by Cole Porter
2 February 1956: Cole Porter to Johnny Green76
Dear Johnny: –
When you can, will you please send me the instrumental recordings from High Society also, – I mean those that are used for Montage, etc.
This is a pest request, – would you please send to Fred Astaire (1129 Summit Drive, Beverly Hills) the recording of Now You Has Jazz, as it was entirely due to his taking me to Norman Granz’* Jazz at the Philharmonic that started the idea of this number.
Once more, let me thank you for those wonderful records.
My best to you both,
[signed:] Cole
Green fulfilled Porter’s request on 14 February by sending him three more recordings from the film – the French version of ‘Little One’, Louis Armstrong’s band’s version of ‘Samantha’ and the jazz version of the Wedding March – and confirmed that ‘Now You Has Jazz’ had been sent to Astaire.77 A day later, he wrote again to Porter, asking permission to make a small change: ‘We humbly submit to you that the melody as included in the first ending on page 5 of the enclosed copy should not exist, and that the melody on “one gal guy” as it appears in the second ending should be the only melody for the ending of the refrain. In other words, the trick of the word “gal” on the two notes E and D going up to the G on the second line for the last note is something real special and characteristic, and should be the only way in which the last phrase of the tune is ever heard. You will note that we took the liberty of so proceeding in our recording with Crosby . . .’78 Porter replied to these letters:
17 February 1956: Cole Porter to Johnny Green79
Dear Johnny: –
Thank you for your letter of Feb. 14, 1956. The recordings of LITTLE ONE, I LOVE YOU, SAMANTHA, and WEDDING MARCH arrived, and I thank you very much.
Although I am off for Europe on Sunday, I would appreciate it if you would send the recording of TRUE LOVE to me at the Waldorf, attention of Mrs. Smith, my secretary, to await my return.*
Thank you very much for sending NOW YOU HAS JAZZ to Fred Astaire.
If, in the normal course of things at Metro, you do not make discs for distribution of background scoring, nevermind [sic] making them for me.
All my best, and thank you again very much for your thoughtfulness.
Sincerely,
[signed:] Cole
18 February 1956: Cole Porter to Johnny Green80
Dear Johnny: –
Thank you for your letter of Feb 15, 1956, concerning the ending of I Love You, Samantha. I’m ahead of you: Quite a while ago I realized that the first ending of the refrain was dull and I have already arranged with Chappell that both the first and the second refrain end with the notes E and D, going up to G.
I am glad we agree about this.
All my best.
Sincerely,
[signed:] Cole
While Porter was engaged with the final preparations for High Society, on 16 February it was announced that Silk Stockings – still running on Broadway – would be filmed by the Arthur Freed unit at MGM.81 And later in February, an old wound was scratched when Robert Montgomery wired Porter about the forthcoming revival of Kiss Me, Kate at New York’s City Center. It appears that the tension between Porter and Bella Spewack following the publication of the script of Kiss Me, Kate had not been forgotten:
21 February 1956: Robert Montgomery to Cole Porter82
IN CITY CENTRE PRODUCTION OF KATE, SPEWACKS REQUEST SAME SIZE BILLING AS YOU. UNDER ORIGINAL CONTRACT THEY GET THREE-FOURTHS. WILL YOU CONSENT? CABLE ANSWER “LONGSIGHT”. MONTGOMERY
22 February 1956: Cole Porter to Robert Montgomery
NEVER CONCESSIONS TO SPEWACKS=COLE
Earlier in the month, in preparation for a tour of Europe and the Holy Land, Porter had sent Jean Howard the following telegram:
3 February 1956: Cole Porter to Jean Howard83
I HAVE GOT CERTIFICATE FROM RECTOR ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S SAYING YOU ARE CHRISTIAN THIS WILL SUFFICE. COLE
Howard explains: ‘I knew that Cole had some anxiety about safely traveling in certain parts of the Holy Land, but I was surprised when I received the following cable prior to our leaving for this trip . . . I suppose he was concerned about the name Feldman, on my passport, being Jewish. At the time I thought it silly; today it seems clairvoyant.’84 Porter flew from America to Switzerland on 19 February and his diary begins on 29 February:
29 February 195685
Flew from St Moritz to Madrid in [Stavros] Niarchos’ DC3, a four-and-a-half hour flight. Spring!
