, Satchmo was the very first jazz musician to ever grace the cover of Time magazine. The issue was published on the very day of this taping. That convergence of events accounts for the fact that Louis' own copy was autographed by the show's producer, Bill Morrow, along with Bing, Jack, Ken, Peggy and three of the show's regular musicians -- Perry Botkin, John Scott Trotter, and Joe Venuti. Peggy Lee's dedication to Louis Armstrong reads "to the greatest, the greatest" -- the emphatic repetition of the phrase suggesting her lifelong-lasting love, friendship and admiration for the legendary jazz man. Their rapport can be glimpsed at the accompanying photo below, taken a few years later (1954), backstage at an outdoors TV taping. Incidentally, it is rather regretful to see how, on its Twitter account, the Armstrong museum sees fit to list Peggy Lee last among all the names of the artists who autographed the magazine copy -- in an order that suggest an elitist perspective by which she ranks as the least worthwhile in the bunch. Receiving even worse ranking than Peggy Lee is Bill Morrow: the museum's Twitter writer leaves him unmentioned, despite the prominent placement of his message (located near the left top corner, before the magazine's title).


Personnel (And Photo)

1. Guests
Ken Carpenter announces the episode's guests as "Peggy Lee, Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, and Joe Venuti."

2. Solos And Duets
"You Was" is a Peggy Lee- Bing Crosby duet. In this broadcast, Lee is not heard singing any solos.

3. Instrumentalists
The claim that the episode's male guests perform during the Lee-Crosby duet should be deemed very tentative. Since the singers are backed by ensemble playing, Armstrong and Teagarden would have had to join the group, without performing any solos throughout. In a comment quoted below (under Patter), Crosby refers to "the boys" which will be "blowing and playing and stroking and swinging" during the performance, but does not identify them by name.





Patter

1. Introduction Of Peggy Lee
Bing: But now, Ken, Miss Peggy Lee approaches.
Ken: Ah, that's what I call a slick chick.
Bing: Ken, you are here in San Francisco to do a radio show. You are not here on a convention.
Ken: And the reason why I can't live a little?
Bing: Please, please. When a pretty girl walks up to the microphone, act like a gentleman. Like this. Good evening, Miss Lee.
Peggy: Miss Lee??
Bing: Yes.
Peggy: Oh, now, Bing, just because I couldn't have lunch with you, you don't have to give me the ice.
Bing: It's not that, Peggy. It's just that I think that we should be more formal on the program. That's why I'm wearing a dinner jacket.
Peggy: Ha, ha, ha. Oh, that's not a dinner jacket.
Bing: I'm gonna eat dinner in it. [Audience laughter.] Now, Peg, how about us doing the big duet we had scheduled for an opening?
Peggy: I am ready.
Bing: Then ?right away. Scott, if you have You Was there, on the racks, please drop a downbeat, huh, and get those boys going blowing and playing and stroking and swinging.

2. Postscript to "You Was"
Presumably featuring stellar accompaniment from both the regular ensemble and the guests (Armstrong, Teagarden), Bing and Peggy's duet rendition of "You Was" elicits very appreciative applause from the audience.
Bing: That's the nicest thing that ever came out of North Dakota, I'll tell you that.
Ken: Wonderful Fargo, North Dakota. Very nice, Peggy and Bing. You was terrific.
Bing: Was we?
Ken: Oh, yeah, you certainly was.
[Carpenter and Crosby move on to their pitch for Philco.]

3. Closing Remarks
Bing: Well, that about brings this bash bubbling to the brim. I'd like to tilt my s__ to Miss Peggy Lee for buzzing up for Tinselville. Isn't that nice, Tinselville? ...
Peggy: Heh, that's very nice.
Bing: ... to be with us tonight?
Peggy: Well, it was a ?craft-full ?teach for me, Bing. I really enjoyed hearing the mellow members of the society of hot.
Bing: Yes, le jazz hot. How about that. Those lads really laid a limp lag on the line, don't they?
Peggy: Ha, ha.
Louis Armstrong: We are just warming up, Mist'r Bing. You oughtta be here about 4 in the morning.
Bing: Oh, no, noo. That's way past my bedtime, Louie.
Jack Teagarden: What's the matter, Bing? Have you a square jaw?
Bing: No, they just softened me up. I gotta get home early and hit the hay or I'm just a mess in the morning."
Crosby then thanks Teagarden and Armstrong, and wishes them a good time while they play at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. Joe Venuti is called on next, and his current gig is plugged as well. So is Crosby's own appearance at the Paramount.
Peggy: Who's gonna be with you next week, Bing?
Bing: Next week, Peggy, Broadway's favorite daughter, marvelous Ethel Merman, joins us in California.
Peggy: That I have to hear.
Bing: Oh, don't miss it. She really comes on.

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v), Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires {Conlon, Mack McLean, Loulie "Lily" Jean Norman, Charles Parlato, Gloria Wood}, The Gonzaga University Glee Club (bkv)

Photo

In acknowledgment of this episode's concerns with all things Easter, here are two 1948 shots of Peggy Lee, presumably taken around Easter time. Visible in the background of the first shot is Lee's daughter, Nicki.


Schedule

Neither of my two main Crosby sources, Malcolm Macfarlane and Lionel Pairpoint, have specifics to give about this show's rehearsal and taping.


Personnel

1. Guests
The episode's guests are Peggy Lee and the Gonzaga University Glee Club (Spokane, Washington). Enthusiastically loud applause is heard after most of the songs, most likely coming from a young college audience and/or from the club's members.

