Bandleader Shep Fields often gets lost in the conversation when discussing the big bands of the late 30's & early 40's. You're bound to hear more about the likes of Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Glenn Miller before you hear Fields mentioned.
But Fields did get some spotlight time back in the day with a series of shorts released in theatres. I can imagine that this next offering, "The Whistler's Mother-in-Law", got some play in the early days of television as time filler.
The hook here is Fields' featured vocalist, who'd also work with Dorsey, Ken Curtis, who sings the title song.
Curtis, who passed away nearly 30 years ago, deserves to have a box set of CD's devoted to his musical career with Fields, Dorsey, and the Sons of The Pioneers.
The short itself gets an A.
Festus!
ReplyDeletePre-Festus, actually, about 20-odd years before Ken Curtis joined the cast of "Gunsmoke".
ReplyDeleteWhat we're looking at here is a Soundie, which is sort of an ancestor of the music video.
ReplyDeleteMany Big Bands made short films like this, which were designed to be played in special jukeboxes, with screens on top to show the films; I think the play price was somewhat more than what an old 78 would get on a regular jukebox.
While I'm here, here's a funny story about Shep Fields:
When Fields retired from the band business, he joined his brother Freddie Fields as a partner in his talent agency.
Freddie Fields was probably the best-known agent in showbiz; when Shep joined him, Freddie assigned him some of his most famous clients for personal attention.
One of these stars was Fred Astaire.
The story goes that when Rankin and Bass put together Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Fred Astaire and Shep Fields came to Arthur Rankin's offices to iron out the deal for Astaire's narration.
When Astaire and Fields arrived at the office, Paul Frees was there to go over something with Arthur Rankin.
Rankin, playing host, said "Hey, Paul, I'd like to introduce you to Fred Astaire and his agent, Shep Fields."
Frees looked up, and seemed awestruck.
Astaire, by nature a modest man, was used to this, even from professionals.
Frees said "You don't mean … really? You're THE Shep Fields!?"
Everybody got a big laugh, Astaire most of all.
Wow.
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