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The Nat King Cole Show
1956-57
By Jim Davidson
Posted 7/2005
Updated 3/28/2011
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As this newspaper ad proves, The Nat King Cole Show did have a
sponsor, if only a local one.
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"For 13 months, I was the Jackie
Robinson of television," wrote Nat King Cole in a revealing 1958 article
for Ebony magazine. "After a trail-blazing year that shattered all the
old bug-a-boos about Negroes on TV, I found myself standing there with the
bat on my shoulder. The men who dictate what Americans see and hear didn't
want to play ball."
The conventional wisdom about The Nat
King Cole Show is that it was the first network TV program hosted by an
African American, that NBC cancelled it after it failed to attract a sponsor,
and that potential advertisers were reluctant to sign on for fear that their
products would be boycotted by disgruntled Southerners. While based in fact,
none of these statements is exactly true.
At the time of his show's premiere, Nat
Cole was not merely one of the highest paid black people in America but one
of the most successful entertainers in the world, period. His gentle,
romantic style of singing endeared him to millions, and his record sales were
phenomenal. There was every reason to believe that a TV show starring Nat
King Cole would be a huge hit.
There was just one slight problem: with
legal segregation still in full force in the South and de facto segregation
in much of the rest of the country, TV was, with few exceptions, the
exclusive domain of white people. The rare television images of African
Americans tended to be dumb stereotypes like those seen on Amos 'n Andy
and Beulah. Even if some in the industry might have been inclined to
allow blacks to present themselves as intelligent and sophisticated, there
was no telling how the audience might react.
Black hosts had been tried before. Hazel
Scott (in 1950) and Billy Daniels (in 1952) had each starred in a short-lived
and quickly forgotten variety show. But Cole's program was the first hosted
by a star of his magnitude, and expectations were high.
It was obvious that, if Nat were
successful, it would open a lot of doors for other African American
entertainers. There was a whole host of big stars, both black and white, who
wanted to help and were willing to appear on the show for union scale. But
despite the stars and the show's high entertainment value, decent ratings
failed to materialize.
Had the ratings been higher, national
sponsors might have been willing to support the show. But the combination of
a relatively small audience and skittishness about viewer reaction kept them
away. While crediting NBC with keeping the show on the air, Cole felt
advertisers should have had more guts. "When we went on the air last
summer," he wrote, "two big companies were on the verge of buying.
But, at the last moment, somebody said, 'No, we won't take a chance.' Two
other sponsors turned us down cold. I won't call their names, but they were
big, very big. They turned us down and then lost money on inferior
shows."
Carter products, makers of Arrid deodorant
and Rise shaving cream, backed the show for a short time but soon pulled out.
In the absence of a national sponsor, NBC put together a patchwork of local
ones, including Rheingold Beer in New York, Gallo and Thunderbird Wines in
Los Angeles, Regal Beer in New Orleans, and Coca Cola in Houston. But despite
a major push, Cole and NBC just couldn't dispel the notion among big
advertisers that viewers would object to seeing blacks and whites on an equal
footing and that it would hurt the companies' sales - despite the fact that
none of the local sponsors had had a problem. "Madison Avenue [is] the
center of the advertising industry," Cole wrote, "and their big
clients didn't want their products associated with Negroes…Ad Alley thinks
it's still a white man's world."
It seems silly today, but Cole had to be
careful how he related to his guest stars. In the best show biz tradition, he
liked getting physical with his pals, often putting a friendly arm around
them. But he was mindful never to touch the white women on the show. It
wouldn't be an overstatement to say that in some parts of the country, even
at that late date, that would have been a lynching offense. Remember, it had
been just two years since the murder of Emmett Till.
That Cole was aware of the situation is
evident in this carefully worded statement: "We proved that a Negro star
could play host to whites, including women, and we proved it in such good
taste that no one was offended…I didn't bend over backwards, but I didn't go
out of my way to offend anyone." (Black women were another story. His
flirting with Eartha Kitt on the October 8, 1957 telecast got so steamy that,
at the close of the show, he felt the need to speak directly to his wife,
assuring her it was all in good fun.)
Despite the controversy behind the scenes,
there was little evidence of it on the show itself. Viewers simply saw and
heard some of the best entertainment television had to offer. Reviewing the
premiere, Variety foresaw "many pleasant quarter-hours to
come" and mentioned "the topgrade quality that's going into the
series." The New York Times called the show "a refreshing
musical diversion" with a host possessing "an amiable personality
that comes across engagingly on the television screen."
While NBC was willing to keep the show
going, Cole decided to call it quits after fourteen months on the air. Two
factors influenced his decision. First, the network wanted to move the show
from Tuesdays at 7:30 to Saturdays at 7:00. Nat felt the move wouldn't help
his ratings, since in some areas, the program would air at 6:00 or even 5:00.
The other reason was that he didn't feel comfortable asking his guest stars
to work for practically nothing. "You can wear out your welcome,"
he commented. "People get tired if you never stop begging."
