BRIAN 11.4.2 -- Windows

The Nat King Cole Show

by Jordan Taylor & G.E. Hewitt

Page generated on 5/20/24


Nat King Cole
Introduction

In 1956–57, Nat King Cole hosted his own weekly television show on NBC. Debuting as a 15-minute program on November 5, 1956, The Nat King Cole Show was expanded to a half-hour in July 1957. The final episode was broadcast on December 17, 1957.

With the exception of the August 20, 1957 broadcast, footage exists for all of the 30-minute episodes. Many of the 15-minute shows also exist, either as airchecks or kinescopes, but unfortunately there are a handful of episodes from spring 1957 without surviving performances. Despite this, we have opted to include as much information on these "missing" shows as possible, in order to fully document the music featured on The Nat King Cole Show.

(Photo: singing "Lullaby of Broadway" during a June 1957 episode. The song's composer, Harry Warren, was the show's guest that evening.)


Date: November 5, 1956 [19:30-19:45]
Location: New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Boateneers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Gordon Jenkins (dir)

a. film Somebody Loves Me(George Gershwin, Buddy DeSylva, Ballard MacDonald) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:00
LaserLight CD Box15 915 — Nat King Cole: The Trio Recordings   (1991)
b. film I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face(Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:03
c. film Tea For Two(Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 3:01
LaserLight CD Box15 915 — Nat King Cole: The Trio Recordings   (1991)
d. film Unforgettable(Irving Gordon) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:40
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
All titles on:
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Sunbeam LPSB 222 — The Incomparable Nat King Cole: 1956-1957 Broadcasts   (1977)
Sandy Hook LPS.H. 2054 — The Nat "King" Show: Live 1957 Broadcasts   (1981)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101902 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 1   (1995)

The Boateneers (bkv) on c; Nat Cole (p) on c.

Personnel

1. The Boateneers consisted of Joseph Boatner, Doryee Brown, William Glover, Bill Baker, and Robert Hinson.

2. Interviewed in 2019, pianist Dick Hyman said he played on the initial New York episodes of The Nat King Cole Show.

Location

While it is not yet known with any certainty which theater or studio was used for the New York broadcasts of The Nat King Cole Show, at least one episode (28 January 1957) originated from the Colonial Theatre. It's likely the others were broadcast there also.


Date: November 12, 1956 [19:30-19:45]
Location: New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Boateneers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Gordon Jenkins (dir)

a. aircheck This Can't Be Love(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:45
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
b. aircheck A Beautiful Friendship(Donald Kahn, Stanley Styne) - 3:15
c. aircheck C-U-B-A(Irving Berlin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:50
d. aircheck Mona Lisa(Jay Livingston, Ray Evans) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:33
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
All titles on:
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Sunbeam LPSB 222 — The Incomparable Nat King Cole: 1956-1957 Broadcasts   (1977)
Sandy Hook LPS.H. 2054 — The Nat "King" Show: Live 1957 Broadcasts   (1981)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101902 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 1   (1995)

The Boateneers (bkv) on b; Nat Cole (p) on b-c.


Date: November 19, 1956 [19:30-19:45]
Location: New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Boateneers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Gordon Jenkins (dir)

a. aircheck Thou Swell(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:13
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Sandy Hook LPS.H. 2054 — The Nat "King" Show: Live 1957 Broadcasts   (1981)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
b. aircheck Night Lights(Chester Conn, Sammy Gallop) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:37
c. aircheck Two Different Worlds(Sid Wayne, Al Frisch) - 2:45
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Sandy Hook LPS.H. 2054 — The Nat "King" Show: Live 1957 Broadcasts   (1981)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
d. aircheck It's Only A Paper Moon(Harold Arlen, Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg) - 1:45
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Sandy Hook LPS.H. 2054 — The Nat "King" Show: Live 1957 Broadcasts   (1981)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
e. aircheck Early American(Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke) - 2:24
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Sandy Hook LPS.H. 2054 — The Nat "King" Show: Live 1957 Broadcasts   (1981)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101902 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 1   (1995)

The Boateneers (bkv) on c, e; Nat Cole (p) on b, d; others unknown (acc) on a-c, e.


