#freddie redd launch

[papermoonloveslucy]

THE MARTIN & LEWIS SHOW

April 3, 1949

“The Martin and Lewis Show” was a radio comedy-variety program in the United States. It was broadcast on NBC beginning April 3, 1949, and ending July 14, 1953. It starred the comedy team of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. Martin was the singer of the pair, and Lewis was the comedian.  it was named Favorite Radio Comedy Show in Radio-TV Mirror magazine's 1952 poll.

The series was produced by Bob Adams, and directed by Robert L. Redd and Dick Mack. Written by Ed Simmons and Norman Lear, although they were not hired until late 1950.  

This is the pilot episode, and was not numbered. It was originally 37 minutes, but was later edited to 30 minutes for broadcast. 

Regulars on the program included Ben Alexander, Sheldon Leonard, Florence MacMichael, The Skylarks, and Mary Hatcher.  Announcers were Jimmy Wallington and Johnny Jacobs. Dick Stabile was both the bandleader and a foil for Martin and Lewis.

Dean Martin was born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1917. He made his screen debut in a short playing a singer in Art Mooney’s band, but his first big screen role was 1949’s My Friend Irma with Jerry Lewis. This began a partnership that would be one of the most successful screen pairings in cinema history. Later, he also worked frequently members of “the Rat Pack”: Frank Sinatra, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis Jr. His persona was that of a playboy, usually seen with a glass of booze and a cigarette. Martin appeared on “The Lucy Show” in what Ball later said was her favorite episode of the series. Martin and Lucille Ball appeared on many TV variety and award shows together and made the TV movie “Lucy Gets Lucky” in 1975. He died on Christmas Day in 1995 at age 78.    

Jerry Lewis  was a comedian, actor, and singer born in Newark, New Jersey in 1926. He was known for his slapstick humor and was originally paired up with Dean Martin, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis. His long-standing commitment to hosting the annual Muscular Dystrophy telethon in 2010, after 44 years, earning him a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977. He was also presented the French Legion of Honor in 1984. He appeared with Lucille Ball Lewis on “Danny Thomas’s Wonderful World of Vaudeville” in 1965. He died in 2014.

Frank Nelson (Agent) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”. He performed in 11 episodes of “My Favorite Husband.”  On “I Love Lucy” he holds the distinction of being the only actor to play two recurring roles: Freddie Fillmore and Ralph Ramsey, as well as six one-off characters, including the frazzled train conductor in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5), a character he repeated on “The Lucy Show.”  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs.  

Lucille Ball (Guest Star) as then finishing her first season of her radio series “My Favorite Husband”.  She was two months away from the premiere of her film Sorrowful Jones with Bob Hope. 

Synopsis ~ It's time to go over to Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis's hotel room before they do their first radio show. 

EPISODE

In Jerry and Dean’s hotel room, they are getting dressed to do their show when the telephone rings. They fear it is someone from NBC wanting to know where they are. The phone continues to ring. 

Dean reasons that they did well in nightclubs, but Jerry says those people paid to get in, while radio audiences get in for free. Jerry is afraid his act may offend someone, and he’d get sent to Siberia.  Dean thinks the radio show may lead to fame in motion pictures. Jerry can’t see the positive and sees only failure. The phone rings again.  

Jerry answers the phone and it is his agent (Frank Nelson), wondering where the h-e-c-k they are. Dean says they can’t leave until he rehearses his romantic number.  

Dean (and orchestra) launches into "You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)" by Freddy James and Larry Stock in 1946.

There’s a knock on the door. It’s the maid come to clean. She notices that the room is clean - and fears she’ll be fired.  She is upset that their towels say his and hers instead of his and his. Jerry tells her not to dust the dresser because he keeps his kitten in there. 

MAID: “My, you’re odd people.” LEWIS: “We ain’t odd. We’re entertainers.”

Outside the NBC Studio, two women are excited to see Martin and Lewis. Lewis stands behind them, although they don’t recognize him. They faun over Dean’s good looks and talent, much to Lewis’s dismay.  Dean strolls up and the girls get giddy with excitement. 