When the show folded, Cole and NBC
expressed some optimism about reviving it if a national sponsor could be
found, but that never happened. The next African American to try hosting a
program was Sammy Davis Jr. in 1966, but low ratings forced him off the air
after less than four months. It wasn't until The Flip Wilson Show came
along in 1970 that a variety show hosted by a black entertainer became an
unqualified success.
But Nat King Cole was the trail blazer.
"I was the pioneer, the test case, the Negro first," he wrote.
"I didn't plan it that way, but it was obvious to anyone with eyes to
see that I was the only Negro on network television with his own show. On my
show rode the hopes and fears and dreams of millions of people." It was
a dream deferred, but one that eventually came true.
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Sources: TV listings in the Los
Angeles Times and New York Times, TV Guide (Northern
California Edition), Variety, Nat King Cole Shows Vol. 1-3
(Portuguese CD import), the J. David Goldin's GOLDINdex database, and the
episodes themselves. I've also consulted the article Cole wrote (with
Lerone Bennett Jr.) for the February 1958 issue of Ebony magazine,
the interview with Cole in the September 7, 1957 issue of TV Guide,
and the discography in the back of the Cole biography by James Haskins with
Kathleen Benson (Stein and Day, 1984). I'm grateful to Jerry Grefenstette
for the information and copies of episodes he provided and to Gary Helton,
station manager of WHFC-FM in Bel Air, MD, for correctly identifying the
bass player in the 11/12/1957 episode.
The Nat King Cole Show
Producer-Director: Jim Jordan, Bob Henry
Executive Producer: Carlos Gastel (Nat's manager)
Vocal Group: The Boataneers, The Eddie Beale Singers, The Herman McCoy
Singers, The Randy Van Horne Singers, The Jerry Graff Singers, The
Cheerleaders
Instrumental Accompaniment: Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra, Nelson Riddle
and his Orchestra
Theme Song: "Shadow Waltz"
Closing Theme: "It's Just About That Time Again" (from 11/5/1957
on)
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15-Minute Episodes (Monday 7:30-7:45
pm)
In the
mid-1950s, 15-minute TV shows weren't unusual. Networks usually split an
early-evening half hour into two halves - one for news and the other for an
entertainment show. In NBC's case, during the 1956-57 season, the 7:45-8:00
pm slot was filled by popular newsmen Huntley and Brinkley, while at 7:30-7:45,
viewers saw Eddie Fisher on Wednesday and Friday, Jonathan Winters on
Tuesday, Dinah Shore on Thursday, and Nat King Cole on Monday.
Information on these 15-minute Cole
episodes is somewhat sketchy, as I don't have copies of many of them. Because
the shows were so short and rarely had guest stars, TV listings in newspapers
and TV Guide usually didn't provide much information. In some cases, I
have airdates but no data; in others, I have data but can't pinpoint the
dates. What follows is the best I can do for now, until more details become
available.
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Series
#
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Season
#
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Airdate
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Guests,
Regulars, and Songs
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001
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1-01
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11/5/1956
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The Boataneers (4 men, 1
woman), Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
Songs: "Somebody Loves Me," "I've Grown Accustomed To Her
Face" (Nat), "Tea For Two" (Nat vocal/piano and Boataneers),
Memory Song: "Unforgettable" (Nat)
Note: Nat was appearing at the famous Copacabana in New York, so his first
half dozen shows originated from that city. This episode didn't air in Los
Angeles.
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002
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1-02
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11/12/1956
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The
Boataneers, Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
Songs: "This Can't Be Love" (Nat), "The End of a Beautiful
Friendship" (Nat and Boataneers), "C-U-B-A," Memory Song:
"Mona Lisa" (Nat)
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003
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1-03
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11/19/1956
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The Boataneers, Gordon
Jenkins and his Orchestra
Songs: "Thou Swell," "Night Lights," (Nat) "Two
Different Worlds" (Nat and Boataneers), "It's Only a Paper
Moon" (Nat vocal/piano and his combo), Memory Song: "Early
American" (Nat)
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004
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1-04
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11/26/1956
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The Boataneers, Gordon
Jenkins and his Orchestra
Announcer: Bill Hanrahan
Songs: "To the Ends of the Earth" (Nat and Boataneers), "My
Foolish Heart" (Nat), "Sweet Sue, Just You" (Nat and
Boataneers), "Stella By Starlight" (Nat on piano), "Love
Letters" (Nat and Boataneers), "Street of Dreams" (Jenkins
Orchestra)
Note: Nat does a mostly Victor Young program, in tribute to the songwriter
who passed away 16 days earlier.
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005
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1-05
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12/3/1956
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The Boataneers, Gordon
Jenkins and his Orchestra
Songs: "I'm Shooting High," "Autumn Leaves" (Nat),
"Just One Of Those Things" (Nat on piano), Memory Song:
"There Goes My Heart" (Nat)
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006
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1-06
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12/10/1956
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Unidentified vocal
group, Gordon Jenkins and his Orchestra
Songs: "Little Girl," Medley: "Repeat After
Me"/"True Love" (Nat and vocal group), "Too Marvelous
For Words" (Nat vocal/piano and his combo), Memory Song: "Too
Young" (Nat)
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007
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1-07
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12/17/1956
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The Eddie Beale Singers,
Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "When You're Smiling," (Nat and Beale Singers),
"Night Lights" (Nat), "Take Me Back to Toyland," (Nat
and Beale Singers), "Just in Time," Memory Song: "Somewhere
Along the Way" (Nat)
Note: With this episode, airing in color, Nat moved his show from New York
to Hollywood.
