Life with Luigi

[Derek McGovern]

Thanks to the generosity of Heidi and Muriella, I'd like to share with
you all a memorable radio appearance that Lanza made on the popular
Life with Luigi Show in November 1949. (All I've done is correct the
speed on it.) Good old J. Carrol Naish of That Midnight Kiss & Toast
of New Orleans fame is Luigi, and he's very funny! In this 13-minute
extract, Luigi/Naish goes to a record store where Mario is signing
copies of his new album. Luigi hopes to impress his acquaintance the
wealthy Pasquale with a signed Lanza album so that the latter will
then be sufficiently moved to contribute money towards a new
recreation centre for needy children.

Much of the fun centres on Luigi's uncertain grasp of English
(especially idioms!), but Mario is also very entertaining -- and gives
a most assured performance. It's also interesting to hear him speaking
in Italian (quite fluently) at one point, and there's an in-joke in
the form of his reference to an assistant called Mr. Pasternak, whose
name Luigi promptly mangles! (Joe Pasternak was the producer of That
Midnight Kiss.)

At the end Lanza sings Mamma Mia, Che Vo' Sape?. I'm afraid the sound
is rather poor -- and there is a clearer version of this rendition
floating around -- but, to be honest, it's not one of Mario's better
performances of the song (particularly the climactic note). It's
interesting to hear it with a different arrangement, though.

Incidentally, the actor playing Pasquale sounds remarkably like Thomas
Gomez, who, of course, portrayed the portly tenor in That Midnight
Kiss. I know that Gomez did appear on the TV version of Life with
Luigi a few years later, so it'd be interesting to find out if it
really is him. In his second book, however, Mannering lists actor Jim
Backus, not Gomez, as appearing here, so perhaps my ears are deceiving
me!

Anyway, enjoy! :

http://www.4shared.com/file/45144176/91d618df/Life_With_Luigi__November_1949_.html

[Muriel]

Hi Derek: These radio shows bring back fond memories of my childhood.
Of course we had no television then and it was great fun to curl up on
the sofa at night and listen, using my imagination while listening to
these stories. I don't recall this particular show, but I love playing
it now when I need a *fix* for the good old days. Mario's voice
carried over the radio in an absolutely pleasing way. He seemed at
ease in his guest role and you'd think he was just one of the regular
cast. J. Carroll Naish was familiar to him as he had appeared recently
in a film with him, so I assume he was someone easily targeted for a
guest role. His Mamma Mia sounds fine to me in this context. Oh, yes,
in *in* joke about Pasternak was clever, wasn't it?

Alan Reed was Pasquale in this show. I think he played the role for
most of the radio show's run.
Many of you will recognize Hans Conried as Schultz. Mr. Conried was a
popular character on many shows, and in films as well. The stories
always had simple themes, and they entertained a broad audience. They
were, indeed, funny. Even though Mr. Naish wasn't Italian, he was
believable in his role. I also loved hearing Mario speak in Italian,
although I cannot catch all of what he said as it came out so quickly.
I'm sure he spoke it in his home with his parents this way. Very nice
hearing Mario having such wonderful fun....

You can hear this and other entire shows on Google if you type in Life
With Luigi. This show is titled Money For The Kids. There are a number
of other shows listed as well.

> http://www.4shared.com/file/45144176/91d618df/Life_With_Luigi__Novemb...

[gary from N.S.]

Muriel and Derek,

Many thanks for the radio clip of Life With Luigi,and Mario playing
his role as Mario.
I had never heard this before,and it was so enjoyable. I love to hear
Mario's speaking voice,and I enjoy hearing him speak Italian. Didn't
he have the most wonderful "timbre" in his speaking voice,and he
speaks in a "musical" style to my ears,a masculine sound but "musical"
in manner.
I am a radio listener from the late forties and through the
fifties.Our first tv came into the house in 1956.
And how I loved the radio shows..The Lone Ranger,Sargent Preston of
The Yukon,Boston Blackie,The Inner Sanctum, and I could go on and
on..such fun listening and conjuring up the faces,and the action as we
listened intently.

I was not familiar with Life With Luigi, and on reading a bit of
background it was a very popular vehicle for J.Carrol Naish the
wonderful character actor.Apparantly this shoe gave Bob Hope's radio
show at the time great competition and was widely received.
In this particular story the writing is quite witty (yes, a simple
story line) but well written in a comedic style that was easily
accepted by kids to grown-ups

I found Mario's rendition of Mamma Mia, Che Vo' Sape not bad at all.
I have taken the liberty here to post a link to Mario singing that
wonderful Neapolitan song from youtube. Also I found a listing of the
actors from that program, and Jim Backus is shown as the clerk.
Listening to the voice of "the clerk" I can denote the Backus
voice,but it is a younger Backus voice I hear,when I compare it in my
mind to his voice on later TV shows.

Again, a most enoyable clip.
Cheers
Gary

Life With Luigi
Studio B
Tuesday, November 29th, 1949
6:00 - 6:30 pm

Luigi Basco....J.Carrol Naish
Pasquale....Allen Reed
Miss Spalding....Mary J. Croft
Schultz....Hans Conreid
Olson....Ken Peters
Horwitz....Joe Forte
Rosa.....Jody Gilbert
Man....Sam Wolfe
Clerk....Jim Backus
Woman....Mary J Croft

Mamma Mia, Che Vo' Sape

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQe6z-OrA74

> http://www.4shared.com/file/45144176/91d618df/Life_With_Luigi__Novemb...

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Gary: The link you posted is for Mario's commercial recording of
Mamma Mia, Che Vo' Sape? (not the Life with Luigi version), and I
agree -- it's magnificent! Actually, some months back on this forum we
discussed it at length here:

http://groups.google.com/group/mariolanza/browse_thread/thread/e410c76141225845#

There's no reason we can't return to it, though! It's one of Lanza's
greatest recordings in my book.

Hearty thanks to you and Muriella for the info on Life with Luigi!

Cheers
Derek

[Lover of Grand Voices]

Thank you Heidi and Muriel for this. It does bring back memories and
it also exhibits Mario's acting ability. I have read so much about
him that I believe that he was generous, warm and engaging just as
portrayed in this program.

All the best

Emilio

[Derek McGovern]

My father was recently chuckling over this 1949 "Life with Luigi"
radio show featuring J. Carrol Naish and Lanza. It's quite funny for
its time. Here's the restored
audio link for anyone who may have missed this discussion the first time round:

http://www.4shared.com/account/file/80544759/a9d46380/J_Carroll_Naish__Lanza_--_Life_with_Luigi_radio_show__Nov_1949_.html