Essay/Michael Winship: On Independence Day, here’s to my friend Irving
Michael Winship
Happy birthday, America, and happy birthday, Irving.
Who’s Irving? By way of explanation, I’m a big fan of Turner Classic Movies. At my house, that channel has been a godsend during the turmoil of the pandemic and our buzzsaw politics, an escape hatch to more entertaining times in the past. On this Fourth of July, they’re running some of their patriotic perennials “John Paul Jones,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “1776,” among others. It’s a good thing.
But I also watch TCM because these old films often are an intriguing sociological look back at how Americans used to live and think. A few weeks ago, they ran the first movie in which cowboy crooner Roy Rogers had the starring role (apparently, the studio was in a contract dispute with Gene Autry; Roy was their ace in the hole.)
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George and Ira Gershwin wrote “I Got Rhythm” for the 1930 Broadway musical “Girl Crazy”, where it was introduced by Ethel Merman in her Broadway debut. While Ginger Rogers made her debut here as a leading lady, Ethel Merman got the press. The Red Nichols Band, including Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Jack Teagarden, Jimmy Dorsey, and Gene Krupa, played the music and had jam sessions during intermissions. George Gershwin acted as conductor for the premier, with Earl Busby conducting for all following performances. “Girl Crazy” ran for 272 performances, from October 14, 1930, to June 6, 1931. Red Nichols and His Five Pennies’ recording went to number five on the charts. “I Got Rhythm” w