Re: Daily Almanac - August 8

[KENNEDBANE@xxxxxxx]

Re harmonica in the movies;  here are several which I believe
have not been mentioned::

"Genevieve",  an English comedy with, as I recall, an excellent 
harmonica score, in which the star is an automobile.  I recently
tried to order a copy from several sources and was told it is
currently not available.


"The Little Fugitive", a film about a little boy lost in New York in 
which his brother's harmonica is part of the plot, and again in which
the score is mostly harmonica (maybe Tommy Morgan).  This is sort
of an "art film" which was made by a lady named Ruth Orkin 
who, incidentally, was a classmate of my sister at good old Eagle
Rock High.

Also, the "Ballad of the Bagdad Cafe",  one of my favorites,  which
was filmed near Barstow Ca. and features CCH Pounder and 
Jack Palance.  It has some really beautiful harmonica in
the score.  The movie was hardly noticed in the U.S.A  but 
was a major success in Europe and in parts of Asia.  The 
cafe was an actual place and it's still there, much diminished.
But they  have a half dozen large scrapbooks filled with comments
from people all over the world who have made it a point to
visit.

Finally, I  have a copy of a film from the mid-thirties called
"The Pigskin Parade."  It was made at Occidental College about
a block and a half from my house (my brother and I set up a
lemonade stand and made a few pennies off the Company.)
The movie is perhaps noteworthy because it contains a bit
part, perhaps her first appearance, by Judy Garland.  But the
interesting thing to me, outside of the deja vu, is that there is
an insertion in the story of a scene where a young hillbilly
boy comes to the door of his cabin and asks his visitors if
they ever heard a harmonica played like a fox chase, which he
proceeds  to do, ala DeFord Bailey.  I don't believe he is
credited but now that I'm reminded I'm going to play it
again and see if he is.

Neil, in Brea, Ca.