TV Reunites Crosby Ork for Joe Sullivan Story'

TV Reunites Crosby Ork Big Musicals Are Planned For Joe Sullivan Story' Hollywood--They say you can’t turn back the clock, but for a group of mu By Both Nets sicians from the old Bob Crosby band and persons dost to them, it really hap pened for an hour or so on the night of Aug. 4. That was the night on which New York—Fall program schedules Crosby and eight former Bob Cats were reunited here to portray themselves in a for both CBS and NBC-TV indicate televisual retelling of the story of the that more musicals will be presented band’s famous pianist, Joe Sullivan, during the 1955-’56 season than in pre and his victory over a two-year bout Guy Mitchell On First vious years. with tuberculosis in the mid-’SOs. British Commercial TV The Producer* Showcase, a Monday The story, entitled One-Night Stand, night NBC presentation, ia planning was written by Crosby and Gil Rodin, London—A (for Advertising)—Day four programs with musical themes in alto sax and actual leader of the Bob dawn? on British television viewers in cluding a musical version of Owr Town Crosby band, a co-op unit. Presented as September. The first American name (Sept. 19); Sadler’s Wells Ballet (Dec. an episode in the CBS-TV Climax performer to appear on British com 12); Peter Pan (Jan. 9), and Music series, it was more factual than any mercial TV will be Guy Mitchell. for the Millions, an S. Hurok produc thing of this kind to date, and came Mitchel), currently touring Britain, tion featuring concert artists (on Jan. closer to catching an authentic dance will be seen on Sunday Night at the 30). Max Liebman, producer of the band atmosphere than any similar at London Palladium Sept. 25, co-starring NBC-TV Saturday night “spectacu tempt in films, radio, or TV. with Gracie Fields. A later possibility lars," has scheduled a musical adapta Ex-Bob Cats Bob Haggart and Billy for one of the British commercial chan tion of Heidi (Oct. 1) and Babes in Butterfield were flown out from New nels is a Liberace series on film. Toy land for Christmas Eve (Dec. 24). York. Those for whom Hollywood is CBS, now planning a new Saturday now home were Eddie Miller, Matty Zurke role was Paul Smith. Scatman night series of 90-minute shows for Matlock, Nappy Lamare, Charlie Tea Crothers was effective in a brief ap this fall, will have two musicals with garden, and Warren Smith. All par pearance as a blues-singer and friend Bing Crosby und one with Mary Mar ticipated in the drama, and very good of Sullivan. tin and Noel Coward. There will also drama it was. Adding to the emotional impact for be a Paul Gregory production of The The role of Gil Rodin, who did not those who were present at the CBS tele Big Banjo, a revue based on the min appear, was played by actor Bob vision studios during the actual produc strel tradition. SweeneV. Drummer Ray Bauduc, on tion was the presence in the monitor’s Both networks are negotiating for tour with Jack Teagarden, was un booth of the former Mary Ann Sullivan the service? of Irving Berlin. CBS available; his role wus enacted by (portrayed by Cloris Leachman). Fol would like him to produce a musical drummer Jack Sperling, who like Mil lowing the pianist’s recovery, the Sul about noldier show's of the two world ler and some of the others, is now a livans were divorced. Mary Ann is now wars, while NBC is interested in con regular on Bob Crosby’s afternoon TV happily remarried to Stanley Nash, u tracting him for one of their *'spectac ulars.” series. Hollywood businessman. They have Another important real-life character two children, and JoeV son, Mike, is who did not appear was Bob Zurke, a college student. Mrs. Nash, deeply who took Sullivan’s place during his moved, broke into tears several times íIImss. Zurke died here some years ago during the performance. But she joined .liter a long engagement at Holly happily in the party presented for her, wood’s Hangover club. The excellent the reunited Boh Cats, and their friends portrayal of the talented but eccentric after the program. New York--A new addition to the Zurke by actor Donald Buka was one Sullivan, hale and hearty since his jazz library, Jazz Unlimited, is sched of the highlights of the production. The recovery, and highly successful us a uled for fall publication. The book, de piano music for the Sullivan role, well nightclub soloist, was in San Francisco scribed as a “photographic essay on acted by John Forsythe, was played by at the time of the telecast. jazz,” will combine the pictures of Rob Ray Sherman; the pianist for the ert Parent with text by Al Collins of NBC and his wife, Shirley Hoskins Col lins. Producer of the book is Paul Werth, currently affiliated with Bethle hem Reroras. Parent is a veteran '-jazz photog rapher, many of whose pictures have appeared in Down Beat und tb< New York Times. Publisher of the book was not yet set at presstime. j New York—Vox Records is about to release a unique drum disc to be c^Jed Spotlight on Percuninon. The record is a documentation on percussion instru ments with Kenny Clarke representing jazz on one side, and Arnold Goldberg illuminating classical percussion on the other. The package, which will retail for $6.95, was written and produced by Vox executive Ward Botsford and Matty Matlock. Bob Creaky, actor Bob Sweeney, nnd Eddie Miller in rehearsal. is narrated by Al Collins. Down Bent.

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