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The Lux Show Starring Rosemary Clooney was
broadcast live and in color on NBC Thursday evenings from September
1957 through June of 1958. She was pregnant with Monsita during this
season. The program was preceded on NBC by Tennessee Ernie Ford's
30-minute musical show. Regulars on the program were Frank De Vol and
his orchestra + the Modernaires. Following are details of the shows,
including some newspaper promos, as well as the descriptions of a
then 15 year old Rosemary fan, who has graciously shared them with
this site almost 50 years later.
|
Episode # / Date |
Guests |
Song Selections |
|
|
Jose Ferrer |
"Beyond the Blue Horizon"
"A Kiss to Build a Dream On"
"The Morning Music of Montmarte" w/ Jose and the Modernaires
"You're So Right For Me" with Jose |
|
Sept. 26, 1957
8 p.m. |
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Jane Wyman
Paula Kelly |
From the 1957 newspaper: Singers must have guests, so Ernie
Ford runs over from his own show to join Rosemary. With a boost from
Ernie, Rosemary sings "That's How It Is." The Modernaires
back her up on "Hooray for Hollywood" and "Blow,
Gabriel, Blow." Second guest star (whose identity Rosemary asked
us to keep secret) should interest you. Color |
|
Oct. 3, 1957
8 p.m. |
Riley (William Bendix) |
From the 1957 newspaper: Riley (William Bendix) chats with
Rosemary about the difference between film and "live"
television. They team up vocally on "Recognize the Tune,"
and Rosemary solos "Love Is a Feeling." The Modernaires
beat out "Customer."
Additional Notes: Opening song: "April in Paris."
"Chances Are" "Goody Goody" (solo), song by
Modernaires, "Close Your Eyes." |
|
Oct. 10, 1957
8 p.m. |
Edward Everett Horton
Paula Kelly |
From the 1957 newspaper: Edward Everett Horton, with his
engaging little mannerisms, bandies words with Rosemary and sings
"I Won't Dance" with her. Miss Clooney solos "My Heart
Reminds Me," "For You" and joins Paula Kelly in
"Life Upon the Wicked Stage." Color.
From the same edition of the newspaper, in a story by
Jack O'Brian of the INS wire service: New York–Good news for
sore ears: Bing Crosby's Edsel show Oct. 13 (with Frankie, Ella,
Clooney, Satchmo, etc.) will include only "standard" tunes,
a fine shot in the hungover eye of rock-roll.
Additional Notes: Opening song: "A Most Unusual Day."
"Jubilation T. Cornpone" (Modernaires)
"Hush-a-Bye". No show next week. |
|
Oct. 17, 1957 |
|
No Show |
|
Oct. 24, 1957
8 p.m. |
Ken Murray
Paula Kelly |
From the 1957 newspaper: "C'mon a My House,"
Rosemary's first big hit, is her opener tonight. Ken Murray, sporting
a huge cigar, tells Rosemary how to get laughs, and gives a few
examples of "sock" jokes. Rosemary solos "Early
Autumn" and "Irish Lullaby."
Additional Notes: Modernaires: "There's Music in the
Air" Guest introduced, sang duet, "Brush Up Your
Shakespeare," Rosemary: "Do You Know What It Means,"
"Turaluralura." Community Chest appeal by Rosie. |
|
Oct. 31, 1957
(Show moves
to 9 p.m.) |
Boris Karloff
Paula Kelly |
From the 1957 newspaper: For Halloween, there's Boris Karloff
singing "You Do Something to Me" with Rosemary. Other
Clooney offerings are "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,"
"Don't Go Away Mad" and "Sleep." Nice tunes plus
Karloff's horror spoofing.
Additional Notes: "Today I Love Everybody," "A
Foggy Day" Modernaires: "Dipsy Doodle," antic. Rosie
and Boris: "I Get So Frightened." Rosie and Modernaires:
"Baby, Don't You Go 'Way Mad." Antics and jokes by Boris
and Frank later joins Rosie. Rosie: "Sleep, Sleep, Sleep."