Date: November 26, 1956 [19:30-19:45]
Location: New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Boateneers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Gordon Jenkins (dir)

a. aircheck To The Ends Of The Earth(Noel Sherman, Joe Sherman) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:05
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
b. aircheck My Foolish Heart(Victor Young, Ned Washington) - 3:12
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
c. aircheck Sweet Sue, Just You(Victor Young, Will J. Harris) - 1:40
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
d. aircheck Stella By Starlight(Victor Young, Ned Washington) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:48
e. aircheck Love Letters(Victor Young, Edward Heyman) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:55
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101902 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 1   (1995)

d, e  performed as medley

The Boateneers (bkv) on a, c-e; Nat Cole (p) on c-d.


Date: December 1, 1956
Location: Ziegfeld Theatre, 1341 6th Avenue, New York
The Perry Como Show

Nat Cole, Perry Como (v), others unknown (acc), Mitchell Ayres (con)

a. film Thou Swell(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle
b. film I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face(Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner) / arr: Nelson Riddle
c. film C-U-B-A(Irving Berlin) / arr: Nelson Riddle
All titles unissued.

Perry Como (v) on c.


Date: December 3, 1956 [19:30-19:45]
Location: New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Gordon Jenkins (dir)

a. aircheck I'm Shooting High(Jimmy McHugh, Ted Koehler) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:23
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
b. aircheck Autumn Leaves(Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prevert, Johnny Mercer) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:46
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Sandy Hook LPS.H. 2054 — The Nat "King" Show: Live 1957 Broadcasts   (1981)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
c. aircheck Just One Of Those Things(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 3:22
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
d. aircheck There Goes My Heart(Benny Davis, Abner Silver) - 2:22
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101902 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 1   (1995)

Nat Cole (p) on c.

Personnel

The Boateneers once again provided backing vocals for the episode, but they appear on none of the performances, only the beginning of the 'Memory' segment just prior to "There Goes My Heart".


Date: December 10, 1956 [19:30-19:45]
Location: New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Boateneers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Gordon Jenkins (dir)

a. aircheck Little Girl(Madeline Hyde, Francis Henry) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:25
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
b. aircheck Repeat After Me(Gordon Jenkins) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 1:40
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
c. aircheck True Love(Cole Porter) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 1:55
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
d. aircheck Too Marvelous For Words(Richard Whiting, Johnny Mercer) - 2:00
e. aircheck Too Young(Sylvia Dee, Sid Lippman) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:32
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101903 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 2   (1996)

b, c  performed as medley

The Boateneers (bkv) on b-c, e; Nat Cole (p) on d; others unknown (acc) on a-c, e.


Date: December 17, 1956 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Eddie Beale Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. aircheck When You're Smiling(Larry Shay, Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:35
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
b. aircheck Night Lights(Chester Conn, Sammy Gallop) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:37
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
c. aircheck Take Me Back To Toyland(Bert Lowe, Kal Mann) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:25
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
d. aircheck Just In Time(Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:48
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
e. aircheck Somewhere Along The Way(Jimmy Van Heusen [as Kurt Adams], Sammy Gallop) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:05
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101903 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 2   (1996)

Nat Cole (p) on b, d.


Date: December 24, 1956 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), unknown (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. aircheck Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town(Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:40
b. aircheck A House With Love In It(Sylvia Dee, Sid Lippman) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:45
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
c. aircheck Mrs. Santa Claus(Hazel Houle, Jack Fulton, Lois Steele) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:40
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
d. aircheck Jingle Bells(J. S. Pierpont) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:05
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
e. aircheck The Christmas Song(Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:07
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101903 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 2   (1996)

unknown (bkv) on a-b; Nat Cole (p) on d.


Date: December 31, 1956 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Boateneers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Almost Like Being In Love(Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:14
b. film Blueberry Hill(Al Lewis, Larry Stock, Vincent Rose) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:00
c. film Friendly Persuasion(Dimitri Tiomkin, Paul Francis Webster) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:48
d. film (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66(Bobby Troup) - 2:22
e. film What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?(Frank Loesser) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:27
All titles unissued.

The Boateneers (bkv) on b-c, e; Nat Cole (p) on d.


