Cladrite Culture | Cladrite Radio

We’ll be loving you, always

Today marks the 124nd anniversary of the birth of the great Irving Berlin. One of history’s great tunesmiths, Berlin wrote more than hundreds of songs, 19 musicals and the scores of 18 movies over the course of his lengthy career.

“[Berlin is] the greatest songwriter that has ever lived.”—George Gershwin

“Irving Berlin has no place in American music—he is American music.”—Jerome Kern

Here are some of our favorite Irving Berlin songs:

“What’ll I Do?”—The Nat “King” Cole Trio

“Say It Isn’t So”—Annette Hanshaw

“Marie”—Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra

“Puttin’ on the Ritz”—Leo Reisman and His Orchestra

11 May 12 | Tags: Annette Hanshaw, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Leo Reisman, Nat King Cole, Tommy Dorsey
| Cladrite Composers, Cladrite Culture | Read on | Comments (0)

A tip o’ the top hat to Fred Astaire

“As a dancer he stands alone, and no singer knows his way around a song like Fred Astaire.”—Irving Berlin

Today marks Fred Astaire‘s 113th birthday. He’s been gone nearly 25 years (he died on June 22, 1987), and if you wanted to make a list of the things that are wrong with the world today, the fact that Mr. Astaire no longer walks—nay, glides—among us would be on that list.

Astaire had a down-to-earth elegance that is all too rare, and, in addition to his legendary talents as a hoofer, he was an icon of classic style, a darned good singer, and, from all accounts, a fine gentleman, to boot.

This world’s just a little poorer for the 25 years we’ve been muddling through without Fred Astaire, but his film work reminds us of what we once had.

The clip below finds our Fred paired with the lovely (to put it mildly) Rita Hayworth in 1942′s You Were Never Lovelier, performing a Jerome Kern-Johnny Mercer song that could well serve as the Cladrite Radio theme song, “I’m Old-Fashioned.”

Happy birthday, Fred, wherever you are. And say hello to Ginger for us.

For more on Astaire, we recommend Trav S. D.’s overview of his life and career.

10 May 12 | Tags: classic Hollywood, classic musicals, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, movie classics, Rita Hayworth
| Cladrite Culture, Cladrite Movies, Cladrite Performers | Read on | Comments (0)

Sweet nothings, tenderly crooned

Though the greatest pleasure we take from the wonderful music we share with you on Cladrite Radio stems from the memorable melodies and toe-tapping rhythms, we also revel in the romantic imagery and well-turned phrases found in the lyrics of the day.

The lyrics Samuel M. Lewis wrote to accompany Abel Baer’s lovely melody in their 1934 song “Am I to Blame?” recently gave us reason to smile. They’re pleasing on the page, but when sung, they really come to life.

Am I to Blame?
Am I to blame for worshipping you
After so many goodbyes?
If I’m to blame for worshipping you,
Why was I born with two eyes?

Am I to blame for clinging to you,
Begging to share all your charms?
If I’m to blame for clinging to you,
Why was I born with two arms?

Sighing, sighing brings regret;
Every day is like the day before.
Trying, trying to forget
Only makes me want you more.

So am I to blame for loving you, dear?
I’m only playing my part.
If I’m to blame for loving you, dear,
Why was I born with a heart?

Lyrics by Sam M. Lewis/music by Abel Baer

“Am I to Blame?” was recorded by artists such as Ruth Etting, Greta Keller, and Victor Young and His Orchestra, but we’re offering Hal Kemp and His Orchestra‘s take on the song. Bob Allen handles the vocals.

Hal Kemp and His Orchestra, feat. Bob Allen—”Am I to Blame?”

09 May 12 | Tags: Abel Baer, Bob Allen, Greta Keller, Hal Kemp, Ruth Etting, Samuel M. Lewis, Victor Young
| Cladrite Composers, Cladrite Culture, Lyrics that make you go Hmmm | Read on | Comments (0)

Times Square Tintypes: Carl Laemmle

In this chapter from his 1932 book, Times Square Tintypes, Broadway columnist Sidney Skolsky profiles the man who built Universal Studios, Carl Laemmle. (It’s an appropriate time to feature this profile, given that Universal recently celebrated its 100th anniversary as a film-making entity.)

RELATIVELY SPEAKING

In 1880 a wide-eyed immigrant walked down the gangplank of a steamship and stepped into America. His only possessions were fifty dollars and dreams. Today he wears eyeglasses and the shower in his office has gold faucets. His name was and still is CARL LAEMMLE.

He is stocky but only five feet in height. Is known as the smallest giant in the motion picture industry.

Was born in Laupheim, Germany. Today he owns the seal of the city.

Almost every important motion picture star has worked for him at some time or other.