Appeal: Arthritis Fund. |
|
Nov. 7, 1957
9 p.m. |
Carol Channing
Paula Kelly |
From the 1957 newspaper: Carol Channing, who has been getting
around this fall, teams up with Rosemary on "Independent."
As always, she's a delight. The Clooney style is seen to good
advantage in "I'm Beginning to See the Light, "I'm Checking
Out" and "Rock a Bye Baby."
Additional Notes: "Push de Button," "I'm
Beginning to See the Light." Modernaires: "Ivy League."
Carol Channing and Rosie Clooney: "Independent." Rosemary:
"I'm Checkin' Out–Goombye" from album "Blue
Rose." "Swinging on a Star." |
|
Nov. 14, 1957
9 p.m. cst
|
Wally Cox
Modernaires
Paula Kelly |
Additional Notes: Wally Cox sang introduction song and Rosie
followed with "It's a Good Day" after which Cox was
formally introduced and jokes were cracked. Rosie in turn sang
"Ca C'est Lamour." Modernaires and Paula Kelly at the
request of Rosie sang a medley of songs they made famous while
singing with Glenn Miller. Among them were "A String of
Pearls," "Serenade in Blue," "Perfidia,"
"Chatanooga Choo Choo."
Love scene #1 followed in which she comes in. "Show It" is
sung by her. Love scene #2 is next in which he comes in in a teenage
outfit. A duet ensues: "All Shook Up." Last song is
"Sunny Side of the Street" which she sings in a belting
mood. Before closing the show she comes out with "Tenderly"
as background music and tells the audience the show will not be on
next week but the week after next: Thanksgiving. |
|
Nov. 21, 1957 |
NO SHOW |
(Although there was no Lux Show, Clooney appeared on the Tennessee
Ernie Ford Show) |
|
Nov. 28, 1957 |
Betty Clooney
Nick Clooney
Gail Stone
Jose Ferrer
Modernaires
Paula Kelly |
From 1957 newspaper: Rosemary Clooney Show. Family night, with
Sisters Betty and Gail and Brother Nick Clooney as guests. Rosemary
sings "Tonight" and "Love and Affection," then
proudly introduces the family in "Sisters" and "You're
From Kentucky as Sure As You're Born."
Additional notes: Family Thanksgiving Show. After opening
song, Fricky, who has now become a personality on the entertaining
show, jokes with Rosie and after leaving Rosie introduces her family:
Gail, who is seen on the "Eve Arden Show" as a twin
daughter, Betty and Nicky. Jokes follow and later Rosemary sings from
her first movie, "The Stars Are Singing," a delightful song
called: "Haven't Got a Worry." Next Rosie, Gail, Betty,
Nicky team up for "Sisters" and "You're in Kentucky as
Sure as You're Born." Next Rosie sings her newest hit record,
"Love and Affections." Betty sings "Give Me the Simple
Life." Rosemary closes the show in an inspiring way by singing
at the Thanksgiving table the beautiful hymn "May the Good Lord
Bless and Keep You." In the background the standard
"Tenderly" is heard as everybody sits down to eat the
turkey. As a complete surprise and fitting ending, Rosie's talented
husband, Jose Ferrer, makes an entrance and joins the eating. Next
week guest will be Marie Wilson. |
|
Dec. 5, 1957 |
Marie Wilson
Paula Kelly
Modernaires |
From 1957 newspaper: Musical variety show in color starring
Rosemary Clooney and guest star Marie Wilson.
Additional notes: Opening song was done brightly in a belting
mood by Miss Clooney: "Hooray for Love." Marie Wilson is
introduced and the two lovely ladies discuss giving Christmas cards
to personalities. Rosie takes off on rhyming the names of
personalities in a clever song. Rosie sings Frank Sinatra's current
hit, "All the Way." The Modernaires sing "Rain, Rain,
Rain." Jokes. Rosemary: "The Lady Is a Tramp." Rosie
gives a newcomer to the whirling business, Billy Strange a flying
start as he sings, "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine. Frank de Vol,
Marie Wilson and Rosie tell jokes. Rosemary Clooney takes over with
her all time standard, "Tenderly." Next week's guest,
Charles Laughton. |
|
Dec. 12, 1957 |
Charles Laughton |
From newspaper: Guest Charles Laughton refrains from his
customary readings. Instead, he joins Rosie in singing "Camptown
Races," "Oh, Susanna" and "Waiting for the Robert
E. Lee"–and does them with gusto. Rosmary solos "Sunny
Side Up" and "April Love."