Date: January 7, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. aircheck Thou Swell(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
b. aircheck You Stepped Out Of A Dream(Gus Kahn, Nacio Herb Brown) - 1:34
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
c. aircheck Two Different Worlds(Sid Wayne, Al Frisch)
d. aircheck Crazy Rhythm(Joseph Meyer, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Irving Caesar)
All titles on:
Swing King LPSK 1001 — Nat King Cole With Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra   (1984)

Date: January 14, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), Stuff Smith (vn), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Pick Yourself Up(Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:30
Disques Festival (FR) LPAlbum 223 — His Greatest Successes: 32 Live Original Songs   (1976)
Accord (FR) CD129021 — 32 Live Original Songs   (1987)
b. film Somebody Loves Me(George Gershwin, Buddy DeSylva, Ballard MacDonald) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:05
c. film Love Me Tender(Elvis Presley, Vera Matson) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:00
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
d. film I Know That You Know(Vincent Youmans, Anne Caldwell) - 2:30
e. film A Little Street Where Old Friends Meet(Gus Kahn, Harry M. Woods) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:20
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
All titles on:
Swing King LPSK 1001 — Nat King Cole With Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra   (1984)

The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv) on c; Nat Cole (p) on d; Stuff Smith (vn) on d; others unknown (acc) on a-c, e.

Guest

1. Stuff Smith


Date: January 21, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Just In Time(Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) - 1:48
b. film Hey! Jealous Lover(Sammy Cahn, Kay Twomey, Bee Walker) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:20
c. film You Are My First Love(Paddy Roberts, Lester Powell) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:28
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
d. film The Banana Boat Song(Erik Darling, Bob Carey, Alan Arkin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:45
e. film Ballerina(Carl Sigman, Bob Russell) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:30
All titles on:
Swing King LPSK 1001 — Nat King Cole With Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra   (1984)
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101903 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 2   (1996)

The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv) on b, d; Nat Cole (p) on a.

Dates

Although Nat announces that he'd be in New York next week, this episode was most likely kinescoped a week earlier, on or around 14 January.


Date: January 28, 1957 [19:30-19:45]
Location: Colonial Theatre, Broadway at 62nd Street, New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Boateneers, unknown (bkv), Count Basie (p), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film I'm Sitting On Top Of The World(Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, Ray Henderson) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:22
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
b. film This Can't Be Love(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:30
c. film Namely You(Johnny Mercer, Gene DePaul) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:10
d. film Oh, Lady Be Good(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:15
e. film September Song(Kurt Weill, Maxwell Anderson) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:10
All titles on:
Swing King LPSK 1001 — Nat King Cole With Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra   (1984)
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101903 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 2   (1996)

The Boateneers (bkv) on c, e; unknown (bkv) on c; Count Basie (p) on d; Nat Cole (p) on d.

Guest

1. Count Basie


Date: February 4, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Colonial Theatre, Broadway at 62nd Street, New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film You're The Top(Cole Porter) - 1:30
b. film But Not For Me(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) - 1:56
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
c. film You Are My First Love(Paddy Roberts, Lester Powell) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:43
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
d. film Just You, Just Me(Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages) - 1:42
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
e. film There Will Never Be Another You(Harry Warren, Mack Gordon)
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101904 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 3   (1996)

Nat Cole (p) on d; others unknown (acc) on a-c, e.

Dates and Location

It seems most likely that this episode was kinescoped in New York in late January, possibly the 30th—prior to leaving for Havana—and broadcast on 4 February 1957. At the time of the show's airing, Cole was performing at the Tropicana in Havana, Cuba. Despite the TV Guide of 2-8 February indicating that this episode originated from Miami, it is our contention that this is most likely not the case.

Riddle's ledger also suggests that two episodes were kinescoped in New York around 30 January. Our belief is that episodes from 4 February and 18 February were done in New York prior to Cuba, while the episode of 11 February was kinescoped several weeks earlier in Los Angeles.

Further indicating that this episode was not done in Miami or Cuba, The Boateeners, the New York-based vocal group that appeared on the episodes originating from that city, were also present on this episode but sang only incidental music near the end of the episode. It doesn't make much sense that they would be flown to Miami for a such a small role.


Date: February 11, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film That's My Girl(Ray Ellington, Barbara Tobias) / arr: Pete Rugolo - 1:38
A Touch Of Magic (UK) CDDATOM-1 — Live   (1988)
b. film Coquette(Johnny Green, Carmen Lombardo, Gus Kahn) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:53
c. film True Love(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:15
d. film Tea For Two(Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:20
e. film My Funny Valentine(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:06
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101904 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 3   (1996)

Nat Cole (v) on a-c, e, (p) on a, d; The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv) on b-c.

Dates and Location

Though broadcast on 11 February while Cole was in Havana, Cuba, this episode was kinescoped in Los Angeles on or around 14 January. Nelson Riddle's ledger, dated 14 January, indicates that the episode was to be "used in February."

