castalbums.org
Discography
- Ethel Merman—Songs from Call Me Madam (1950 studio cast album)
US Catalogue no: Decca DL-5304
Notes
10” Lp Seven of the tracks in this album were used for the expanded 12” Lp edition. The eighth track, an instrumental medley of ‘It’s a Lovely Day Today’ and ‘You’re Just in Love’ by Gordon Jenkins Orchestra was not included in any subsequent issue.
Also issued as a Decca 78 rpm record Album: A-813 and as a (7”) 45 rpm Album: 9-153
1951 reissue: Decca DL 8035
Notes
Expanded 12” Lp edition with five additional songs left off the first 10” Lp release.
1991 CD reissue
(including tracks from Cole Porter’s Panama Hattie featuring Ethel Merman recorded in 1940)
Cat. no.: MCA MCAD-10521
Visit YouTube to hear audio of the above album
- Call Me Madam—1950 Original Cast members with Dinah Shore
12” Lp released on RCA Victor LOC 1000
Also issued as a 5 record—78 rpm Album: RCA Victor OC-1 and as a 5 record—45 rpm Album: RCA Victor WOC 1
Official 2012 CD reissue (from original mastertapes)
Masterworks Broadway RCA 42773
Visit YouTube to hear audio of the above recording
Public Domain 2006 CD reissue
Naxos 8.120794
Ethel Merman’s solo and duet tracks from the 1950 Decca recording have been combined with the 1950 RCA Victor original Broadway cast recordings in place of Dinah Shore.
Also includes a promotional appearance by the original Broadway cast members of Call Me Madam on a 1950 episode of the US NBC radio program ‘The Big Show’ hosted by Tallulah Bankhead, with Meredith Willson’s Orchestra and Chorus, performing excerpts from the score, including Ethel Merman and Russell Nype duetting on ‘You’re Just in Love’; plus 4 songs from the 1953 film soundtrack recordings.
- Call Me Madam—1952 London cast
‘Vocal Gems From Jack Hylton’s Production’
12” Lp issued on Columbia 33SX-1002
Highlights from the above issued on a 4 track 7”—45 rpm EP as Columbia SEG 7737
2004 CD reissue
Included on the compilation Irving Berlin In London issued by Sepia Records on SEPIA 1011
Together with songs from Annie Get Your Gun—1947 Original London Cast; Selections from Annie Get Your Gun (1947) performed by Gracie Fields; and This Is the Army—1943 London Cast
- Call Me Madam—1953 Film Soundtrack recordings
10” Lp issued on Decca DL 5465
Also issued as a 2 record 45 rpm Album on Decca ED 508
Visit YouTube to hear audio of the above recording
- Call Me Madam—1995 New York City Center Encores! Concert Cast recording
CD issue on DRG 94761
Visit YouTube to hear audio of the above recording
castalbums.org
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Filmography
- Call Me Madam (20th Century-Fox Studio) starring Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Vera-Ellen, George Sanders and Billy De Wolfe. Produced by Sol C. Siegel; Directed by Walter Lang; Screenplay by Arthur Sheekman (based on the musical play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse); Musical Direction by Alfred Newman; Vocal Direction by Ken Darby; Dances and musical numbers staged by Robert Alton.
Released in the US in March 1953 and in Australia in June 1953.
Nominated for 2 Academy Awards in 1954 its only win was in the category for ‘Best Scoring of a Musical Picture’ for Alfred Newman, while Irene Sharaff lost out in that for ‘Best Costume Design (Colour)’.
The film version retained most of Irving Berlin’s Broadway score, but omitted the US political satires ‘The Washington Square Dance’ as a song for Sally Adams and ‘They Like Ike’, plus the ballad ‘Once Upon a Time Today’ sung in the stage production by the character of Kenneth Gibson. However Donald O’Connor (as Gibson) was given the number ‘What Chance Have I With Love?’ originally written for Irving Berlin's 1940 Broadway musical, Louisiana Purchase and Ethel Merman sang the vintage ‘The International Rag’, which had been introduced by Mr. Berlin himself at the London Hippodrome in 1913 as ‘That International Rag’.
Due to the expiration of 20th Century Fox’s music rights, the movie was completely withdrawn from public exhibition (both TV and theatrical) for nearly 20 years. During that time, its only public showing (with special permission from Irving Berlin) was at a 100 year tribute at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the 1990s. After the rights were renewed, the film was finally released on DVD in April 2004.
Film clips posted on YouTube:
Call Me Madam (1953) Trailer
‘Hostess with the Mostes’ on the Ball’ performed by Ethel Merman
‘It’s A Lovely Day Today’ performed by Donald O’Connor and Vera-Ellen (singing dubbed by Carol Richards)
‘The International Rag’ performed by Ethel Merman
‘It’s A Lovely Day Today’ (dance reprise) performed by Donald O’Connor and Vera-Ellen
‘You’re Just In Love’ performed by Donald O’Connor and Ethel Merman
‘The Ocarina’ performed by Vera-Ellen (singing dubbed by Carol Richards) and Chorus
‘What Chance Have I With Love?’ performed by Donald O’Connor
‘Something To Dance About’ performed by Donald O’Connor and Vera-Ellen (singing dubbed by Carol Richards)
‘The Best Thing For You’ performed by Ethel Merman and George Sanders
N.B. The 1967 US-TV version of Call Me Madam has become so obscure that it isn’t even listed on IMDb!
Sources
castalbums.org
Internet Movie Data Base
www.abebooks.com
www.abebooks.com
