[sinatraphiles] Re: September 15 - THIS DATE IN SINATRA HISTORY

From: "eob101" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ("eob101")
To: "sinatraphiles@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <sinatraphiles@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2021 19:42:27 +0000 (UTC)

The commentary and review of Sinatra’s 1953 career-changing engagement at Bill
Miller’s Riviera Club in Ft. Lee transports me to that magical time and place.
I found a couple of pictures of the Club, which must have been groundbreaking
at the time. Cantilevered over the New Jersey cliff, and with a retractable
roof, this must have been quite a hot spot for those special dates meant to
impress!  I’ve read its architecture was a forerunner to Las Vegas clubs that
made that city an entertainment capital. And just a thought, but I wonder how
many people who have read of this 1953 engagement think piano playing-Bill
Miller was the source for the eponymous club name.  I confess I was confused
for a while when I first started learning about the Riviera Club.
I don’t post on this list often, but I look forward to the postings each day.
So many people to acknowledge who make this a treat — especially our dear Ed
O’Brien.
Hi Jim,            Love the card. Sinatra was the penultimate act at Miller's
Riviera. Eddie Fisher followed for two  weeks and then the club closed its
doors forever. New Jersey claimed eminent domain and built the Palisades
Parkway that ran right through the property. Miller would moved to Vegas and be
entertainment director at a number of hotels.            I thank you for the
kind words.Ed

_____________Jim JohnsonRehoboth Beach, DE

_____________Jim JohnsonRehoboth Beach, DE
On Sep 15, 2021, at 9:55 AM, Scott Henderson <scott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Studio

1949 Hollywood

HCO3903 That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
(H. Gillespie/B. Smith)
Robbins Music Corp. (ASCAP) 1949
Arranged & Conducted by Jeff Alexander
-1 (3:16) CD: Columbia Years 43-52 Vol. 11
LP: CL-902 That Old Feeling
78: 38608

HCO3904 Mad About You
(N. Washington/V. Young)
(from Deadly Is The Female)
H. Spitzer Music Pub. (ASCAP) 1949
Arranged & Conducted by Jeff Alexander
-1 (3:13) CD: Columbia Years 43-52 Vol. 11
LP: C2X-40897 Hello Young Lovers
LP: CL-953 Adventures Of The Heart
78: 38613

HCO3905 (On The Island Of) Stromboli
(I Taylor/K. Lane )
Sinatra Songs, Inc. (ASCAP) 1949
Arranged & Conducted by Jeff Alexander
-1 (3:16) CD: Columbia Years 43-52 Vol. 11
LP: CL-953 Adventures of The Heart
78: 38613

Violins: V. Arno, D. Lube, W. Miller, R. Polikian, M. Russell, J. Shulman;
Violas: J. Di Fiore, A. Weiss; Cellos: C. Bernard, E. Slatkin; French Horn: V.
De Rosa; Mandolins: M. Gralnick, J. Rose; Accordion: M. De Lugg; Guitars: B.
Kessel, A. Reuss; Trumpets: Z. Elman, V. Mangano, G. Seaberg; Trombones: G.
Aurs, R. McGarity, P. Weigand; Saxes: E. Callen, L. Palange, A. Raskin, H.
Schuchman, P. Shuken; Bass: P. Stephens; Drums: R. Hagan; Piano: K. Lane; Harp:
R. Maxwell

NOTE:  Sinatra Scholar Ed O'Brien reports that the great French horn player
Vince DeRosa was at this session.
He told O'Brien that it was such a joy to work with Sinatra in the 1940s.
DeRosa was in awe of the vocal prowess
Sinatra displayed and loved how easy the sessions went because of it.  Sinatra
sang all three songs on Light Up Time shows.

