John Dunning: On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, Oxford University Press, 1998. Ava Gardner: Ava: My Story, Bantam Books, ROCKY FORTUNE 1990. J. David Goldin: Rocky Fortune (web page), Program Guide by Derek Tague RadioGOLDINdex www.radiogoldindex.com, January 21, 2013 updated version. Following the lead of movie stars like Alan Ladd, James Stewart, Humphrey Gros. (pseudonym): Radio Review: Rocky Fortune, Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) took advantage of an early Variety, October 14, 1953. 1950’s trend in which established film icons took on the world of transcribed Kitty Kelley: His Way: The Unauthorized Biography radio drama. No stranger to the airwaves, Frank was known for his 1940’s musical of Frank Sinatra, Bantam Books, 1986. radio showcases such as Songs by Sinatra and Your Hit Parade. His renowned Anthony Tollin: 60 Greatest Old-Time Radio Shows versatility helped him transition to the dynamics of radio drama, just as he had Starring Frank Sinatra and Friends (companion already transformed himself from the crooning idol of war-era bobbysoxers into booklet to boxed set), Radio Spirits, 2000. Frank Sinatra a genuine and respectable movie actor. Joel Whitburn: Joel Whitburn’s Billboard Pop Hits Singles & Albums, 1940 -- 1954, Record Research, Inc., 2002. But, none of it was really as simple as Old Blue Eyes made it look. Mason Wiley and Damien Bona: Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards, Tenth Anniversary Edition, Ballantine Books, 1996. The Chairman of the Board had been experiencing a run of bad luck in the early Earl Wilson: Sinatra: An Unauthorized Biography, Macmillan Publishing Co., 1950’s, ranging from movie flops to problems with the IRS. At MGM, Frank Inc., 1976. had been commanding a salary of $150,000 per picture, but that all came to a Stewart Wright: Rocky Fortune (web page), Thrilling Detective website www. crashing halt when he was fired by studio mogul Louis B. Mayer for allegedly thrillingdetective.com, Fall/Winter 2012 updated version. having made a wisecrack at the expense of Mayer’s main squeeze, big band singer Ginny Simms. Sinatra also incurred the wrath of the public when he divorced DEREK TAGUE is an accomplished popular culture author and researcher, Nancy Barbato in favor of the glamorous Ava Gardner. Frank’s two-year foray old-time radio historian, comedy writer, Braille transcriber, audio-book engineer, into television variety shows came to an end when The Frank Sinatra Show was and recognized authority on the use of proper pronunciation. He has previously cancelled in 1952, the written about Jack Benny, It Pays to Be Ignorant, Abbott and Costello, The Life same year that Columbia of Riley, Red Skelton, Fibber McGee and Molly, and Edgar Bergen/Charlie Records dropped him McCarthy. after a decade-long run of over seventy appearances on the Billboard Top 30. Having lost the services of www,RadioSpirits.com producer Axel Stordahl, PO Box 1315, Little Falls, NJ 07424 1953 started out to be just as rocky as the name of © 2013 RSPT LLC. All rights reserved. For home use only. Sinatra’s radio character. Unauthorized distribution prohibited. Then, he was signed by Capitol Records, where Program Guide © 2013 Derek Tague and RSPT LLC. All Rights Reserved. he began his decades- 45702 long collaboration with producer Nelson Riddle who came to down a charging bull, and commandeering a define the sound of Frank’s mature performing mule in his attempts to bring the bad years. And, then came From Here to guys to justice! The supporting cast includes Eternity. Dan Riss, Marian Richman, Don Diamond, and Tony Barrett. Written by Ernest Kinoy. Sinatra practically had to beg Columbia honcho Harry Cohn for a chance to CD 7B: “The Museum Murder” – 01/19/1954 screen-test for the secondary role of While driving a Manhattan tour bus, tour guide “Maggio” in the film adaptation of the Rocky loses a female passenger. She is soon James Jones literary classic. Thanks to found murdered at the Museum of Ancient expert negotiations by his new agent History. This episode, featuring a PSA for Radio Abe Lastfogel, and the fortuity of Free Europe and its anti-Communist “Crusade character actor Eli Wallach having to for Freedom,” co-stars June Foray, Gloria Dick Beals is heard in “Pintsized Payroll Bandit” drop out of the production, Frank won Grant, Barney Phillips, Dick Beals, and Dan and “The Museum Murder.” the coveted role for the paltry sum of Riss. Directed by Howard Wylie. $8,000, far less than the salary he had Sinatra (right) with From Here to Eternity co-stars Montgomery earned for glory days hits like Anchors CD 8A: “Hauling Nitro” – 01/26/1954 Clift (left) and Burt Lancaster (center) Aweigh and On the Town. Eternity Rocky takes a job