He had left the clothing business. Was about to open a “five and ten cent store,” when the crowds going into a nickelodeon attracted his attention. The man who formerly lectured on the fineness of buttonholes entered the motion picture business February 26, 1906. He opened the White Front movie house, admission five cents.

Is very kind and good-natured. In the middle of heart to heart talks, a favorite pastime with him, he always manages to say, “Isn’t it a pity that we can’t all be pleasant?”

Is proud of the fact that he made the first million-dollar picture, Foolish Wives. While it was being made he had no idea it would cost that much.

His hobby and the distraction of all his associates is his wholesale importation of relatives and friends from Germany. They are immediately given jobs in the home office, Universal City and the various branches. It has been estimated that if he were to put them on a pension of a million dollars annually he would be saving a fortune.

He talks with a German accent but uses correct grammar.

Is always taking some medicine for some imaginary ailment. His doctor told him to walk for exercise. He does. But he has his car trail him. After a two-block walk, he rides feeling just like an athlete.

He loves to be called “the old man” and “Uncle Carl.”

He never personally breaks his promise.

In Universal City general managers are changed to rapidly that they are known as “the officers of the day.”

His favorite eating places are Lindy’s in New York and Henry’s in Hollywood. Both are exactly alike. His happiest moments are spent there with a napkin tucked through the armholes of his vest and a plate of sauerbraten before him.

He never sits through an entire picture. Often falls asleep in the projection room. Has a committee in New York who tell him about the pictures being made on the West Coast.

Is very proud of his home town. Makes all his employees donate their old clothes. Sends them to poor people there. It’s known as the Laemmle-Lauphem Fund.

The part of a picture that interests him most is the title. Will discuss the title and take suggestions from everybody, including the butcher boy.

He never meets a prominent person without having the camera click.

Is a marvel with figures. Can tell you offhand how much they did in Siam the second week four years ago on any picture.

Has a special book in his office in which he makes his employees write what they think of him.

As the organization meeting nearly everyone wanted his name to be the name of the film company. Somewhat disgusted, he looked out of the window. Saw a white horse pulling a wagon labeled “Universal Pipe Fitting Company.” He named it “The Universal Film Manufacturing Company.”

His office must be larger than anyone else’s. His desk is made to order so he can reach it. Sits with one leg dangling over the arm of a gros-point chair. The office contains polished mirrors, two-toned taffeta draperies and looks like a boudoir.

To show his patriotism during the war he produced The Kaiser, The Beast of Berlin. This picture provoked such bitter feeling in Germany that the next time he visited Laupheim he had to run out of the town in the middle of the night disguised as a woman.

The last person to have his ear is the party whose advice he follows.

A man tried to sell My Sweetheart, an old-time favorite play, to him for a talkie. “What kind of play is it?” he asked.

“A pastoral drama,” the man replied.

Laemmle thought for a moment and then said: “I don’t think I can use that play. I don’t like to put preachers in my pictures. It’s bad for business.”

He likes to wear red carnations in his lapel.

His greatest accomplishment was breaking the motion picture trust, making it possible for independents to produce.

Fought the trust for over two years. The day before the United States Supreme Court was to render the decision he was called out of town on business. Left word for his lawyer to let him know the result immediately. Elated over the victory the lawyer became dramatic and wired: “Justice Triumphs.” To which Laemmle immediately wired back: “Appeal At Once.”

07 May 12 | Tags: Carl Laemmle, Henry's, Laupheim, Lindy's, Sidney Skolsky, Universal City, Universal Pictures
| Cladrite books, Cladrite Culture, Times Square Tintypes | Read on | Comments (0)

A dream that can be heard

Lyricist Lorenz Hart would be a spry 117 years old today, if he’d managed to stick around. He died far too young, at the tender age of 48 in 1943, and the loss was truly ours, for he had already penned words to accompany an astonishing array of classic melodies written by his partner in standards, Richard Rodgers—”Blue Moon,” “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “Manhattan,” “Where or When,” “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered,” “Falling in Love with Love,” “My Funny Valentine,” “I Could Write a Book,” “This Can’t Be Love,” “With a Song in My Heart,” “It Never Entered My Mind”—and who knows what additional musical magic he might have created, had he been given the chance?

One of our favorites, “Isn’t It Romantic?”, was written for the delightful 1932 musical, Love Me Tonight (1932), which was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starred Maurice Chevalier and Jeannette MacDonald. Enjoy the following clip, which presents the song as it first appears in the picture.

02 May 12 | Tags: Isn't It Romantic, Jeannette Macdonald, Lorenz Hart, Love Me Tonight, Maurice Chevalier, Richard Rodgers
| Cladrite Composers, Cladrite Culture | Read on | Comments (0)

Give a boy a June night,
Give a girl a song.
They'll be dancing in the moonlight
All night long.

---Dancing in the Moonlight, Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson, 1933