"Arthur Godfrey Time" circa 1958

[electra225]

My grandmother never missed an Arthur Godfrey program. He was on TV and radio back in his day. Even when he fired Julius LaRosa, grandma stood by him. He was a piece of work personally, but you can't discount his ability as an entertainer. He had a pretty good studio band. I think the guy playing the trombone is his "musical director" Archie Blayer. I ran across this video and just HAD to share with you guys....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3yt9ITgw18

[TC Chris]

I am just old enough to remember the kerfuffle when he fired Julius L. Our standards for outrage have changed since then.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

Firing "Julie" was a big deal. Andy Rooney called it one of the worst broadcasting blunders of all time. Right up there with Roone Arledge firing Lawrence Welk in 1971. Godfrey was jealous of LaRosa's success. He allegedly had the approval of CBS brass, but we all knows what happens when "it" hits the fan. The public turned on Godfrey and the firing was essentially the beginning of the end for him. Alleged to be arrogant and hard to work with, I still respect his abilities. I think LaRosa went to work for Ed Sullivan, which was another smack in the chops to Godfrey.

In 1946, Godfrey recorded "The Too-Fat Polka". This recording sold more records than all his more famous recordings put together. Godfrey hated the song. Mitch Miller was the AR man at Columbia in those days and he LOVED silly little novelty songs. Rosemary Clooney hated Mitch Miller with a passion. Her recording of "Come On-A My House" was a huge hit for her, but she despised the song. She left Columbia and signed with RCA on the condition they let her sing "real" songs. They wouldn't let "Too Fat Polka" get within 20 miles of a broadcast station today, but it was a huge deal when I was a kid. Frankie Yankovic recorded it and had a hit. Later, he and Drew Carey recorded it. Yeah, the "Price is Right" Drew Carey. Drew is a pretty fair accordian player. "I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover" and "The Thousand Island Song" is the Godfrey record I have. I have some of his material on CD, but it's not easy to find on LP's.

Archie Blayer may not have been the premier trombone player of the era, but, with the aid of several mutes, he made the trombone sound different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h-a9cv ... rt_radio=1

[Conelrad]

I have a 1950 78rpm direct to disc broadcast record by Godfrey, "Candy & Cake".

Playing with a period-correct mono system, He is standing right in front of you.

D

[electra225]

Maybe it's just me, but I think some of the later 78's, after the war, recorded on tape, sound better than some of the early LP's did. I'm not familiar with the sound of direct-to-disc 78's, don't know I have ever had one. Some of the early LP's sound flat to me, not much fidelity. Kinda like the early 78's did.

[Conelrad]

Meant-for-broadcast discs were done without compression or expansion effects, as radio stations already had that gear in the program chain.

D