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008
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1-08
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12/24/1956
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Unidentified vocal group,
Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," "A House With Love
In It," "Mrs. Santa Claus," "Jingle Bells" (Nat
and vocal group), Memory Song: "The Christmas Song" (Nat),
"Silent Night" (vocal group)
Note: Nat's daughters Cookie (Carol) and Sweetie (Natalie) show up at the
close of the show.
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009
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1-09
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12/31/1956
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Nelson Riddle and his
Orchestra
Songs: "Almost Like Being in Love," "Route 66,"
"Love Me Tender," "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?"
(Nat)
Note: This show originated from Hollywood and aired in color.
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010
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1-10
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1/7/1957
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Unidentified vocal group,
unidentified orchestra
Songs: "Thou Swell," "You Stepped Out Of a Dream,"
"Two Different Worlds," "Crazy Rhythm"
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011
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1-11
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1/14/1957
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Stuff Smith, The Herman
McCoy Singers (4 men, 4 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Pick Yourself Up," "Somebody Loves Me,"
"Love Me Tender" (Nat) "I Know That You Know" (Nat and
his combo with Stuff), Memory Song: "A Little Street Where Old Friends
Meet"
Note: Violinist Stuff Smith was Nat's first guest. They had played together on Nat’s "After
Midnight" album, recorded in 1956.
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012
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1-12
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1/21/1957
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The Herman McCoy Singers
(3 men, 3 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Announcer: Vince Pelletier
Songs: "Just in Time" (Nat vocal/piano), "Jealous
Lover" (Nat and McCoy Singers), "You Are My First Love"
(Nat), "The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)" (Nat and McCoy Singers),
Memory Song: "Ballerina" (Nat)
Note: This episode was sponsored Carter Products, with commercials for
Arrid deodorant and Rise shaving cream. At the close of the show, Nat
announces that he'll be leaving the next day for New York City, where he'll
be appearing "this coming Wednesday" for one week at the
Paramount Theater.
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013
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1-13
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1/28/1957
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Count Basie, The
Boataneers (4 men, 1 woman), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Announcer: Bill Hanrahan
Songs: "I'm Sitting On Top of the World," "This Can't Be
Love" (Nat), "Namely You" (Nat and
Boataneers), "Lady
Be Good" (Nat sings and Basie plays piano, then Nat and Basie
alternate on piano), Memory Song: "September Song" (Nat and
Boataneers)
Note: Ella Fitzgerald was to have joined the guest roster but cancelled due
to illness. Nat tells viewers to watch 21 with Charles Van Doren, the
infamous quiz show and contestant soon caught up in one of the biggest
scandals in TV history. This
show originated from New York.
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014
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1-14
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2/4/1957
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Unidentified vocal
group, unidentified orchestra
Songs: "You're the Top," "But Not For Me," "You
Are My First Love" (Nat), "Just You, Just Me" (Nat
vocal/piano and his combo - probably John Collins, guitar; Charlie Harris,
bass; Lee Young, drums), Memory Song: "There Will Never Be Another
You" (Nat)
Note: Nat was appearing at The Tropicana in Havana for two weeks, and this
show originated from Miami. Nat mentions that his new sponsor is America's
largest-selling deodorant (probably Arrid).
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015
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1-15
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2/11/1957
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Unidentified vocal group,
Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "That's My Girl" (Nat), "Coquette," "True
Love" (Nat and vocal group), "Tea For Two" (Nat on piano),
Memory Song: "My Funny Valentine" (Nat)
Note: This show originated from Miami.
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016
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1-16
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2/18/1957
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The Boataneers (4 men, 1
woman), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "I'm Shooting High" (Nat), "Blueberry Hill" (Nat
and Boataneers), "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face,"
"Ballerina," Memory Song: "Pretend" (Nat)
Note: This show features commercials for Arrid and Rise.
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017
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1-17
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2/25/1957
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Unidentified vocal
group, Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Should I?" (Nat), "It All Depends On You,"
"Namely You" (Nat and vocal group), "This Is My Night To
Dream" (Nat vocal/piano with his combo), Memory Song:
"Unforgettable" (Nat)
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018
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1-18
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3/4/1957
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No details known
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019
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1-19
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3/11/1957
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No details known
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020
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1-20
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3/18/1957
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No details known
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021
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1-21
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3/25/1957
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Maria Cole (Nat's wife)
Song: "You're Getting To Be a Habit With Me" (Nat and Maria)
Note: This show originated from Hollywood. Maria Cole, under the name
"Marie Ellington," had a moderately successful career with Duke
Ellington (no relation) and as a solo singer.