driving high explosives cross-country, and picks up a would- opened to rave reviews in August 1953, but it took a while before Ol’ Blue Eyes be starlet hitchhiker. So far, so good. So, how does he find himself at the mercy would reap any benefits from its universal acclaim. of “Mike, the Butcher,” a fugitive robber and murderer? This episode, featuring a PSA for The March of Dimes’ fight against polio, co-stars Frank Gerstle, Lynn In the meantime, there was Rocky Fortune, created by veteran radio scribe George Allen, Bill Justine, Howard Culver, Jack Carroll, and Maurice Hart. Lefferts who was best known for his expert work adapting modern-day science fiction short stories into scripts for X Minus One. Debuting to tepid reviews in CD 8B: “The Football Fix” – 02/02/1954 early October 1953, Fortune did manage to hold on for 26 weeks. Variety referred Rocky is hired by a professional quarterback who wishes to resist the strong arm to Frank as “a skinny Sam Spade,” and further hinted at the show’s Hammett- tactics of a crooked gambler who is trying to get him to throw the big game. The inspired derivativeness by saying that Sinatra “tells his story in similar hard- supporting cast includes Bert Holland, Lou Krugman, Ted Von Eltz, Maurice boiled first-person narrative.” However, later in this inaugural review,Variety did Hart, Joe Forte, Vivi Janiss, Eddie Fields, Lee Millar, and Jack Mather. Written seem to praise the ever likeable lead actor by admitting that “as Sinatra played by Doc Stanford. it, it turned out to be fun.” However, radio historian John Dunning wrote that it was “an undistinguished low-budget affair. Even Sinatra sounded bored with NOTE: Rocky sings a couple of bars of his portrayer’s hit single “I’ve Got the it.” One could argue about whether Sinatra slept-walk through the scripts or was World on a String.” playing nonchalant for effect. However, there’s no question that he rises above BIBLIOGRAPHY: any perceived mediocrity thanks to a supporting cast made up of some of the Author uncredited: Twice Weekly: Sinatra Gets Second NBC Radio Series, greatest radio actors in both New York and Hollywood. The Billboard, October 17, 1953. Frank Bresee and Bobb Lynes: Radio’s Golden Years: A Visual Guide to the In the premiere episode of Rocky Fortune, the listener is welcomed with an air Shows and the Stars, Frank Bresee Productions, 1998. of assumed familiarity as announcer Eddy King intones a simple introduction: Steve Darnall: Frank’s Wild Years, Nostalgia Digest, June/July 1999. “Frank Sinatra, transcribed, as ‘Rocky Fortune.’” In the early episodes, he is Jim Cox: Radio Crime Fighters: Over 300 Programs from the Golden Age, introduced as “that footloose and frequently unemployed young gentleman.” McFarland & Company, Publishers, Inc., 2002. This was soon modified to the less cynical “footloose and fancy free.” We learn 2 7 awareness, co-stars Bryna Raeburn, David Pfeffer, quickly that he works for the Gridley Employment Agency, which oversees most Bill Griffiths, Kent Williams, Leon Janney, and of his short-lived assignments. Beyond that, however, it is left to us to piece Mason Adams. Directed by Fred Weihe. together Rocky’s back story for ourselves from the occasional references to his past that were made throughout the show’s comparatively short run. CD 5B: “Companion to a Chimp” – 12/15/1953 Rocky’s latest job, as a “valet” to television celebrity Born Rocco Fortunato, there never seems to be any explanation about why or chimpanzee “G. Godfrey Jigs,” is cut short when when he shortened it to the Runyon-esque “Rocky Fortune.” Rocky grew up the star simian is kidnapped for ransom as part of a an orphan somewhere along New York City’s 11th Avenue, probably in a rough publicity stunt and the impresario who hired Rocky and rundown section like Hell’s Kitchen. Once, while taking a gig as a bass winds up dead. Jean Bates, Alice Backes, Jerry fiddle player, he reminisces back to having been a curly-haired kid coerced by his Hausner, Herb Vigran, Nestor Paiva, Gloria Ann maiden aunts into taking violin lessons. We learn, in this collection’s episodes, Simpson, and Barney Phillips co-star. The PSA for that he is a veteran in his early 30’s who had been a “PFC (private first class) this episode is on behalf of Christmas Seals (American with a bazooka” at the Battle of the Bulge. We also learn that Rocky lives in Leon Janney is heard in “Carnival One Way.” Lung Association) for the fight against tuberculosis. Apartment 2-B of a tenement house on (the fictitious) Bleeckman Street. NOTE: The name “G. Godfrey Jiggs” is an obvious send-up of celebrity chimp “J. Technically not a detective, Rocky Fortune seems to run afoul of the law as Fred Muggs,” a fixture on the early 1950’s version of NBC-TV’sThe Today Show.