Inside the studio, the orchestra tunes up and everyone shouts hello: producer, director, singer, technicians. When Dean needs quiet to rehearse, Jerry feels left out. Dean introduces Lucille Ball, but she’s angry that he’s upset Jerry.  

Lucille promises she’ll protect Jerry from Dean. Lucille starts to notice how athletic and handsome Dean is. She gradually softens. Suddenly Lucille is defending Dean to Jerry!  

JERRY: “You do think I’ll be a big success, don’t ya Lucille?” LUCILLE: “Why not? Lassie made it!” 

Lucille says she’s planned an opening night party for the boys, but is concerned about Jerry’s behavior.

Oops! Jerry Lewis trips over his words, and ad libs: “It’s too close to the paper, whaddya want?” 

Jerry defends his behavior with unusually florid language. Lucille says there will be young ladies at the party. 

JERRY: “I like ‘em about my height.” LUCILLE: “Betty Grable will be there.” JERRY: “I like ‘em about my age.” LUCILLE: “Ann Blyth will be there.” JERRY: “And I like ‘em about my intelligence.” LUCILLE: “I’m sorry, Margaret O’Brien can’t stay out that late.”

MARTIN: “Shall we dress?” LUCILLE: “Naturally. We don’t want the cops.”

They get the cue that they have thirty second until air. 

Lucille, Jerry, and Dean sing “The Money Song” lyrics written by Harold Rome for the musical That’s The Ticket. 

They are back in their hotel suite about to go to sleep, when the maid knocks on the door. She tells them they have to get out of bed - she’s put on the wrong size sheets!  

End of Episode

#Jerry Lewis #NBC Radio #The Martin and Lewis Show #Lucille Ball #Dean Martin #Frank Nelson #1949 #The Money Song #You Won't Be Satisfied

[talhaghafoor2019-blog]

Della Reese, Music Legend and Actress Dies At 86

HOLLYWOOD, CA – AUGUST 11: Della Reese attends the ceremony honoring Roma Downey with a Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame held on August 11, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)

ILOSM, we have some very sad news. One of our favorite actresses and singers Della Reese, has passed away. She was a vocal powerhouse who’s style reflected the influence of such jazz precursors as Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.

At age 86, she leaves behind children James, Franklin, and Dominique, as well as husband Franklin Lett. She was predeceased by daughter Deloreese.

“On behalf of her husband, Franklin Lett, and all her friends and family, I share with you the news that our beloved Della Reese has passed away peacefully at her California home last evening surrounded by love. She was an incredible wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and pastor, as well as an award-winning actress and singer. Through her life and work she touched and inspired the lives of millions of people,” her costar Roma Downey confirmed to PEOPLE.

“She was a mother to me and I had the privilege of working with her side by side for so many years on Touched By an Angel. I know heaven has a brand new angel this day. Della Reese will be forever in our hearts. Rest In Peace, sweet angel. We love you.”

She ranged through a series of releases that showed off her mastery of standards, jazz and contemporary pop through the early ‘70s, and over the course of her career she received four Grammy Award nominations.

Her Legendary History

By 1969 she had launched her TV show “Della” – the first talk show hosted by an African-American woman – and had begun a move into an acting career that would take her to even greater national prominence.

After a number of guest appearances, Reese broke into TV full-time with a starring role in the hit 1975-78 Jack Albertson-Freddie Prinze comedy series “Chico and the Man.” Roles on “It Takes Two,” “Crazy Like a Fox,” “Charlie & Co.” and (opposite her good friend Redd Foxx) “The Royal Family.”

Della Reese, (Getty Images)

She also took starring roles in the features “Harlem Nights” and “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate” and appeared in 20 made-for-TV pictures.

Her greatest popularity came as co-star of the inspirational CBS show “Touched by an Angel.” Though the show was axed during its debut 1994-95 season, a letter-writing campaign convinced execs to bring the series back, and Reese prevailed as the heavenly samaritan Tess for a total of nine seasons, winning seven consecutive NAACP Image Awards as best lead actress in a drama and collecting two Emmy nominations and a 1998 Golden Globe nod.