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022
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1-22
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4/1/1957
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Song:
"Stardust"
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023
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1-23
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4/8/1957
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No details known
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024
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1-24
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4/15/1957
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No details known
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025
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1-25
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4/22/1957
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No details known
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026
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1-26
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4/29/1957
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No details known
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027
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1-27
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5/6/1957
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Songs: "Sweet
Lorraine," "Lucky Day," "Stay As Sweet As You Are"
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028
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1-28
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5/13/1957
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No details known
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029
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1-29
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5/20/1957
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No details known
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030
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1-30
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5/27/1957
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No details known
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031
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1-31
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6/3/1957
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No details known
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032
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1-32
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6/10/1957
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No details known
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033
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1-33
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6/17/1957
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No details known
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034
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1-34
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6/24/1957
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No details known
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I've been unable to assign airdates to the
following 15-minute episodes, but they undoubtedly fell on the "no
details known" dates above. Stan Kenton, Lurlean Hunter, and Harry
Warren (in that order) all guest starred after March 25, 1957.
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Series
#
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Season
#
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Airdate
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Guests,
Regulars, and Songs
|
|
|
|
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The Randy Van Horne
Singers (4 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "My Blue Heaven," "Old Folks" (Nat and Van Horne
Singers), "Down By the Old Mill Stream," (Randy Van Horne
Singers), "Kee-mo Ky-Mo" (Nat), "When Rock 'n Roll Came to
Trinidad," Memory Song: "Home" (Nat and Van Horne Singers)
Note: Nat dedicated this show "to every member of the American family
- yours and mine."
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The Randy Van Horne
Singers (3 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Lucky Day" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), "Stay As
Sweet As You Are" (Nat), "Sometimes I'm Happy" (Nat with
Combo - probably John Collins, guitar; Joe Comfort, bass; Lee Young,
drums), "Caravan" (Nat with Combo - same musicians plus Juan
Tizol, trombone; Jack Constanzo, bongos), Memory Song: "Shadow
Waltz" (Nat and Van Horne Singers)
Note: This show featured members of the backstage crew: Jim Kilgore
(lighting), Raoul Murphy (audio), Joe Conn (technical director), and Sid
Rushakoff (art director).
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Unidentified vocal
group, Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Chicago," "Where or When" (Nat and vocal
group), "Tea for Two" (Nat on piano), Memory Song: "There
Will Never Be Another You" (Nat)
Note: Nat was appearing at Chez Paree in Chicago and did this show from
that city. He shows the audience the June 1957 issue of Ebony
magazine which features an article about the movie China Gate (in
which Nat appears) and introduces a clip from it.
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Lurlean Hunter,
unidentified vocal group, unidentified orchestra
Song: "Muskrat Ramble" (Nat and vocal group), "Sweet
Lorraine" (Nat with combo), "It Never Entered My Mind"
(Lurlean), "Too Marvelous for Words" (Lurlean and Nat with Nat on
piano), Memory Song: "Love Letters" (Nat)
Note: This episode originated from Chicago
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The Randy Van Horne
Singers (3 men, 2 women), unidentified orchestra
Songs: "It Was Just One of Those Things" (Nat and Van Horne
Singers), "Easy to Love," "The Party's Over" (Nat),
"When Rock 'n Roll Came to Trinidad", Memory Song: "The Sand
and the Sea" (Nat and Van Horne Singers)
Note: Nat was appearing at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas but flew in to
Hollywood for his TV show.
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Harry Warren, The Randy
Van Horne Singers (3 men, 2 women), unidentified orchestra
Songs: "Lulu's Back in Town," "Lullaby of Broadway,"
"September in the Rain" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), "We're
in the Money" (Van Horne Singers with Harry at the piano), "With
Plenty of Money and You" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), Memory Song:
"You'll Never Know" (Nat)
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The Randy Van Horne
Singers (3 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" (Nat and vocal
group), "So Long, My Love," "Do I Love You Because You're
Beautiful?" (Nat), "Crazy Rhythm" (Nat vocal/piano and his
combo - probably John Collins, guitar; Charlie Harris, bass; Lee Young,
drums), Memory Song: "Red Sails in the Sunset" (Nat and vocal
group)
Note: In the show's opening, Nat announces that they'll be doing the show
"just as though we were coming to you from the Copa Room of the Sands
Hotel in Las Vegas, where I'm currently appearing."
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|
|
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Unidentified vocal
group, unidentified orchestra
Songs: "Almost Like Being in Love," "Anything Goes,"
"It's All in the Game" (Nat), "Where or When" (Nat and
vocal group), Memory Song: "Love is the Thing" (Nat)
Note: This episode appears to immediately follow the one above. The theme
is outdoor Las Vegas (as opposed to the previous week's Copa Room theme),
and the backdrop consists of films and still photos of that city's streets,
night clubs, and other sites.
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30-Minute Episodes (Tuesday, 10:00-10:30 pm)
In July 1957, NBC gave Nat a half
hour to work with and moved him to Tuesday nights. The hour was a bit late
for this kind of show, but both parties expressed optimism that a regular
national sponsor could be found. Variety liked seeing more of Nat but
felt the extra minutes gave him more time to clown around - something that
wasn't his forte. It wanted more music and less comedy.
