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The war is taking its tol in the form of gasoline shortages, but it doesn’t stop Lou from his creative ideas for a substitute for his car. Ken Niles brings his wife out for some teasing about her looks, and age. The tone changes when Lou finds out that one of the members of her ladie’s society group is Janet Blair. Janet promises that she’ll only perform if Lou plays the piano.
The band plays, Swing Low. Afterward, Bud tries to coach Lou on the basics of music. It’s time to call in a professor to teacch the finer points of the piano, but the doubletalking instructor is enough to make Lou swear. In doubletalk, of course.
Connie Haines sings, My Heart Tells Me. How are the lessons coming along? Will Lou be ready to play like a pro? Don’t count on it, just enjoy the musical related laughs. Janet comes back with high expectations. Lou has a rtrick planned, and is ready to play anything she wants… as long as it sounds like Pistol Packing Mama.
Note: While working as the lead singer for Hal Kemp’s Orchestra in 1940, Janet met and married the pianist. Maybe this is why she wanted Lou as her piano player. A tribute to the real love in her life.
Bonus Track:
Connie Boswell 1944 Swinging on a Star
Based on her bio on imdb.com… Janet Blair was born Martha Janet Laferty, in 1921. As a child and teenager, she sang in her cchurch choir. Starting as a singer at age 18, dshe made the transition to movies after the Hal Kemp Orcchestra broke up after Hal was killed in a ccar crash.
Her first movie in 1941 was, ‘Three Girls About Town’ where she played the perky younger sister to Joan Blondelle. In 1942 she was in, ‘Blondie Goes to College’ and others where she played the supporting, bright, naive, younger sister role.
By the time she appeared as the guest on today’s show, Janet was at the height of her career. In the next few years she would play along side of George Raft, Don Ameche, Carrey Grant, Red Skelton, the Dorsey Brothers, and more.
Her film career would be mostly over by the end of the 1940’s, but she would switch to the theater, performing in musicals through the 1950’s, and start work in television.