Radio

1935, KRNT/WMT Des Moines, Iowa
Hoboken Four appear as part of Major Bowes tour

1939 Live Remote:  Panther Room, Hotel Sherman, Chicago, Illinois
Friday  Evening
12:00 a.m. -12:30 a.m.
NBC Red Network - WEAF New York City
Harry James &  His Orchestra
Harry on lead trumpet, Jack Schaeffer, Claude Brown, Jack Palmer (trumpets),
Russell Brown, Truett, Jones, Dalton Rizzotto (trombone),Dave Matthews, Claude
Lakey (alto sax), Bill Luther, Drew Page (tenor/baritone sax), Jack Gardner
(piano),Red Kent (guitar), Thurman Teague (bass), Mickey Scrima (drums), Marie
Carroll, Frank Sinatra, Jack Palmer (vocals)

1939  Live Remote:  Panther Room, Hotel Sherman, Chicago, Illinois
Friday  Evening
1:30 a.m. -2:00 a.m.
NBC Blue Network - WJZ New York City
Harry James &  His Orchestra
Harry on lead trumpet, Jack Schaeffer, Claude Brown, Jack Palmer (trumpets),
Russell Brown, Truett, Jones, Dalton Rizzotto (trombone), Dave Matthews, Claude
Lakey (alto sax), Bill Luther, Drew Page (tenor/baritone sax), Jack Gardner
(piano), Red Kent (guitar), Thurman Teague (bass), Mickey Scrima (drums), Marie
Carroll, Frank Sinatra, Jack Palmer (vocals)

1940 Trianon Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio
Sunday
11:30 - 11:57 p. m.
NBC Red Network (WTAM)
Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Ziggy Elman, Joe Bushkin, Sy Oliver, Buddy Rich
Frank Sinatra, Connie Haines, The Pied Pipers
1. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You - TD & Orch
2. Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga - Connie Haines
3. Head On My Pillow - Frank Sinatra
4. Make Me Know It - TD & Orch
5. Half Way Down The Street - Frank Sinatra
6. Symphony In Riffs - TD & Orch
7. I'll Never Smile Again - Frank Sinatra & Pied Pipers
8. I Know That You Know - TD & Orch
9. Closing Theme - TD & Orch

1949 Light Up Time
Sponsor: Lucky Strike Cigarettes
Network: NBC
Show #9
Broadcast: 3:00-3:15 PM PST (Repeat: 8:00-8:15 PM PST)
Starring: Frank Sinatra & Mindy Carson
Jeff Alexander And The Orchestra
Script (as broadcast)
1. opening
2. That Old Black Magic - Frank Sinatra
3. commercial 1
4. Song Of Surrender - Mindy Carson
5. I've Got A Crush On You - Frank Sinatra
6. commercial 2
7. Where Or When - Frank Sinatra
8. closing

  1949 Stars Salute To WMGM3 Full Hours dedicated to WHN becoming
WMGMCelebrities included:  Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Vic
Damone, Morey Amsterdam, Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Esther Williams, Red
Skeleton, Jane Powell, Betty Garrett, Mario Lanza, Lena Horne, Frances Faye,
Larry Storch and others

1954 The Frank Sinatra Show
Network: NBC
Show Number: 5
Time 8:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sponsor: Bobbi Home Permanent, White Rain Shampoo, Deep Magic Face lotion
Host: Frank Sinatra
Writers: Norm Sickel
Announcer: Maurice Hart
Producer: Andrew C. Love
1. Get Happy - Frank Sinatra.
2. Sway - Eileen Barton.
3. When I Stop Loving You - Frank Sinatra.

1954 Amos 'N' Andy Music Hall
CBS
Wednesday Evening
9:30 p.m. - 9:55 p.m.
third show of the season
Guest: Frank Sinatra
Note: The show appears on the officially released CD set: 60 Greaest Old Time
Radio Show "Frank Sinatra & Friends"

1979 Sid Mark, WYNY Radio, New York
Sid interviews Sinatra at Resorts International in Atlantic City . This was
taped on September 8, 1979  16 mins.