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Series
#
|
Season
#
|
Airdate
|
Guests,
Regulars, and Songs
|
|
035
|
2-01
|
7/2/1957
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Frankie Laine, The Randy
Van Horne Singers (3 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "I'm Shootin' High" (Nat), "When Rock 'n Roll Came to
Trinidad" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), "It Only Happens
Once" (Excerpt) (Nat), "Without Him" (Frankie), "Love
Letters in the Sand" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), tongue-in-cheek
medley of "That's My Desire" (Frankie)/"Nature Boy"
(Nat)/"Rockin' Chair" (Frankie)/"By the River
Sainte-Marie" (Nat and Frankie)/"Mona Lisa" (Nat)/"On
the Sunny Side of the Street" (Frankie)/"Night Lights" (Nat)/"Be
a Clown" (Nat and Frankie), "I Get a Kick Out of You" (Nat
on piano), Memory Song: "Stay As Sweet As You Are" (Nat)
|
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036
|
2-02
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7/9/1957
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Mel Tormé, June Christy,
The Randy Van Horne Singers (3 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his
Orchestra
Songs: "Crazy Rhythm" (Nat and Van Horne Singers) "When I
Fall in Love" (Nat), "I Want To Be Happy" (June), "Send
For Me" (Nat, Van Horne Singers, and combo), "A Foggy Day"
(Mel), "Exactly Like You" (Mel on piano and drums), "Exactly
Like You" (Nat and Mel dancing), "How High the Moon" (June
on vocal, Nat on piano, Mel on drums, probably John Collins on guitar, Joe
Comfort on bass), Memory Song: "I'm in the Mood for Love" (Nat
and Van Horne Singers)
Note: Nat announces that in two weeks his guests will be Sammy Davis Jr.
and the Hi-Lo's.
|
|
037
|
2-03
|
7/16/1957
|
Pearl Bailey, Louis
Bellson, The Randy Van Horne Singers (3 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and
his Orchestra
Songs: "Breezin' Along With the Breeze," "My Personal
Possession" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), "You Came a Long Way
From St. Louis" (Pearl), "Around the World" (Nat and the Van
Horne Singers), "Non Dimenticar" (Pearl), "C-U-B-A"
(Nat), "Takes Two to Tango" (Pearl), Drum Solo (Louis), "I
Can't Rock 'n Roll to Save My Soul" (Pearl), Memory Song: "The
Nearness of You" (Nat and the Van Horne Singers)
Note: Nat announces that Sammy Davis Jr. and the Hi-Lo's will be coming up
in August and in two weeks his guests will be Robert Mitchum and the King
Sisters.
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|
|
|
7/23/1957
|
Pre-empted by "The
Big Issue," a debate about the then-current civil rights bill before
Congress
|
|
038
|
2-04
|
7/30/1957
|
Sammy Davis Jr., The
Hi-Lo's, The Randy Van Horne Singers (4 men, 4 women), unidentified
orchestra
Songs: "Taking a Chance on Love" (Nat and the Van Horne Singers),
"Maybe It's Because (I Love You Too Much)" (Nat), "I'm
Ridin' for the Moon," Dance Number (Sammy), "My Sugar is So
Refined" (the Hi-Lo's), "It's Only a Paper Moon" (Nat
singing and playing piano), "Somewhere Along the Way" (Nat and
Sammy), Comedy Sketch: "A Night in A Café" or "The Brother's
Return" (Nat and Sammy), Memory Songs: "Beyond the Blue
Horizon" and "Linger Awhile" (Nat, Sammy, the Hi-Lo's, the
Van Horne Singers)
Note: According to TV Guide, Robert Mitchum and The King Sisters
were to have guest starred, but it appears that Mitchum cancelled out and
the King Sisters were rescheduled for 8/20/1957.
|
|
039
|
2-05
|
8/6/1957
|
Harry Belafonte, The
Randy Van Horne Singers (4 men, 4 women), unidentified orchestra
Songs: "Love Is Sweeping the Country," "It's Not For Me To
Say" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), "Did You Hear About
Jerry," "Scarlet Ribbons" (Harry), "I Thought About
Marie" (Nat), Short versions of "Straighten Up and Fly
Right," "Nature Boy" (Nat), and "How High the
Moon" (Nat on piano, Harry on drums), "Island in the Sun"
(Harry), "Send For Me" (Nat and Harry), "Mama Look a Boo-Boo
Day" (Nat, Harry, and Van Horne Singers), Memory Song:
"Unforgettable" (Nat)
|
|
040
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2-06
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8/13/1957
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Lisa Kirk, Jimmie
Komack, The Randy Van Horne Singers, Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Valentine," "Pigalle," (Nat),
"Alouette" (Nat and four boys), "Mam'selle" (Nat),
"Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody" (Jimmie), "The
Paris Merry-Go-Round," "Hi-Lili Hi-Lo" (Lisa), "C'est
Si Bon" (Nat vocal/piano, Lisa and Jimmie), "La Seine" (Nat
and Van Horne Singers), Memory Song: "You Were Only Passing By"
(Nat)
Note: Nat and his guests salute Paris.