1 March 1956
Dined with Albas* in completely restored Palacio de Liria.
2 March 1956
Arrived Cordova.
3 March 1956
Cordova Mosque. Afternoon, arrived Sevilla.
4 March 1956
Sevilla, El Alcazar.
5 March 1956
Sevilla Cathedral. At 7:00 p.m., a concert in my honor at orphanage – boys 7 to 14, singing sacred and regional songs. Expert singing and touching experience.
6 March 1956
Left Sevilla. At 1:00 p.m. arrived Xerez de la Fronteira. [sic]† To Gonzales-Biass sherry winery. A lot of local students there in choir-boy robes, the robes trimmed in long ribbons, each from a different girl. They elected Jean Howard their “Queen,” then they all took off their robes to make a beautifully soft dance floor. Surrounding Jean in a circle, they persuaded her to dance on their robes as they sang and played their mandolins and guitars. Jean became suddenly Spanish and danced like a lovely gypsy. Arrived Algeciras at 7:00 p.m. Hotel Reina Cristina. A strange kick to look out the window and see the rock [sic] of Gibraltar – and an unexpected shock to find a hot coal fire in my sitting-room after dinner, arranged by Robert [Bray]. Nice surprise!
7 March 1956
Lunch at Hotel Rock, Gibraltar. Gibraltar so big and so British. In the late afternoon, Fuengirola on the Mediterranean. Hotel Malhamar. Customers here mostly British and Scandinavian. The British have been coming to this Costa del Sol for years. Thus, dull food as against the rest of Spain. Hotel Malhamar run by a brilliant young Spanish girl. “Papa always in Madrid.” She could run the Chase National Bank.
8 March 1956
Drove for lunch to Ronda – remarkable bridge and house of the Moorish king.
9 March 1956
Evening, Granada. Alhambra Palace Hotel, after driving through beautiful mountains covered with blooming fruit trees. The road wonderful.
10 March 1956
The Alhambra. At night a great gypsy song-and-dance show in a cave.
11 March 1956
The Royal Chapel with the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella, Joana, The Mad, and Phillip, The Fair.
12 March 1956
The Generalife.
13 March 1956
Murcia.
14 March 1956
Valencia, after a picnic by the sea.
15 March 1956
Barcelona. A wonderful bistro, Los Caracoles.*
17 March 1956
Monte Carlo.
18 March 1956
Monte Carlo. Lunch at La Reserve, Beaulieu. Henry May, also. Dinner, Salle Privee, Julie Thompson.
19 March 1956
Lunch with Bertha Michelham. Tea with Daisy Fellowes. Dinner with Pierre de Monaco at his villa.
20 March 1956
Gave a dinner at Le Snack, excellent Italian restaurant, for all the friends.
24 March 1956
Lunched at Valeria Litta’s; and dined at Marina Cicogna’s.
25 March 1956
Flew to Palermo, Palace Hotel, Mondello.
26 March 1956
Monday. La Favorita, charming Chinese royal villa, Capella Palatina, Bagheria, Palagonia villa with monster statues, tombs of Norman and Hohenstaufen royalties in cathedral.
27 March 1956
La Martorana, San Giovanni degli Eremiti – and after lunch, the beautiful Monreale. On the way home, horrible catacombs full of half-preserved hanging bodies under a
Capucine monastery. We had lunch with Conchita (Contessa d’Assaro) in the family’s Mazzarini Palazzo. After, a tour of the palazzo; one room full of exquisite porcelaine [sic] table services, including Compagnie des Indes, Vienna, Spode, and a huge service of Ginori.
