[78-L] Public Melody Number One

[simmonssomer]

Black or white..her performance was awkward, bizarre and vulgar. I don't 
know what the hell she thought she was doing but her conception of dancing 
(i.e. awkward ,ugly posturing) belonged in a realization of Dante's Inferno. 
As always. it was a privilege to catch even  a snippet of Louis Armstrong.
Wotta world it was.

Al S.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bertrand CHAUMELLE" <chaumelle at orange.fr>
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 2:40 PM
Subject: Re: [78-L] Public Melody Number One


Well I've read that for a long time after "Artists and Models", people
thought that Martha Raye was black !

Minnelli said: "as filmed (by Walsh) I found the involved production
number a full scale mess, missing all the nuances we'd supplied".

BC
Le 7 mai 09, à 00:55, Ken "Silver Showcase" a écrit :

>
> soundthink at aol.com wrote:
>> http://www.tcm.com/video/videoPlayer/?cid=224002&titleId=67674
>>
>> Anyone know why this clip with Louis Armstrong and Martha Raye was
>> censored when it came out in 1937? I like it a lot. Vincente Minnelli
>> apparently conceived it. The only thing I heard on first viewing that
>> would be considered objectionable then was a reference in the
>> lyrics?to "all the tea in Harlem."
>>
>> Cary Ginell
>
> I can't seem to put my finger on the information at the moment, but
> I've
> read that there was a "scandal" surrounding the joint appearance of
> Louis Armstrong and Martha Raye.  I think they had also appeared
> together on stage.  It seems unbelievable today, but in the 30s there
> were strong objections to their joint appearances because, well, he was
> a black male performing with a white female.  As I recall the story, it
> was Louis who got blacklisted for a time because of this.  (The black
> guy got punished.  The white gal was apparently off the hook.)  Satchmo
> was supposed to appear in "Dr. Rhythm," in 1938, a Bing Crosby/Bea
> Lillie musical.  His name is in the credits, on the publicity materials
> and he's even listed in the credits of the NY Times review but he there
> is absolutely no sign of his appearance in the final release.  As best
> as I could determine he was removed from this film at the last minute
> because of the Satchmo/Raye "scandal."  A few years ago I tried to
> learn
> if his sequence for "Dr. Rhythm" survives or if it was even filmed but
> I
> came up empty.  If anyone knowns any more about this I'd love to hear
> about it.
>
> -- Ken
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