Television

1981 Taped Chrysler Commercials
NOTE: Ed O'Brien reports that there are a number of ads done for Chrysler.
Sinatra did some recordings to promote the Chrysler line including "Come Dance
with Me,"� "It's Time for You,"� and "From This Moment On."�

Concerts

1935 Shrine Auditorium, Des Moines, Iowa
The Hoboken Four
touring with the Major Bowes' Radio Amateurs

1939 Panther Room, Hotel Sherman, Chicago , Illinois (September 8 - October 12)
Harry James and his Orchestra w/Frank Sinatra

1940 Trianon Ballroom, Cleveland, Ohio (September 15 – one-nighter)
Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra w/Frank Sinatra

NOTE: Ed O'Brien sends along an item from the September 25, 1940 issue of
Variety:
"At $1.25 per – TD drew 3,000 dancers into the Trianon Ballroom on a
one-nighter and took out $1,700 as his share."�

1941 Paramount Theatre , New York City (August 27 - September 16)

1952 Riviera Club, Fort Lee, New Jersey (September 5-18)

1953 Bill Miller's Riviera Club,  Fort Lee, New Jersey (8-22)
Tuesday Evening
Opening Acts: George Dewitt, Bud & Cece Robinson, Donn Arden Girls, Doug Rogers
Paul Campo & Walter Nye Orchestras
$5 minimum
Program for 9-15-53:
1 I Get A Kick Out Of You
2. My One And Only Love
3. You Go To My Head
4. They Can't Take That Away From Me
5. My Funny Valentine
6. A Foggy Day
7. Little Girl Blue
8. It All Depends On You
9. Violets For Your Furs
10. The Coffee Song
11. Spring Is Here
12. One For My Baby
13. Don't Worry 'Bout Me ( did the verse )
14. From Here To Eternity
15. I've Got The World On A String

Ed O'Brien:
Other tunes sung during the engagement:
I'll Never Smile Again
It Never Entered My Mind
This Can't Be Love
Someone To Watch Over Me
Autumn In New York
The Very Thought Of You
I've Got A Crush On You
Like Someone In Love
The Girl Next Door
You're The Top ( parody )
You'll Never Walk Alone

Frank received a salary of $10,000 a week

He was asked in a 1959 interview what was the most important single
element in reviving his career in 1953. The interviewer mentioned "Eternity" and
signing with Capitol. Frank did not consider either to be as important as the
two-week engagement at Bill Miller's Riviera in September of 1953. Frank very
carefully chose a nine piece chamber set ( his description ) and rehearsed with
them for
two solid weeks before opening at the club..There was no conductor, just the
singer and nine musicians: Bill Miller was the piano player, Alvin Stoller was
on drums, Sonny Salad pulled off a hat trick by alternating on alto sax, flute
and clarinet,
throughout the two week engagement, a bass and guitar completed the rhythm
section
and a string quartet made up the rest of the musical ensemble. The eminent jazz
critic
George T.Simon called Frank's performance " one of the most thrilling musically
ever witnessed
anywhere." Sinatra told the interviewer that people in the trade realized what
he was capable
of during the engagement.

note: Last year I discovered a new wrinkle to the chamber set concept Frank
employed
             at the Riviera. Prior to that engagement, Frank did a week at
Skinny D'Amato's
             500 Club in Atlantic City. He brought along his new set of
musicians for that week
             and had the crowds hanging from the rafters.
       Ed

Here are some of Frank's remarks from a interview with Mr. Simon in early
October of 1953:

"If what I did at Bill Miller's did anything, it convinced me once and for all
that you can still
show good taste and be appreciated. You don't have to sing loud and raucously
and belt
them over the head all the time. You can use a little restraint and try and
create a mood
that you and they can both feel, sort of like being together in a small room,
and if you really
mean it, and show that you mean it, you can register all right."