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041
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2-07
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8/20/1957
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Johnny Desmond, The King
Sisters, Alvino Rey
Songs: "When You're Smiling," "It All Depends On You"
(Nat), "Easy to Love" (The King Sisters), "Where or
When" (Nat), "I'll Be Seeing You" (Johnny), "Moonlight
in Vermont" (Alvino), "Consideration" (Johnny)
Note: This is the only 30-minute episode I don't have a copy of, so
information comes from TV Guide. In the previous episode, Nat
describes this as "a cavalcade of songs from the past thirty
years."
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042
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2-08
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8/27/1957
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Margaret Whiting, The
Merry Macs, The Randy Van Horne Singers (3 men, 2 women), unidentified
orchestra
Songs: "Another Opening, Another Show" (Nat and Van Horne
Singers), "Raintree County" (Nat), "Pop Goes the
Weasel" (The Merry Macs), "It Might As Well Be Spring"
(Margaret), "I'm Sitting On Top of the World" (Nat), "I'm
Forever Blowing Bubbles" (The Merry Macs), "Alone Together"
(Margaret), "Pretend" (Nat), "Chopsticks" (The Merry
Macs with Nat and Margaret on piano), Memory Song: "Shine On Harvest
Moon" (Nat)
Note: This was billed as The Nat King Cole Summer Theatre.
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043
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2-09
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9/3/1957
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Peggy Lee, Julius La
Rosa, The Randy Van Horne Singers, Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "It's a Good Day" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), "I'm
Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" (Nat), "My Heart
Stood Still" (Peggy), "With You On My Mind" (Nat and Van
Horne Singers - four men only), "Famous Last Words" (Julius),
"Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (Peggy), "That Old Black
Magic" (Julius), "How High the Moon" (Nat), "Makin'
Records" (sung to the tune of "Makin' Whoopee") (Nat, Peggy
and Julius), Memory Song: "There's a Gold Mine in the Sky" (Nat
and Van Horne Singers)
Note: This show's theme is records.
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044
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2-10
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9/10/1957
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Ella Fitzgerald, The
Four Lads, The Randy Van Horne Singers (3 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and
his Orchestra
Songs: "Pick Yourself Up" (Nat and Van Horne Singers),
"Anything Goes" (Nat), "Standing On the Corner,"
"The Eyes of God" (The Four Lads), "Fascination" (Nat),
"Goody Goody," "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"
(Ella), "It's All Right With Me" (Ella with Nat vocal/piano),
"You're the Top" (Ella and Nat), Memory Song: "Love Is the
Thing" (Nat)
Note: This is the first of four consecutive shows originating from the Copa
Room at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.
|
30-Minute Episodes (Tuesday, 7:30-8:00 pm)
When strong ratings failed to
materialize for Nat's new half-hour show, NBC tried moving him to an earlier
time slot in the fall of 1957. Unfortunately, that pitted him against Cheyenne
and Sugarfoot, two popular western shows that aired alternate weeks on
ABC. With no big national sponsor in sight, Nat decided to pull the plug at
the end of the year.
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Series
#
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Season
#
|
Airdate
|
Guests,
Regulars, and Songs
|
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045
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3-01
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9/17/1957
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Tony Martin, The
Sparkletones, The Jerry Graff Singers (2 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and
his Orchestra
Songs: "Lucky Day" (Nat and Graff Singers), "An Affair to
Remember" (Nat), "Rocket," "Black Slacks" (The
Sparkletones), "It's All in the Game" (Nat), "At Last"
(Tony and Graff Singers), "Manhattan" (Tony and Nat), "On
the Sunny Side of the Street" (Nat vocal/piano and Tony
vocal/clarinet), Memory Song: "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" (Nat and
Graff Singers), "Shadow Waltz" (Nat), "I'll See You In My
Dreams" (Tony)
Note: This show originated from the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.
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046
|
3-02
|
9/24/1957
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Gogi Grant, dance trio
The Dunhills, The Copa Girls, The Jerry Graff Singers (2 men, 2 women),
Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Who Cares," "Soft Sands" (Nat and Graff
Singers), "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "It's a
Wonderful Thing To Be Loved" (Gogi), "With You On My Mind"
(Nat and Graff Singers), "Blue Skies" (The Dunhills), "Tea
for Two" (Nat and The Dunhills), Memory Song: "Mona Lisa"
(Nat)
Note: This show originated from the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Gogi Grant
did the singing for The Helen Morgan Story.
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047
|
3-03
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10/1/1957
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Tony Bennett, The
Beachcombers with Natalie, unidentified orchestra; cameo by Jane Russell
Songs: "Little Girl," "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write
Myself a Letter" (Nat), "In the Middle of an Island,"
"I Am" (Tony), "Raintree County" (Nat), "It Must
Be True" (The Beachcombers with Natalie), "Muskrat Ramble"
(The Beachcombers with Natalie plus Nat, Tony, bassist Charlie Harris, and
drummer Lee Young), Memory Song: "Star Dust" (Nat)
Note: In honor of his 47th episode, Nat's guests handle the introductions.
