December 2013 – Page 3 – Motor City Radio Flashbacks

From the MCRFB news archives: 1963

World Tour Will Launch in Japan, April 1964

Connie Francis circa 1963 (click image for larger view) — **Connie Francis circa 1963** *(click image for larger view).*

NEW YORK — Connie Francis will undertake an around-the-world tour next spring which will feature a series of one-hour TV shows in each of the 11-countries. Each show will be different and in each case the singer will perform material in various languages, including that of the country in which she is performing.

The tour will commence in Japan the latter part of April and will include visits to Hong Kong, Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, Germany Spain, Belgium, Holland and England. Its expected that a show will also be done in Mexico, but details on this have not yet been completed.

The singer will be accompanied by a party of eight, including her manager, George Scheck; conductor, George Mazzu, and drummer, Bobby Grosso. Portions of the tapes of the various foreign shows are expected to be put together to form the basis of a TV outing for viewing in the United States.

(Information and news source: Billboard; December 14, 1963).

From the MCRFB news archives: 1963

BROADWAY, THEATERS, ENTERTAINMENT PLACES SILENT ACROSS NATION

NEW YORK — The sudden and stunning events of Friday, November 22, and the aftermath of the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, left this city’s music and entertainment business virtually paralyzed and sorrowing.

Record shops, Broadway theaters, moving picture houses and night clubs closed for one, two or three days of mourning. Some disk dealers are known to have closed their shops in Brooklyn and Queens Friday afternoon after the President’s death was confirmed and did not reopen until Tuesday, November 26.

Normally bustling, West 44th St., the theatre district, is dark and deserted. Performances were canceled during the tragic four days (click on image for larger view). — Friday, November 22: Normally bustling, West 44th St., the theatre district, is dark and deserted. Performances were canceled during the tragic four days *(photo: New York Daily News; click on image for larger view)*

Weekend entertainment business and establishment losses were estimated at about 35 to 50 percent, but few store keepers and Broadway producers complained about the loss of business in the light of the tragic events.

Many record dealers reached this week were still recovering from the shock those four days, and they noticed a sudden upsurge in consumers buying of patriotic and religious-themed records. A number of requests were noted for recordings of the late President’s speeches. It is understood that at least two albums has been produced and are on the way (see separate story).

Dark Nights

The assassination caused the cancelling of all sorts of entertainment programs, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and on Monday, November 25. Broadway darkened its houses on two nights. At least 24 legitimate theaters cancelled performances on Friday night and then again on Monday night, the official day of mourning.

Out of town, three incoming shows canceled Monday night performances. Two of them are musicals, the highly-rated Noel Coward musical, “The Girl Who Came To Supper,” in Philadelphia and the Broadway play, “Hello Dolly,” starring Carroll Channing performing at the Fisher Theater in Detroit.

Those classical concerts that were held offered subdued musical performances. A jazz concert for the Student Non-Violent Co-Ordinating Committee at Carnegie Hall Saturday, November 23 became, at least in part, a memorial concert for the late President.

Subdued Tone

Disk Jockey Mort Gega and Lutheran minister Reverend John Gemsel, who shared emceeing chores for the shows, kept things on a fairly subdued level. Shelley Berman read a tribute to the late President he had written called “The Coatless Man.” Bruce Gordon, an officer in the organization that benefited from the concert, also spoke of the fallen leader.

Many concert performances were canceled and those that were not were altered dramatically in programattic fashion. The tone for almost all entertainment during the tragic weekend was exemplified by Mary Martin who spoke briefly before a matinee performance of “Jennie” Saturday, November 23. In what she called her first pre-curtain address to an audience, Miss Martin said: “We in show business are schooled in the discipline that ‘the show must go on.’ But, having seen the First Lady of our land, the new President and the new First Lady showing their courage and their sense of duty to carry on, we have all learned a great lesson. I cannot ask you to forget, but perhaps we can help each other for the next few hours.” END.

(Information and news source: Billboard; December 7, 1963).