"It made me feel great the way they paid attention to the songs I sang. They
were good
songs -- all of them -- at least I think so, because they were my favorites.
Things by
Rodgers & Hart, and Rodgers & Hammerstein and the Gershwins and Cole Porter.
They don't write songs like that today." One thing they certainly aren't
writing today
is many good lyrics. I know that because I'm more conscious of the words in
songs
than I am of the melody."

"The melody should be like a backdrop for the lyrics. Sure, it should be good
and
musical. But it should be more like a guy reading poetry with organ music or
some-
thing going in the back. If the poem or lyrics are stated often enough, with
the same
music going at the same time, they become associated as one."

"Of course the lyrics have to be something special like the ones Larry Hart and
Oscar
Hammerstein and Ira Gershwin and Johnny Mercer and Sammy Cahn have been
writing. You know, I have a healthy respect for anybody who can write. I don't
mean
just songs. I mean anything. Sure wish I could!"

Six weeks after the Riviera engagement Frank would lay down eight of the songs
done
on stage ( "A Foggy Day," "My Funny Valentine, " "They Can't Take That Away
From Me,"
"Violets For Your Furs," "Like Someone In Love," "I Get A Kick Out Of You,"
"Little Girl
Blue" and "The Girl Next Door" ). Nelson Riddle conducted but George Siravo
wrote
seven of the eight charts used.. Riddle told me he did a few slight
modifications but the
credit should have gone to Siravo. Sinatra was the absolute perfectionist
during the early
Capitol years. He did numerous takes on all the songs recorded. The album
"Songs For
Young Lovers" and the one to follow, "Swing Easy," both capture the sound of a
nightclub
performance with a small jazz group backing the singer. Sinatra would employ 12
musicians for the November 1953 sessions and 14 for the April 54 "Swing Easy"
sessions.

review of the Reviera Club (located at Fort Lee , New Jersey ) engagement taken
from the September 15, 1953 issue of VARIETY.  There was a $5 minimum.

"If carry a torch, as most first-nighters suspected, is the key to the
resounding click, such as Frank Sinatra achieved on his opening last Tuesday
(September 8) night at Bill Miller's Riviera then every chirper, either sex,
should see a man about a Diogenes.  Sinatra culled the pashiest set of ballads
out of Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and the ASCAP catalogue and hit the jackpot
with a personal whammo such as few straight singers achieve.

"The toucheroo, of course, stems from the published reports about a lovers
sport between Mr. and Mrs. Sinatra, keyed to the just-returned- from-Europe
news "shots"� of the "beautiful bride,"� Ava Gardner.  Whether or not a staged
romantic setting, as was the late George Evans' nifty builderupper for
Frankie-boy as the swoonerate kid in the 1940s:  It certainly registered with
the Riviera rounders, who are more Seratan than bobby sox in the acturalial
batting average.

"By actual county, the swooner crooned 20 ballads and each pyramided to a
boffola.  In every respect, Sinatra was great, making a great comeback.  He
proved (1) that he had long since proved himself not a flash in the box office;
(2) achieved a sonalog stature in repose, poise, and personal performance that
comes to few singers; (3) reincarnated the straight romantic singing style
which, somehow, has left us the just crooned at "˜em; no gags or ad-libs; and
(4) gave new magic to the Hollywood hypo.  As in the celluloid days, a picture
can do the trick.  "From Here to Eternity"� is the answer.  And it may even
prove the bellwether for Sinatra's diskery comeback for the long absent from
the jocks and jukes league.

"With the same authoritative nonchalance which has distinguished Sinatra over
the years, this time he comes out backed by a hand-picked special accompanying
group of eight including a femme violinist with Bill Miller (no relation to the
Riviera 's Boniface) at the ivories, and thrushes a cavalcade of past and
present familiars. He has them against the damasks in no time.  In the barnlike
reaches of this Cliffside roadhouse, you could hear an orchestration drop.  He
sang with ease and charm, never reaching, only punctuating his stuff with
musical cues to his special ibackstoppers, and only once utilizing a prop cup
and saucer for "Coffee in Brazil ."�

"He was tour-de-force to delight the Brill Building and the Lindy Hop set:  his
style of lyrical interpretation gave new values to the wordsmiths.  Show Biz
observers can't help but be impressed that Gilbert & Sullivan have beaucoup
Yank counterparts in effective wordings.  Sinatra gave librettos values to the
pops: the obvious absolute salute to a virtuoso of song.

