FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Fireworks & FRESH AIR for Frank

Today, we are taking a look and a listen to some splendid performances of material written by Frank Loesser, the Broadway composer/lyricist best-known for his musicals GUYS & DOLLS and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING as well as Hollywood songs like "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (which won an Oscar) and "Heart and Soul". He won 2 Tony Awards for Best Musical and HOW TO SUCCEED won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama - or, as Loesser candidly called it, "the Putz-ular Prize" - and his work is some of the jazziest and jauntiest ever to grace the boards. With some help from Michael Feinstein, Bette Davis, Bob Hope, Doris Day and Loesser himself we have some fantastic fireworks of melody and merriment to enjoy this July 4th weekend thanks in no small part to Frank!

A Real Putz-ular Prize

Frank Loesser's 100th birthday would have been this Tuesday and for a thorough rundown and reflection on his life and career be sure to check out this week's SOUND OFF SPECIAL where we take a look at the new Sony Masterworks Broadway release HEART AND SOUL which features many of his classic songs in their very best versions available on record as well as the best of his other cast recordings and soundtrack songs. Although Loesser won two Tony Awards for Best Musical, for both GUYS & DOLLS and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, and a Best Song Oscar for "Baby, It's Cold Outside" from NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER, the most unlikely prize he ever received was perhaps the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, which Loesser theretofore referred to in his inimitable manner, "the Putz-ular Prize" revealing his disregard for awards and adulation. He worked because he loved what he did. And very, very few did it better than Loesser. Sample some of the songs below and see!

Michael Feinstein appeared on NPR's FRESH AIR with Terry Gross in honor of Loesser's centennial this Tuesday and the podcast contains a lively and fascinating conversation between the affable Gross and the walking American Songbook encyclopedia otherwise known as Michael Feinstein. It is not to be missed, for fans of Broadway, Hollywood, Gershwin, Loesser or anyone even remotely interested in the history of the popular song in America in the twentieth century.

Of particular interest to film and theatre fans over the course of this generous and appreciably near-garrulous chat is a recording of Bette Davis performing a song by Loesser and Arthur Schwartz from a film musical, THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS, titled "They're Either Too Young Or Too Old". Davis sings far better - and with a much more appealing and expressive voice and tone - than you may have ever imagined possible from that great dame!

Also, don't miss Bob Hope and Shirley Ross singing the classic duet "Two Sleepy People" (music: Hoagy Carmichael) from the film musical THANKS FOR THE MEMORY.

The true piece de la resistance is without a doubt the surprise treat at the half-hour mark: Feinstein premieres an exceedingly obscure recording of Doris Day and Loesser himself duetting on a particularly lilting and lovely song written especially for the occasion of the radio program it premiered on. Enjoy this and the rest... but, then again, how could you possibly not?!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128169934&ft=1&f=13

That's all for this week. Please remember that if you have discovered a particularly thrilling, unique, bizarre or hilarious Broadway-related clip to please send us a line at the link below. Until next week...