Porter’s correspondence was irregular during this trip, but the following letter to George Eells brings his friend up to date. He does not, however, mention the release of the new film adaptation of Anything Goes on 21 March, nor his fortieth anniversary as a Broadway composer on 28 March (mentioned in the New York Times):*
27 March 1956: Cole Porter to George Eells86
George – your letter of Mar 19th hit me here today, a bit slow as there are airplanes. But the letter was so full of the news I love to hear that it all sounded like this morning’s Winchell.† I’m so happy about My Fair Lady‡ + The Most Happy Fella,§ sorry about Mr. Wonderful¶ + infinitely sad about Jack Wilson** being thrown out of Strip For Action.†† I knew he would be thrown out, but now that it has happened, I worry about my dear friend, Natasha,‡‡ who will have to cope with more + more hysterics.
Sicily is The Dream. Southern Spain had constant sunshine but it was not warm. Here in Palermo, it makes me remember a remark of my grandfather, years ago. It was “Cole, there’s nothing like Spring in Peru, Indiana.”
Your letter makes me worry about Richard§§ but I can’t solve his life though, as you know, I have great affection for him.
Stan Musgrove writes that Bobbie [Raison] + dere Vere have moved from Malibu to West Hollywood. Where is West Hollywood?
I love your story re April, the child + the finger, – the clean finger. I told it to Sicilians today at lunch at the Palazzo Mazzarini. There people are very grand, and probably the greatest family in Sicily. Luckily for me, they all understand English perfectly. When I told them this story at the luncheon – 20 of us, the luncheon became a riot + they suddenly were crazy for me.
Best + thanks
Cole
28 March 1956: Cole Porter’s diary
Segesta and its great Doric temple, so alone in the mountains. A drink with my beloved Gabriella (now Principessa Gardinelli) at her palazzo, a vast sixteenth-century palace in the slums. I hadn’t seen her for 28 years. She was so lovely in our Venice days, when she was married to Andy Robilant. In fact, they were the best-looking young couple I have ever seen. And what delightful parties they gave in their two, but connecting, Mocenigo palazzi. Gabriella is still very pretty with her slightly gray hair, and evidently supremely happy with her big brute of a husband. She was so touched when I told her I had sent a little St. Cloud box to Carlino, her younger son and Linda’s god-child.
29 March 1956
Lunch at Castelvetrano. Afterwards to Selinunte (Selinus) to see the most vast ruin in Europe, on a hilltop overlooking the sea. This was a great Greek city, 7th Century B.C., destroyed by the Carthaginians at the beginning of the 5th Century B.C. Only one fragment of a temple is still standing but acres and acres of huge sections of temples lying on the ground. A breath-taking sight.
In the evening, Agrigento and the Hotel Grande-Bretagne and Gellia. Huge crowds in the streets, and very narrow streets. This hotel has all been so recently redone that nothing works as yet, but a very good dinner and a smiling staff. Most Sicilians are little and ugly but with great humor.
From Sicily, Porter wrote to Albert Sirmay:
March 1956: Cole Porter to Albert Sirmay87
Sicily is a dream that I remember so well when Linda and I honeymooned here years ago, and this Palermo has so many beautiful examples of so many civilizations that one could see and see for months and months. En plus very warm sun, every tree in bloom outside my window as I write you a full moon over the gentle Mediterranean. True Love, High Society, Cole.
30 March 1956: Cole Porter’s diary
Extraordinary Good Friday morning procession. After lunch, more vast ruins like those of Selinunte but more has been left standing. This destruction, same period as Selinunte, also by Carthaginians.
31 March 1956
Drove to Siracusa.
A postcard from Porter to Eells reads:
31 March 1956: Cole Porter to George Eells88
Dear George –
We saw this villa* built by the Prince of Palagonia in the 18th Century. He was so ugly that he engaged top sculptors to make monsters all around the house so that his wife could look at him without vomiting.
What a great idea.
Best + love to Richard.
Cole.
1 April 1956: Cole Porter’s diary
The Ear of Dionysus, Greek theatre, Roman theatre.
2 April 1956
Easter Monday. Drove through laughing crowds to Hotel San Domenico, Taormina.
From Taormina, Porter wrote to the director John Fearnley,† who was interested in helming a revival of Nymph Errant:
3 April 1956: Cole Porter to John Fearnley89
Dear John – NY
Your note dated Mar 26 was here when I arrived.