"Casual reprise of some of the titles reads like a Fire Dept. road company of
every torch and romantic ballad in the book, and Sinatra gave them new meanings
as he uncorked (them) . . .

"It was a tour-de-force of unparalleled degree.  He held the floor a solid 60
minutes and while he might and should cut 10 minutes, there was no gainsaying
the consistency of his socko..  He's in for $10,000 a week for two weeks, and
both he and Bill Miller owe a lot to Harry Cohn for that the Columbia picture
did for all concerned.  Oh, yes, he also sang "From Here to Eternity"� and
wisely sh-sh'd some exuberant bobbysoxers who squealed an occasional, "Oh,
Frankie."�

1956 Sands, Las Vegas, Nevada (September 12-October 2)
also:  Joey Bishop & The Beachcombers

1962 Sands, Las Vegas, Nevada (September 15-18)
w/Dean

1974 Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
First Show
Woody Herman Orchestra Conducted By: Don Costa
1. The Lady Is A Tramp
2. I Get A Kick Out Of You
3. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
4. monologue
5. Send In The Clowns
6. Let Me Try Again
7. monologue
8. My Kind Of Town
9. Angel Eyes
10. I've Got You Under My Skin
11. My Way
12. Side By Side, By Side - w/Frank Sinatra, jr. & Nancy
Notes: TT 45mins.

1974 Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
Second Show
Woody Herman Orchestra Conducted By: Don Costa
1. The Lady Is A Tramp
2. I Get A Kick Out Of You
3. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
4. Send In The Clowns
5. Let Me Try Again
6. My Kind Of Town
7. monologue
8. Angel Eyes
9. I've Got You Under My Skin
10. My Way
11. Side By Side, By Side - w/Frank Sinatra, jr. & Nancy
Notes: TT 45mins.

1975 Uris Theater, New York City
Key Musicians: Gene Cherico (bass), Al Viola (guitar), Irv Cottler (drums),
Bill Miller (piano)
Count Basie Orchestra Conducted By: Bill Miller
1. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
2. Let Me Try Again
3. My Kind Of Town
4. But Beautiful
5. Didn't We?
6. Something
7. Nice 'N' Easy
8. monologue
9. medley: Just One Of Those Things / It Never Entered My Mind / When
  Your Lover Has Gone
10. I Believe I'm Gonna Love You
11. Pennies From Heaven
12. Send In The Clowns
13. Please Be Kind
14. I've Got You Under My Skin
15. medley w/Ella: The Song Is You (w/Ella) / They Can't Take That
    Away From Me (w/Ella) / Come Rain Or Come Shine (Ella) / At Long
    Last Love (Frank) / The Lady Is A Champ (w/Ella)
Notes: TT 64mins.

1978 Royal Festival Hall, London, England
1. Night And Day
2. At Long Last Love
3. The Lady Is A Tramp
4. Something
5. Someone To Watch Over Me
6. My Funny Valentine
7. Baubles Bangles And Beads
8. Medley The Gal That Got Away - It Never Entered My Mind
9. Monologue
10. That's What God Looks Like To Me
11. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
12. You And Me
13. The Oldest Established
14. All The Way
15. My Kind Of Town
16. Remember
17. Maybe This Time
18. My Way

1982 Carnegie Hall, New York City
Time: 8:00 PM
Key Musicians: Charlie Turner (trumpet), Tony Mottola (guitar), Vincent Falcone
Jr (piano).
Orchestra Conducted By: Vincent Falcone, jr.
1. I've Got The World On A String
2. I Get A Kick Out Of You
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
4. When Joanna Loved Me
5. I've Got You Under My Skin
6. When Your Lover Has Gone
7. The Lady Is A Tramp
8. monologue
9. The House I Live In
10, My Kind Of Town
11. It Had To Be You
12. medley: The Gal That Got Away / It Never Entered My Mind
13. The Best Is Yet To Come
14. I Won't Dance
15. As Time Goes By
16. Lullaby of Broadway (only about 1 minute of song)
16. New York, New York
Notes: TT 72mins.