Additional Notes: "Keep Your Sunny Side Up" is the
opening song of an exciting show, and Rosie does justice to the song.
Rosie and Fred Fricky team up for several well-aimed jokes. Rosie
takes off on Pat Boone's newest hit, "April Love." Charles
Laughton is introduced by Miss Clooney as she tells the audience that
Mr. Laughton will make his singing debut. Laughton is on his own as
he begins his symposium of famous songs from different countries.
First, he sings a hunting song from his own country, England–but
Fricky ruins the songs by laughing. And he is called to apologize,
which he does. Laughton proposes to sing with Rosemary a medley of
American songs which was previously rehearsed and Rosie agrees. Among
the songs was "On Moonlight Bay" and "Waiting for the
Robert E. Lee." The Modernaires with Paula Kelly take over with
a medley of Tommy Dorsey all-time hits. The songs were: "I'm
Getting Sentimental Over You," "There Are Such Things,"
"When It Hits You" and "Marie." Rosie sings
"Lover, Come Back to Me." Charles gives thanks to Rosemary,
and a plug for the book he recently wrote, "Tell Me a
Story," is included. A commercial stint is done by Rosie
(singing) and Laughton (oratory). Next Rosemary Clooney sings her
greatest hit, giving thanks for all the records bought of this
version of "Hey There." The audience applauds tremendously
as she does the song, and finishes the show. Next week's guest are to
be Patty McCormack of "The Bad Seed" fame and Tom Hovey for
the special pre-Christmas Show.
From Earl
Wilson's Broadway column, apparently from the same day:
New York–Hollywood's passion for casual clothes is extending to
Broadway, evidently...I was backstage the other night when a guy came
in wearing a pulled-down brown cap which was conspicuously unchic.
"Hi," he
said, and I said "Hi" back. I figured he was the delivery
boy from the nearby lunch counter.
He started hanging
around Rosemary Clooney–with his cap off–and I realized it
was her husband, Jose Ferrer, in from California and just looking
outdoorsy.
Rosemary asked
Steve Allen what to get Joe for Christmas.
"What do you
buy for a genius?" she pleaded.
"I saw your
husband–and I would buy him a haircut," Steve answered.
"But,"
Mrs. Ferrer replied, "I can't buy him the same thing every year!" |
|
Dec. 19, 1957 |
Patty McCormack
Tom Hovey |
|
|
|
John Raitt |
"Surprise"
"Hey There" duet with Raitt
"Easter Parade" with Raitt
"Eggbert the Easter Egg"
Whispering Hope" with Raitt |
|
|
Mel Torme |
|
|
|
Nelson Eddy |
|
|
June 1958 |
Jose Ferrer |
She mentions this as being the last show of the season and an
upcoming appearance in July at the Sands in Las Vegas.
"Luck Be a Lady Tonight"
"Ah Yes I Remember It Well" from GiGi , duet with Jose
"For You"
"Nursery Rhyme Love Song"
"Our Love is Here to Stay" duet with Jose at the piano |
|
Rosemary's
agent MCA, arranged for Rosemary to star in "The Rosemary
Clooney Show," in 1956-1957. The series consisted of 39
half-hour episodes, which were filmed in black and white, "with
a pre-recording technique that was just as good as records." The
show was syndicated so it wasn't shot on a tight weekly schedule. It
took almost a year to film all the episodes. Rosemary was pregnant
with her second child, Maria, during much of the series. The show's
theme song was her signature song "Tenderly." Nelson Riddle
served as the musical director. Rosemary said of the program, "It
was an amazingly good series." Produced by The Maysville Corporation.