by Cole Porter
Goodnight –
Your devoted
Ole Cole.
26 November 1943: Cole Porter to Monty Woolley61
Dear Mr. Woolley:
That word “ferocitrocities” is truly wonderful and I am going to do my best to use it in a lyric.
Thank you very much indeed.
Love,
[signed:] Cole
29 November 1943: Cole Porter to Sam Stark62
Dear Sam:
It seems incredible that I haven’t thanked you for your beautiful ink drawing, which every one has admired so much, and which is my constant joy. It’s really a masterpiece. As a matter of fact, there is one item in that drawing that I take rather seriously. I refer to the suggestion of having Bill Haines tear down that God damn pergola and sending Grant’s tomb out instead.* I remember years ago in Paris, Clarence Mackey’s mother, who was used to getting what she wanted, tried to persuade the city of Paris to let her illuminate the Arc de Triomphe for a party which she was giving in her house on the Place de l’Etoile. When they refused she said “Well, would you then consider selling it?’† I shall certainly approach Mayor LaGuardia‡ and let you know the results immediately.
My love to you and to dear little Paul,§ and the three rats.
The show¶ is seething in rehearsals and I’m no way near finished.
Ole lonesome
[signed:] Cole
4 December 1943: Cole Porter to Sam Stark63
Dear Sam:
Could I have the negative of the photograph of myself with the turban on by my work bench, also the negative of Roger in his tan and white jacket, sitting in one of those long green canvas back chairs? I need them badly.**
Love,
[signed:] Cole
Mexican Hayride’s Boston tryout opened on 29 December 1943 and Porter wrote to Sam Stark twice at the start of January 1944, mentioning not only the show, but also concerns with his tax liability:
4 January 1944: Cole Porter to Sam Stark64
Dictated in Boston
Dear Sam:
Thank you and little Paul so much for my opening night wire. This show has in it 45 minutes of unadulterated boredom, which we are now trying to eliminate. This 45 minutes of unadulterated boredom still exists after we have cut out 20 minutes of the show, so you can see what a job we have ahead of us. The only really great thing about the opus is its production, which is out of this world, but after all it would show us up quite an awful lot if we had the show billed as
“Scenery and costumes in Mexican Hayride”
so we are really hard at work.
I just heard from Mrs. Pearman* that Paul had to go back to the hospital for another sinus operation. Please let me know about this at once.
I am going to see my lawyer when I get back to New York to find out whether I can afford to do another picture beside the Warner Bros. NIGHT AND DAY. I am in a curious quandary. I have been notified that my March taxes will be so big that it leaves me with no money to live on, therefore, it would be nice to have money coming in from another picture, but if I take this second picture, then the income tax would be so big that I won’t even have enough money to pay for a roof over my head, and I may let you know this has worked out from my new address
“A tree in the park”
Goodbye and again many thanks for the wire, and love to all those charming people,
Devotedly,
[signed:] Cole
14 January [1944]:* Cole Porter to Sam Stark65
Waldorf – Jan 14th 4 A.M.
Sam – I opened your Christmas present only last night when I flew down from Boston for a three days release. And oh what a beautiful present it is + I thank you so much. Curiously enough, I have never owned a Saint Christopher medal before + suddenly, to have one, at last, gives me a great kick.
When I arrived, last eve, I left a message for little Roger† to call me. He did at 1 A. M. He is ill again + he hawks when he talks. He tells me he is willing to stay until my little show opens – Jan. 27th‡ – but once that is over he must return to his canary.
I am here really to find out what I can live on except money. My lawyer + my tax man meet me today. Mr. Morgenthau§ wants $90,000 bucks from me on March 15th for my first quarter + it’s a bit too much. If this can’t be readjusted I shan’t arrive in California until April when they start shooting the Warner Bros. Night + Day. In the meantime I can stay in my cottage in Williamstown which I shouldn’t mind at all. But perhaps a rabbit can be pulled out of a hat in which case I shall be there much sooner, for which I pray.
Tell Willie Haines to fix the Mezas as he sees fit, also the other picture with the bad frame.
I think of little Paul all the time + that damned sinus. Please keep me posted about him constantly.
That thing called Mexican Hayride still stinks but luckily we finally got the Winter Garden in N.Y. + many shows that stink run on + on when they play at the Winter Garden on account of the side-walk business.
I sent you my pet book - Goodnight, Sweet Prince.* In Boston, I read it every moment I could find. It seems to me to be all that’s delightful.