This show originated from the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Jane Russell, the
star who will succeed Nat at the hotel's Copa Room, comes on at the end of
the show. Charlie Harris and Lee Young were members of Nat's combo.
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048
|
3-04
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10/8/1957
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Eartha Kitt, The Jerry
Graff Singers (2 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "I'm Just Breezin' Along With the Breeze," "It's Not
For Me To Say" (Nat and Graff Singers), "Just an Old Fashioned
Girl" (Eartha), "My One Sin" (Nat), "My Heart Belongs
To Daddy" (Eartha), "The Sheik of Araby" (Eartha and Nat),
Memory Song: "Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much" (Nat)
Note: This show originated from Hollywood. At the time, Nat and Eartha were
shooting the film St. Louis Blues.
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049
|
3-05
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10/15/1957
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Norman Granz' Jazz at
the Philharmonic (JATP) featuring Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Coleman Hawkins,
Stan Getz, Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips (tenor saxophone), Oscar
Peterson (piano), Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass), Jo Jones (drums);
Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "It's Only a Paper Moon" (Nat with Riddle Orchestra; sax
solo by Phillips), "Sweet Lorraine" (Nat with Hawkins, Peterson,
Ellis, and Brown), "C Jam Blues" (Phillips, Jacquet, Eldridge,
Peterson, Ellis, Brown, and Jones), "I Want To Be Happy" (Nat on
piano with Ellis, Brown, Jones, Eldridge, and Getz), "With You On My
Mind" (Nat with Phillips, Jacquet, and Riddle Orchestra),
"Stompin' at the Savoy" (Nat with Getz, Hawkins, Eldridge,
Peterson, Ellis, Brown, and Jones), Memory Song: "Tenderly" (Nat
with Peterson, Ellis, Brown, and Riddle Orchestra), "Shadow
Waltz" (JATP), "Shadow Waltz" (Nat on piano with Riddle
Orchestra)
Note: Impresario Norman Granz acts as co-emcee with Nat, helping him
introduce the numbers. Granz' first JATP concert on July 2, 1944 featured
Nat on piano. At the end of "Stompin' at the Savoy," the horns
play the melody to Coleman Hawkins' "Spotlite." Leading into the
"memory song" segment, the melody to "Memories" is
played by Hawkins, rather than sung by a vocal group.
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050
|
3-06
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10/22/1957
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Cab Calloway, Hugh
O'Brian, The Randy Van Horne Singers (4 men), unidentified orchestra
Songs: "I'm Shooting High," "Don't Move," "My
Personal Possession" (Nat and Van Horne Singers), "Home on the
Range" (Nat), "It Ain't Necessarily So" (Cab), "Don't
Fence Me In" (Nat and Cab), "The Calloway Boogie" (Cab),
"California, Here I Come" (Nat on piano), Memory Song: "Give
a Thought" (Nat)
Note: O'Brian is billed as Nat's "surprise guest," with the only
clue being that he's one of TV's biggest western stars. Not surprisingly,
this show has a western theme. O'Brian had just released a vocal album and
Nat sings "Don't Move" from that album.
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051
|
3-07
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10/29/1957
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Johnny Mercer, The
Cheerleaders (2 men, 2 women), unidentified orchestra
Songs: "I'm Sitting On Top of the World" (Nat), "Dream"
(Nat and Cheerleaders), "Send For Me" (Johnny), "My Heart
Reminds Me" (Nat vocal/piano), "Save the Bones For Henry
Jones" (Nat vocal/piano with Johnny), Mercer Medley (Cheerleaders),
Memory Song: "Autumn Leaves" (Nat)
Note: Singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer was one of the founders of Capitol
Records, Nat's label. Johnny tells the audience that Nat will appear on
Edward R. Murrow's Person to Person show the following Friday night,
which would make it November 1, 1957.
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052
|
3-08
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11/5/1957
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Cornel Wilde, Peggy
King, Michel Ray, Billy Preston, The Cheerleaders (2 men, 2 women),
unidentified orchestra, dixieland combo with Teddy Buckner (trumpet),
Barney Bigard (clarinet), George Washington (trombone), Gerry Wiggins
(piano), Art Edwards (bass), Lee Young (drums)
Songs: "Who Cares" (Nat and Cheerleaders),
"Fascination" (Nat), "Careless Love" (Nat and Combo),
"When I Fall In Love" (Nat), "Billy's Boogie" (Billy on
organ), "Blueberry Hill" (Nat and Billy on vocal/organ), Memory
Song: "St. Louis Blues," "It's Just About That Time
Again" (Nat)
Note: Nat uses some of the actual sets from his upcoming movie St. Louis
Blues, in which he plays songwriter W. C. Handy. A future music star
himself, 11-year-old Billy Preston, who in the film plays Handy as a boy,
sings and plays the organ. Also on hand are movie stars Wilde, King, and
Ray, plugging their own pictures. They each give Nat a cake and presents
for his daughters Sweetie (Carol) and Cookie (Natalie). Nat announces that
this is the first anniversary of his show and debuts his new closing theme,
"It's Just About That Time Again."
