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Return to another installment from the Retro Radio Vault, and more from our first season. This time it’s also the first season of the Phil Harris and Alice Fay Show. Here’s my original show notes…
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Today’s show is from the first season, of the Phil Harris and Alice Faye Show, while the show was still sponsored by Fitch Bandwagon. It is time to renew contracts and Phil is worried about being signed on again as Jack Benny’s bandleader.
Alice Fay
Alice Jeanne Leppert was Born May 5, 1915. in New York City’s, rough Hell’s Kitchen. She Died May 9, 1998 of cancer, at age 83. She was to become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars of the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. She started her career as a singer, and chorus girl, but later gravitated to film roles.
Alice Faye started her career as a singer and dancer. She appeared old for her age and in 1928, at the age of only 13, first auditioned as a chorus girl claiming to be 16 years old. She was fired after a year, and letting the truth about her age slip out. She was hired on with Rudy Vallee’s band around 1930 and went with Vallee to Hollywood, when he was able to get a number for her in George White’s Scandals in 1934 where she was only supposed to sing in the film. The lead actress quit and Alice took over as the star. She went on to star in Hollywood’s popular and lucrative cookie-cutter musicals.
In 1937 Alice was married to Tony Martin. The marriage ended in divorce in 1940. Besides her acting, Alice introduced several songs that became pop standards, notably “You’ll Never Know” in the film Hello Frisco, Hello in 1943. Her movie career ended in 1945 when Betty Grable replaced her as Hollywood’s favorite musical-comedy actress. Alice felt she had given her best performance of her career, yet the producer hacked all her lines out of the 1945 film. Fallen Angels, she literally walked out of the studio and didn’t return until her next film in 1962. Alice remained popular with the public and was in the ranks of pinup girls during the war years along with Betty Grable, Jean Harlow and the rest.
Though other actresses have become more well known as singers, such as Doris Day and Judy Garland, Alice introduced 23 hit songs in her films. Nearly twice as many as other singing actresses. Alice remained close to her replacement in films and never harbored any grudges against Betty Grable.
After stepping out of the limelight at the pinnacle of her career, she focused on family life. She had gotten married to singer/bandleader Phil Harris in 1941 and by the end of her movie career had 2 daughters. Her marriage would last until 1995 at the death of her husband. Alice had always said that her family always came before her professional life.
Of course she starred with Phil Harris in their radio show. Part of the Fitch Bandwagon from 1946 through 1948. After that time, it was picked up by Rexall and remained a hit until 1954. From the late 1950’s through the 1980’s Alice made television appearances as guest star on a wide variety of programs.
Faye was and still is one of the brightest musical stars to come out of Hollywood and even Irving Berlin felt that if he really wanted a song to take off, he would have Alice Faye plug it for him. The wit, the beauty, and the voice of Alice Faye will never be forgotten because she owned herself so completely and so honestly. There will never be another Alice Faye.
Happy listening,
Keith H.
Bonus Tracks
- Keith shares remarks about the old Retrobots, a word about the episode, and the career of Alice Faye.
- A clip from the Sons of the Pioneers show, The Bar U Ranch. not sure what year. The story behind the song, Ghost Riders in the Sky.