And so, good morrow, Sam. If you see Eddie Davis,† ask him to telephone me collect. I shall be at the Ritz-Carlton in Boston from Monday, Jan. 17th until Thursday, Jan. 20th. From then on, this Waldorf.
And again, dear Sam, I thank you for my beautiful key-ring.
Tell [Jimmie] Shields that I saw something he would appreciate in Boston, – such a charming steeple of an old Pilgrim church.
Love
Cole
Shortly before the opening of Mexican Hayride on 28 January, Jack Warner had written to Porter that he had assigned composer Arthur Schwartz to produce Mississippi Belle and that Schwartz ‘plus a great cast should make, ultimately, a fine film’.66 Porter replied on 24 January:
24 January 1944: Cole Porter to Jack Warner67
Dear Jack: I forgot to tell you I am delighted that Arthur Schwartz is going to produce Mississippi Belle. Best, Cole
And he wrote twice to Sam Stark, including a brief mention of Mexican Hayride:
27 January 1944: Cole Porter to Sam Stark68
Dear Sammy:
That beautiful box of Marrons‡ arrived and I am saving them for a festive evening.
Please keep the night of February 24th open. Also warn Willie Haines and little Jimmie Shields and, of course, Paul.
Dinner at 8 p.m. at Perino’s.*
Love,
[signed:] Cole
29 January 1944: Cole Porter to Sam Stark69
THE HAYRIDE OPENED LAST NIGHT AND EVERYTHING IS QUITE OKAY. LOVE=COLE
Mexican Hayride had a lukewarm reception, which perhaps explains Porter’s laconic ‘quite okay’. Writing in the New York Herald Tribune, Howard Barnes claimed ‘It is fortunate for “Mexican Hayride” that Bobby Clark† and Cole Porter are in there pitching. The former is at his antic best, while the celebrated song-writer backs him up with two or three elegant ballads. Otherwise the new Winter Garden offering is a big, brash and generally undistinguished extravaganza.’70 The New York Times wrote that ‘. . . the new musical swings right along in the cheerful tradition [of Broadway comedy], not brilliant, perhaps, but good . . . Of Mr. Porter’s score, the best number bears the title almost startling in its forthrightness, “I Love You” . . . “What a Crazy Way to Spend Sunday,” “Carlotta” and “Abracadabra” also are good; the lyrics on the whole do not have the composer’s usual convolution of tongue-twisting words.’71
In early February, Hal Wallis, production manager at Warner Brothers,‡ sent Porter a working script for Night and Day, which Porter acknowledged on 17 February; later the same day Porter apparently received a telegram from Cary Grant, the preferred actor to play Porter in the film, which he then passed on to Wallis:
17 February 1944: Cole Porter to Hal Wallis72
Night and Day script just arrived. Will read it on train. Sorry to miss you when you come here. Best, Cole Porter.
>
17 February 1944: Cole Porter to Hal Wallis73
Dear Hal. Following wire just arrived: “Dear Cole, desire assure you of no intention offend by not answering your letter as I immediately contacted Warner with object reading script of Night and Day then meeting with my manager to discuss possibility of making picture so could write you more fully rather than answer merely expressing wish to comply your flattering suggestion that I play the role. However script did not reach me until last week although previous commitments now make my availability doubtful. I thought you might like knowing that I consider it one of the finest scripts I’ve read, but then its [sic] about one of the finest people I’ve known. Roger Davis said you arrive here soon so perhaps we may meet and I can explain my contractual obligations. Meanwhile love Barbara and me, Cary Grant”.
Hope to heaven you can wangle this. Will arrive next Thursday and will telephone you. All my best Cole Porter
And his correspondence with Nelson Barclift continued:
14 March 1944: Cole Porter to Nelson Barclift74
Barclift –
Your letter dated Mar. 5th arrived today.
Well, it’s just like the good-old days. The great Etienne suddenly ups & leaves me without giving notice & John* has become so fresh that I have to fire him. This leaves me with Eric, a German Swiss who was Etienne’s assistant to take over. He is good but not brilliant. My cook is Jean Gabin’s* former valet & I have an old housemaid who works well. Her name is Mishy. I asked her where she got her name & she answered “All I know is that my name is Mishy & my sister’s name is Tishy.”