Sinatraphile Eugene Lo Curto asks if "Lullaby of Broadway"� has been
unintentionally left out of the above song program provided by Ed O'Brien.

O'Brien responds:  "[Sinatra] did enough of the song that night to merit an
inclusion.  Your question reminded me of the efforts of Gov. Carey and Mayor
Koch.  After " New York , New York "� became an unofficial anthem of the Big
Apple, they contacted Sinatra and urged him to record an album of New York
songs.  They suggested " Manhattan ,"� " 42nd Street ,"� "I Happen to Like New
York ,"� "Autumn in New York ,"� "Lullaby of Broadway"�, and others.  Sinatra
passed.  O'Brien thinks it would have been a great album.

Scott:  Lullaby of Broadway has been add to set-list as of September 15, 20202

1987 Carnegie Hall, New York City
Orchestra Conducted By: Bill Miller
1. My Heart Stood Still
2. Where Or When
3. What Now My Love
4. Maybe This Time
5. I Have Dreamed
6. For Once In My Life
7. If
8. You Will Be My Music
9. Bewitched
10. Mack The Knife
11. monologue
12. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
13. The Girls I Never Kissed
14. Soliloquy
15. The Lady Is A Tramp
16. What's New
17. A Lonely Town
18. New York, New York
Notes: TT 90mins.

1989 Bally's Grand, Reno, Nevada (14-17)
Orchestra Conducted By: Frank Sinatra, Jr.
1. Come Rain or Come Shine
2. For Once in my Life
3. September in the Rain (Riddle arg.)
4. The Lady is a Tramp
5. Where or When
6. Night and Day (Don Costa arg.) (Tells audience of singing the song when Cole
Porters came into the Rustic Cabin on a summer night in 1938.  And Sinatra was
so nervous that he forgot all the words.
7. Luck Be a Lady
8. Monologue
9. Soliloquy
10. Mack the Knife
11. One for my Baby
12. My Way
13. I've Got You Under my Skin
14. New York, New York

---------------------------------------------

EXTRA:

Radio

1935, KRNT/WMT Des Moines, Iowa
Hoboken Four appear as part of Major Bowes tour

<image001.jpg>

1935 Shrine Auditorium, Des Moines, Iowa
The Hoboken Four
touring with the Major Bowes' Radio Amateurs

<image002.jpg>

-----------------------------------------------  1940 Trianon Ballroom,
Cleveland, Ohio (September 15 – one-nighter)
Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra w/Frank Sinatra

<image004.png>  ------------------------------------------------  1949 Stars
Salute To WMGM3 Full Hours dedicated to WHN becoming WMGMCelebrities included:
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Vic Damone, Morey Amsterdam,
Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Esther Williams, Red Skeleton, Jane Powell, Betty
Garrett, Mario Lanza, Lena Horne, Frances Faye, Larry Storch and others
<image005.png>  -------------------------------------

1962 Sands, Las Vegas, Nevada (September 15-18)
w/Dean

<image003.jpg>
   Sands    Ken Lane  on piano

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This calendar, or any parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any fashion
whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publisher (The
Sinatra Archive)

References:
- [sinatraphiles] Re: September 15 - THIS DATE IN SINATRA HISTORY
  - From: James Johnson

[sinatraphiles] Re: September 15 - THIS DATE IN SINATRA HISTORY

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