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|
053
|
3-09
|
11/12/1957
|
Mahalia Jackson, The
Cheerleaders (2 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Button Up Your Overcoat" (Nat and Cheerleaders),
"Raintree County" (Nat), "Diga Diga Doo" (Nelson and
Orchestra), "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" (Mahalia),
"Steal Away To Jesus" (Mahalia and Nat), Medley: "I Feel a
Song Comin' On" (Nat and Cheerleaders)/"I Hear Music"
(Cheerleaders)/"It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing"
(Nat)/"True Love" (Nat)/"Kingston Town"
(Cheerleaders)/"Jailhouse Rock" (Nat)/"Down By the River
Side" (Mahalia)/"Sing, Sing, Sing"/"The Song Is Ended
(But the Melody Lingers On)" (Nat and Cheerleaders), Memory Song:
"My Heart Stood Still" (Nat)
Note: Orchestra leader and arranger Nelson Riddle is one of the featured
guests and Nat introduces him and his copyists. My best guess is that the
orchestra soloists are Conrad Gozzo (trumpet) and Buddy Collette (tenor
saxophone). The bassist is Charlie Harris (of the King Cole Trio), and
ex-Duke Ellington sideman Juan Tizol can be seen in the trombone section.
Mahalia Jackson was featured in Nat's then-current movie St. Louis Blues.
Nat introduces The Cheerleaders individually as Tom, Patty, Donna, and Don.
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054
|
3-10
|
11/19/1957
|
Ella Fitzgerald, The
Cheerleaders (2 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Roll Out the Barrel" (Nat and Cheerleaders), "All
the Way" (Nat vocal/piano), "The Lady Is a Tramp,"
"Perdido" (Ella), "Where or When" (Nat and
Cheerleaders), "Dancing on the Ceiling" (Ella), "Too Close
For Comfort" (Nat and Ella), Memory Song: "Unforgettable"
(Nat)
Note: Ella Fitzgerald was featured in Nat's then-current movie St. Louis
Blues.
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|
|
|
11/26/1957
|
Pre-empted by "The
Pied Piper of Hamelin" starring Van Johnson (Film). Nat was appearing
in Australia this week.
|
|
055
|
3-11
|
12/3/1957
|
Betty Hutton, The
Cheerleaders (2 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "I Want To Be Happy" (Nat and Cheerleaders), "April
Love, " "I Am In Love" (Nat), "Now That I Need
You" (Betty), "Tea For Two" (Nat on piano), Medley:
"Mona Lisa" (Betty)/"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief"
(Nat)/"Answer Me, My Love" (Betty)/"His Rocking Horse Ran
Away" (Nat)/"Orange Colored Sky" (Nat and Betty),
"Anything You Can Do," "That Old Soft Shoe" (Nat and
Betty), Memory Song: "Once In a While" (Nat)
Note: In a lighthearted medley, Nat and Betty sing each other's hits and
finish up with a duet on "Orange Colored Sky," a song recorded by
both.
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|
056
|
3-12
|
12/10/1957
|
The Mills Brothers, The
Cheerleaders (2 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "Love Is Sweeping the Country" (Nat and Cheerleaders),
"Sayonara" (Nat), "Glow Worm," "I Believe In Santa
Claus" (Mills Brothers), "Three Blind Mice" (Riddle Orchestra's
trombone section), "Lullaby of the Leaves" (Nat and trombones),
Medley: "I Want To Be Happy" (Nat)/"I'm the Guy" (Mills
Brothers)/"If I Had You" (Nat)/"If I Had My Way" (Mills
Brothers)/"I'll String Along With You" (Nat)/"I'll Be
Around" (Mills Brothers)/"Sweet Lorraine" (Nat)/"Sweet
Adeline" (Mills Brothers and Nat), "Opus One" (Nat, Mills
Brothers, Cheerleaders, trombone section), Memory Song: "These Foolish
Things Remind Me Of You" (Nat)
Note: As a change of pace, Nat features Nelson Riddle's trombone section
(Harold Dina, Juan Tizol, and Russell Brown) on a couple of numbers. In a
medley, Nat and The Mills Brothers sing their hits with similar titles.
|
|
057
|
3-13
|
12/17/1957
|
Billy Eckstine, The
Cheerleaders (2 men, 2 women), Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra
Songs: "When You're Smiling" (Nat and Cheerleaders), "The
Party's Over" (Nat), "If I Can Help Somebody" (Billy),
"A Blossom Fell" (Nat), "Life Is Just a Bowl of
Cherries" (Billy with Nat vocal/piano), "Rosetta" (Nat
vocal/piano and Billy vocal/trumpet/jazzophone with Nat's combo), Memory
Song: "The Christmas Song" (Nat)
Note: The rather peculiar-looking instrument Billy plays on
"Rosetta" is called a jazzophone, which sounds like a trombone,
has valves and a mouthpiece like a brass instrument, but is shaped like a
saxophone. At the close of this, Nat's last show, a crawl lists all of the
guests who were featured on the program, in the order in which they
appeared.
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Replaced by the quiz
show Treasure Hunt with Jan Murray
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Copyright 2005-2011 by Jim Davidson. All Rights
Reserved.
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