The Sundays are booming again but we eat in the new room now - the solarium. [Howard] Sturge[s] is with me & what a joy. I’m doing a re-write of Mississippi Belle. My producer is Arthur Schwartz & he’s grand news. He just finished Cover Girl† & everybody went wild at its press preview. Linda arrives the 27th to stay a month. She will occupy the Barclift room, Weston living in Miss Moore’s former. Miss M. is due for a shock when she hits town, April 1st. She has been moved downstairs to the Capehart room & she wont [sic] like it.
. . . Lil Paul lives in the Long Beach hospital where he has had 3 operations for sinus. He is there under observation but curiously enough is allowed to come to L.A. every night. Annie just had her portrait painted by Dali.
30 March 1944: Cole Porter to Nelson Barclift75
Dear Barclift:
From now on you will receive the THEATRE CRITICS REVIEWS – I had your APO number wrong. I haven’t time to write you now as we are throwing a slight party tonight. The new sun room is but something to dream about. Everybody looks at it and falls in a heap, with the exception of Elsie [de Wolfe], who being a decorator herself, looked at it and said simply “What a nice sun room!”
Linda arrived and is living in your room. We moved out the bed near the garden and whipped up one of those dressing tables that ladies like, so she is in complete comfort. There’s only one fly in the ointment, she prefers a bath-tub to a shower. Weston is in the room Miss Moore* used as an office last year. She prefers a shower to a bath-tub, so they spend their time running into each other, trading bath rooms.
Etienne has ceased to exist. California got him after a few days here and he left giving me only one day’s notice. He did not even say “goodbye” to me. He has become a Captain in a restaurant where he makes fabulous money, so here is to his happy future.
[Howard] Sturge[s] left last week for a dude ranch in Arizona. He will drive the cows crazy for about three weeks and return here to live at the Roosevelt with the Beard.† By that I mean that he will live in the same hotel with the Beard.
Sunday luncheons boom again. The two bluejays are still about the pool. Little Paul is still in the hospital with those unending headaches. He is, for some reason, under observation. Practically everyone I know, who has been released from the army forces, is due to sinus trouble. Little Paul has had three very painful operations for sinus and still they won’t let him go. Roy Cromwell‡ was thrown out on account of sinus and is back at his pretty little house on the hill. You probably remember that his nose was getting flatter and flatter, due to their having taken out the central cartilage. He has had a new cartilage put in, he is very handsome and the effect of the nose upon him is something terrific. He is the charming, delightful fellow that we first knew out here.
Annie finally decided that her bedroom had to be done by Bill Haines, so that is now under process now [sic]. Her daughter, Joy, has suddenly switched from the age of 13 to 19 and goes out to all of the parties, looking, I must say, very beautiful. I must say also that Annie looks about 21. Jean and Charlie have gone to New York in regard to his picture “FOLLOW THE BOYS”.§ We saw a press pre-view the other night. It looks like a great money-maker and it’s very bad.
Sylvia and her new husband, Ed Stanley of Alderley,* arrive today to stay with Norma, and what with parties being given for them and the parties being given for Linda, the near future looks like just your dish. Joan Fontaine and Brian Aherne are splitting up.† Merle fell in love with her camera man and decided to throw Alex out, but Alex was so kind about it that she is sticking.‡ Kay is in the Aleutians drinking up all of the soldiers [sic] whisky rations.
Mike Todd is here arranging a picture deal for “MEXICAN HAYRIDE”. I shall be delighted if it fell through as that sale will merely make us all so much poorer.§
Moss Hart wants to do a musical with me, if he can get an idea. In the meantime the Fields have whipped up something about the 1890’s, in New York and are sending me the story. Also, Louis Shurr has an outline of a story for Gaxton and Moore, written by Gaxton. The thing that throws me off about this last item is that Gaxton refers to himself as “a handsome young journalist”[.]
The “HAYRIDE” continues to rough it on $46,000 a week at the Winter Garden, and SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS is breaking the records in Chicago. Blondell leaves THE BOYS this week - the show moves to Detroit next week, headed by Joy Hodges.¶ It remains to be seen whether THE BOYS is star-proof or not.** It may still continue to draw as “the sticks” are all so pleased about the production itself. Before it left for the road, Todd had completely new sets and costumes made so that it hasn’t that bedraggled look of most road shows.
[Charlie] Chaplin seems to be putting it all over Joan Barry, which pleases everybody out here. The low-down is that the whole thing was started by Col. McCormick in Chicago who decided to te[s]t Chaplin for having spoken in favor of Russia at Madison Square Garden and also in San Francisco.*
Don’t miss “THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN’S CREEK”. It’s the most brilliant picture I have seen in years.†
I can’t go on writing as that nasty governess is beating that awful child next door again.