When Nymph Errant opened in Manchester, the press was so good, due to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. arriving to pose with Gertie Lawrence in all the publicity shots, that even Charley Cochran was fooled. The shocking thing was that, in spite of the weak last scene of Act I – I wrote a new song for the 1st Act curtain named Nymph Errant – only fairly effective – and in spite of a very weak next-to-last scene in Act II, Romney Brent who was essentially a ham + was stunned by the papers, got permission from Cochran to leave + went to Egypt. From then on, we wandered through several towns + finally opened with great éclat in London. But the weak spots killed the high spots in spite of Gertie Lawrence + we lasted only 5 or 6 months.
As I think of the lyrics, – I forget many of them – but I remember Solomon. This was a show-stopper sung by a great negress, Elizabeth Welch. But these lyrics date.
I recommend my cousin, Ted Fetter. He could do a fine job for you. He just did the revised lyrics for my songs in the new – and I hear dull – picture out of Paramount, Anything Goes. He no longer writes lyrics. He sold his soul to T.V. + I believe he now is one of Bill Paley’s powers. But he might do this job for you. And he won’t rob you.
His name is –
Theodore H. Fetter
Home: 142 E 18th St.
Phone, Al. 4, 3385
Work: C.B.S. Television
485 Madison Ave.
Phone – Pl. 12345.
If you want to write to me in the future, call my secretary, Mrs Madeline Smith at my apartment at – The Waldorf Towers. She will always forward your letters. If she doesn’t answer, call her at her flat, – BU 85124.
Best – Cole
P.S. I worry about you on this venture. It was a charming show but it lacked guts when it needed them.
P.P.S. Ted Fetter also did several jobs adapting my lyrics for London when I was too busy elsewhere to do the job myself. He failed as a lyricist because he never had the spark. But he had everything else. Given an idea, he was great. Don’t tell him this. And if you aren’t interested, don’t call him up.
This Taormina is of such beauty that it scares me.
Again, best
Cole
3 April 1956: Cole Porter’s diary
Roman (Graeco-Roman) theatre, drive way up to the village Castel Mola; later, Public Gardens.
4 April 1956
Rest and clean.
5 April 1956
From Messina by boat to Cosenza. Calabria lovely, mountainous but fertile country. All peasant women in bright red skirts with black bustles.
6 April 1956
Drove through strange Trulli region. Trulli are cone-shaped stone houses with white tops and curious designs on their fronts. Drove through terrible hailstorm, arriving for lunch, Bari – bitter cold and awful wind. In p.m. saw Cathedral of San Nicolas and San Gregorio, also Frederick II castle.
8 April 1956
Sunday. Still bitter cold. Molfetta, Duomo Vecchio; . . . Trani, beautiful Romanesque cathedra
l, lunch, then [to] Barletta, San Sepolcro (thirteenth century), nearby ugly Colossus of A.D. fourth century. Motored by battlefield of Cannae where Hannibal defeated Romans in 216 B.C. Castel del Monte, magnificent, thirteenth century. Castle of Frederick II on hilltop. The whole countryside nearly covered with snow. We found a nearby bar and drank coffee and homemade liqueurs. Back to Bari, still so cold, and the cyclonic wind goes on.
9 April 1956
Drove over Apennine mountains to Naples and Warm sunshine. The dear Hotel Excelsior, a beautiful suite overlooking the bay. Henry May waiting in the bar.
10 April 1956
Pompeii.
11 April 1956
The great palace of Caserta, beautiful architecture, fountains and gardens. Also, fascinating eighteenth-century and Napoleonic (Murat) interiors. In the evening to San Carlo* to hear [Rossini’s] Guglielmo Tell. [Renata] Tebaldi† magnificent but the opera is a dud. Museo della Floridiana – porcelain.
12 April 1956
Posillipo.
13 April 1956
Rest and clean.
14 April 1956
National Museum – frescoes, mosaics, and sculptures from Pompeii and Herculaneum. Also frescoes from Paestum.
15 April 1956
Sunday Church and Museo di San Martino
Porter wrote again to George Eells from Rome:
15 April 1956: Cole Porter to George Eells90