2. Solos And Duets
Both of the above-listed performances from this episode are Lee-Crosby duets. "Easter Parade" is a reprise; the pair's first performance of this song had been heard in the March 24, 1948 broadcast.


Patter

1. Banter And Preamble To "Easter Parade"
Peggy: Hi, fellows.
Bing: Well, looks who's here, Peggy Lee!
[Audience applause.]
Bing: Peg, you are really coming on tonight. You really decked up. You are giving us a preview of your new Easter gown?
Peggy: Well, no Bing, but this dress is the very latest thing. It was flown over from Paris.
Bing: Flown over, huh? Is the rest of it coming by boat?
Peggy: No, Bing, that's all there is. There isn't any more.
Bing: Oh, poor dear, you must be cold. Ken, wrap your coat around Peg's shoulders.
Ken: Well, I'd be glad to.
Bing: Well, take it off first!
Ken: Where's your coat, Bing?
Bing: On the parking lot.
Ken: On the car?
Bing: No, just in a parking space. I didn't bring my car today.
Peggy: Well, did you walk down, Bing?
Bing: No, I hopped. Ken says I'm a rabbit. I'll start a trend. Now, delightful as this dialogue might seem to us, I think that Peggy and I should hop into a song, and perhaps The Ryhthmaires will care to hop along with us.
Peggy: If Cassidy's here, he can hop along, too.
Bing: Oh, come now, Peggy, this isn't television. In honor of the Easter bunny, Mister Trotter conducts the orchestra this evening with a bright orange carrot. Our selection is Irving Berlin's Easter Parade.

2. Preamble to "Down The Old Ox Road"
Peggy: Gee, that was really fine, boys and Bing.
Bing: Call me a boy tonight, too, will you, Peggy?
Peggy: Call you a boy?
Bing: Yeah.
Peggy: Well, you have four already. You want another one?
Bing: I'll pass, thanks. As Groucho Marx used to say, if I want a boy, I'll call Western Union. Really, Peg, tonight I'm in a very collegiate mood. With practically no persuasion, I think I can sing Down The Old Road.
Peggy: And with even less persuasion, I'll join you.
Bing: Capital! This tune really goes back. Way, way back before bees had propellers on. Scott Trott! John Scott, let's head down the old road. Has some local connotation which eludes me. [Sparse laughter.]

3. Sketch: Bing's College Days
Bing: Singing that song really remind me of my old college days.
Peggy: What about your college nights?
Bing: Oh, those too. Especially.
Peggy: Ha, ha.
Bing: Oh, I remember the yearning I had for a college education. But things were rough. I never thought I'd be able to go to college. They were tough, bitter years, and I struggled and fought and worked as hard as I could to make it. Finally, after 8 years, I got out of high school. That summer, my father took me aside and talked to me man to man.

The dialogue then moves on to Bing's reminiscences about his luck with girls. This segment of the dialogue devolves into a succession of vignettes. In the first vignette, Peggy plays a young woman who lives in Spokane with her family.
Peggy: Oh, look father, there come some college boys down the street.
Father: College boys?! Don't let them get inside the house!
Peggy: But father. These are Gonzaga men.
Father: Then take your mother with you.
Peggy: Oh look father. Bing Crosby is with them.
Father: Take your grandma inside!
Bing: Evening, evening, Miss Peggy. Come out from under the Porsche now. I want you to see me in my raccoon coat.
Peggy: Oooh, it's beautiful. But isn't it a little big on you?
Bing: Yeah, a little. It used to belong to my brother Everett.
Peggy: Oh, how is Everett?
Bing: He's done right well. He's wearing a mink coat now.
Peggy: Mink?!
Bing: Yes!
Peggy: "Jeepers creepers! How did he make enough money to buy a mink?
Bing: He sold me this raccoon coat.

The sketch moves on next (sans Peggy Lee) to young Bing Crosby's experiences in sports and scholastics. Afterwards, Crosby comes back to the topic of girls.
Bing: Ah, yes. Yes. Those were the golden days. And the nights weren't bad either. In the springtime, when the air was balmy and the moon was full, many's the night I spent with a charming young lady canoeing on the lake.
Peggy: Gee, Bing, they had canoes in those days?
Bing: In those days, Peg, we got our canoes direct from the Indians.
Bing is then heard talking with an Indian canoe dealer, from whom he obtains a canoe in exchange for his raccoon coat.
Bing: Later that night, you could've found me in my canoe strumming the ukulele to a beautiful girl sitting under the moon in Spirit Lake.
Local man: Say, Bucky.
Bing" What is it?
Local man: Say, why is it that all you young fellows call this here Spirit Lake?
Bing: Well, I'll show you, old timer. Say, honey, how's it about a kiss?
Peggy: Sure, big boy.
[The sound of a kiss is heard.]
Bing: That's the spirit.

Bing: After 4 years that passed all too quickly, graduation day arrived.
Peggy: Were you there?
Bing: I certainly was. I must admit, of all the graduates on the stage, I was the outstanding one, dressed in cap and gown.
Peggy: Well, didn't the other boys wear caps and gowns?
Bing: Yes, but I wore a bathing cap and a nightgown. You see, I was a night guard at Hayden Lake and I came right from work.

The sketch ends with Bing's graduation day, in which the dean does not give him his diploma because it isn't ready. (The reason for the delay: the dean tells him that the school didn't think he would ever graduate.)

John Scott Trotter And His Orchestra (acc), Abe Burrows, Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee (v)