UNITED STATES – MARCH 26: MOD SQUAD – ‘Find Tara Chapman’ 11/19/68 Della Reese (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images)

Though she continued to make TV guest appearances and took the occasional film role in the new millennium, she returned to her religious roots as the founding pastor of her own Los Angeles-based church, Understanding Principles for Better Living (or “Up”). In later years, she was frequently billed as Reverend Doctor Della Reese Lett.

She was born Delloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, in Detroit. She began singing in church as a six-year-old; the glamorous black vocalist-actress Lena Horne was one of the film stars she admired as a girl. By her teens, she was working as a singer in gospel luminary Mahalia Jackson’s unit.

After graduating from Detroit’s Cass Technical High School (later attended by Diana Ross), she briefly attended Wayne State University, but soon moved into music professionally, taking Della Reese as her pro handle.

Join us on Facebook for the most engaging discussions from the Old School! Old School News With A New Point Of View!

This content was originally published here.

[talhaghafoor2019-blog]

Della Reese, Music Legend and Actress Dies At 86

HOLLYWOOD, CA – AUGUST 11: Della Reese attends the ceremony honoring Roma Downey with a Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame held on August 11, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)

ILOSM, we have some very sad news. One of our favorite actresses and singers Della Reese, has passed away. She was a vocal powerhouse who’s style reflected the influence of such jazz precursors as Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.

At age 86, she leaves behind children James, Franklin, and Dominique, as well as husband Franklin Lett. She was predeceased by daughter Deloreese.

“On behalf of her husband, Franklin Lett, and all her friends and family, I share with you the news that our beloved Della Reese has passed away peacefully at her California home last evening surrounded by love. She was an incredible wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and pastor, as well as an award-winning actress and singer. Through her life and work she touched and inspired the lives of millions of people,” her costar Roma Downey confirmed to PEOPLE.

“She was a mother to me and I had the privilege of working with her side by side for so many years on Touched By an Angel. I know heaven has a brand new angel this day. Della Reese will be forever in our hearts. Rest In Peace, sweet angel. We love you.”

She ranged through a series of releases that showed off her mastery of standards, jazz and contemporary pop through the early ‘70s, and over the course of her career she received four Grammy Award nominations.

Her Legendary History

By 1969 she had launched her TV show “Della” – the first talk show hosted by an African-American woman – and had begun a move into an acting career that would take her to even greater national prominence.

After a number of guest appearances, Reese broke into TV full-time with a starring role in the hit 1975-78 Jack Albertson-Freddie Prinze comedy series “Chico and the Man.” Roles on “It Takes Two,” “Crazy Like a Fox,” “Charlie & Co.” and (opposite her good friend Redd Foxx) “The Royal Family.”

Della Reese, (Getty Images)

She also took starring roles in the features “Harlem Nights” and “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate” and appeared in 20 made-for-TV pictures.

Her greatest popularity came as co-star of the inspirational CBS show “Touched by an Angel.” Though the show was axed during its debut 1994-95 season, a letter-writing campaign convinced execs to bring the series back, and Reese prevailed as the heavenly samaritan Tess for a total of nine seasons, winning seven consecutive NAACP Image Awards as best lead actress in a drama and collecting two Emmy nominations and a 1998 Golden Globe nod.

UNITED STATES – MARCH 26: MOD SQUAD – ‘Find Tara Chapman’ 11/19/68 Della Reese (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images)

Though she continued to make TV guest appearances and took the occasional film role in the new millennium, she returned to her religious roots as the founding pastor of her own Los Angeles-based church, Understanding Principles for Better Living (or “Up”). In later years, she was frequently billed as Reverend Doctor Della Reese Lett.

She was born Delloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, in Detroit. She began singing in church as a six-year-old; the glamorous black vocalist-actress Lena Horne was one of the film stars she admired as a girl. By her teens, she was working as a singer in gospel luminary Mahalia Jackson’s unit.

After graduating from Detroit’s Cass Technical High School (later attended by Diana Ross), she briefly attended Wayne State University, but soon moved into music professionally, taking Della Reese as her pro handle.

Join us on Facebook for the most engaging discussions from the Old School! Old School News With A New Point Of View!

This content was originally published here.