We all miss you and Artie and love you dearly.
Your old pal,
[signed:] Cole
Mississippi Belle continued to pose problems for both Porter and MGM. Porter disagreed with Arthur Schwartz’s intention to replace some of his songs, both for dramatic and exploitation reasons:
14 April 1944: Cole Porter to Arthur Lyons76
Dear Arthur:
MISSISSIPPI BELLE
Mr. Arthur Schwartz cuts out “I’M NOT MYSELF AT ALL”, because it is essentially an Irish song. I agree this should be cut out.
He cuts out “WHO’LL BID?” because he doesn’t like it, and says it no longer fits the script, and that the number is not strong enough. I do not agree with him, and feel that the script could easily be fixed so that this song would fit in the picture.
He cuts out “SCHOOL, SCHOOL, SCHOOL, HEAVEN BLESSED SCHOOL” and substitutes a song in the public domain. I still feel that this song belongs in the score.
He cuts out “MY BROTH OF A BOY” because of its Irish feeling, but I still think that it should be retained in the score, because it is sung by an Irish character, which character Mr. Schwartz is retaining.
He cuts out “AMO AMAS” which I feel is more effective for the spot than the comedy song which
he suggests.
He cuts out “WHEN YOU AND I WERE STRANGERS” saying it is too Irish. I maintain that it is not in the least Irish and still feel with Chappell & Company that it is my No. 1 song in the score.
He tells me that it is doubtful whether he will use “MISSISSIPPI BELLE” at all and doesn’t know as yet whether “MARY MAGDALIN” can remain until the script progresses. I maintain the “MARY MAGDALIN” is a very strong production number for the picture.
He leaves me with “KATHLEEN” which has commercical value, [and] “WHEN A WOMAN’S IN LOVE,” although he is not sure of this yet. I think “WHEN A WOMAN’S IN LOVE” has a lot of commercial value and belongs in the score.
He leaves in “THE GREEN HILLS OF COUNTY MAYO”, “HIP, HIP, HOORAY FOR ANDY JACKSON” and the “LOADING SONG”, none of which have any value, except as atmosphere in the full score.
I feel that the five new numbers that he has suggested, added to the five numbers which he retains from the original score, will not add up into as good a score as the original score which was approved by Warner Bros.
In late April, Schwartz wrote to Porter again, sending additional material for Mississippi Belle, noting that ‘papers are being drawn on the release of the song EXPERIMENT,* which I am crazy about’, and reporting that negotiations had started with Cary Grant for his appearance in Night and Day.77 A little more than a month later, on 8 June, Porter had a telegram from Billy Rose, who had approached him the previous February to write songs for his upcoming spectacular, Seven Lively Arts: ‘. . . I HOPE YOU CAN OVERCOME THE COMPLICATIONS YOU REFER TO[.] I THINK THE SEVEN LIVELY ARTS IS THE FIRST SHOW IN MANY YEARS WORTHY OF YOUR TALENTS AND I AM NOT KIDDING ABOUT THAT TALENT STUFF.’78
As a letter to Nelson Barclift shows, Porter had initially turned Rose down, but by 10 June he had relented:
15 June [1944]: Cole Porter to Nelson Barclift79
Thursday June 15.
Dear Barclift –
I leave June 30 for N.Y. to start work on the Billy Rose review The Seven Lively Arts which goes into rehearsal Oct 1st. He offered me this job last February but I threw it down as it included several ballets & a 20 minute symphonic piece to be played on stage plus 10 songs. I would have leapt at it but he wouldn’t give me 6 months to do it after this Mississippi Belle rewrite. I was practically set on a Bing Crosby job when Rose telephoned me last Friday & offered me the job again but without the ballets & the symphonic bit. So I’m doing it after he agreed to put all rehearsals from September 1st to October 1st. It sounds very exciting & I need mental excitement. You know that it will re-open the Ziegfeld theatre in December. Bobby Short is staging it all. Bel Geddes does the sets.† Aaron Copland or someone equally interesting will do the ballets & the on-stage orchestral job,‡ [Alicia] Markova & [Anton] Dolin are engaged, Bert Lahr for comedy sketches, Rose promises me top singers – he says he has found a great new girl, – a young Merman, also he will give me a top juvenile etc. etc.* I believe he will. In any case it sounds like a lot of fun. I haven’t done a revue for years & it’s a pleasant change.