As with the previous episode, TV Guide erroneously reported that this show originated from Miami. Cole even mentions during this episode that for the past week he had performing at The Tropicana in Havana, with "Tea For Two" a frequent request. But Cole almost certainly uttered these words nearly more than two weeks before his engagement in Havana began and nearly a month before the episode aired.

Further, the presence of The Herman McCoy Singers almost certainly places this in Los Angeles and not Miami or Havana.


Date: February 18, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Colonial Theatre, Broadway at 62nd Street, New York
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), The Boateneers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film I'm Shooting High(Jimmy McHugh, Ted Koehler) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:17
b. film Blueberry Hill(Al Lewis, Larry Stock, Vincent Rose) - 2:00
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
c. film I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face(Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:10
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
d. film Ballerina(Carl Sigman, Bob Russell) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:01
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
e. film Pretend(Cliff Parman, Lew Douglas, Dan Belloc, Frank Lavere) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:53
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101904 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 3   (1996)

The Boateneers (bkv) on b.

Dates and Location

Though Cole was performing in Miami at the time of this broadcast, this episode was kinescoped in New York in late January (possibly 30 January) prior to his departure for Cuba.


Date: February 25, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. aircheck Should I?(Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:27
b. aircheck It All Depends On You(Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson) - 2:00
c. aircheck Namely You(Johnny Mercer, Gene DePaul) - 2:07
d. aircheck This Is My Night To Dream(James Monaco, Johnny Burke) - 2:18
e. aircheck Unforgettable(Irving Gordon) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:58
All titles on:
On The Air (PT) CDOTA 101904 — Nat King Cole Shows, Volume 3   (1996)

The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv) on b-c; Nat Cole (p) on d.

Dates and Location

Though broadcast on 25 February, this episode was probably kinescoped in Los Angeles on or around 21 January. As with similar episodes, Riddle's ledger entry of 21 January indicates that these performances would once again be used in February.


Date: March 4, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Herman McCoy Singers, unknown (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. lost When You're Smiling(Larry Shay, Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle
b. lost The Banana Boat Song(Erik Darling, Bob Carey, Alan Arkin) / arr: Nelson Riddle
c. lost The Party's Over(Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) / arr: Nelson Riddle
d. lost I Can't Give You Anything But Love(Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields)
e. lost Dinner For One Please, James(Michael Carr) / arr: Nelson Riddle
All titles unissued.

The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv) on a-b; unknown (bkv) on b; Nat Cole (p) on d.

The information for this session comes courtesy of Cole discographer Roy Holmes. Holmes may have possessed audio or footage of this episode, but neither is known to exist at this time.


Date: March 11, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. lost Pick Yourself Up(Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields) / arr: Nelson Riddle
b. lost Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams(Ted Koehler, Billy Moll, Harry Barris)
c. lost You Are My First Love(Paddy Roberts, Lester Powell) / arr: Nelson Riddle
d. lost Ballerina(Carl Sigman, Bob Russell) / arr: Nelson Riddle
e. lost Answer Me, My Love(Gerhard Winkler, Fred Rauch, Carl Sigman) / arr: Nelson Riddle
All titles unissued.

The Herman McCoy Singers (bkv) on e; Nat Cole (p) on b; others unknown (acc) on a, c-e.

The information for this session comes courtesy of Cole discographer Roy Holmes. Holmes may have possessed audio or footage of this episode, but neither is known to exist at this time.

Personnel

Holmes says The Herman McCoy Singers were also present on both "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams" and "You Are My First Love".


Date: March 25, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Maria Cole, Nat Cole (v), unknown (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. lost Give Me The Simple Life(Rube Bloom, Harry Ruby) / arr: Nelson Riddle
b. lost I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face(Frederick Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner) / arr: Nelson Riddle
c. lost You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me(Al Dubin, Harry Warren)
d. lost We Belong To A Mutual Admiration Society(Harold Karr, Matt Dubey)
e. lost Love Is The Thing(Victor Young, Ned Washington) / arr: Gordon Jenkins
All titles unissued.

Maria Cole (v) on b-d; unknown (bkv) on a.

The information for this session comes courtesy of Cole discographer Roy Holmes and the ledger of Nelson Riddle. Holmes may have possessed audio or footage of this episode, but neither is known to exist at this time.

Songs

1. Riddle's ledger identifies an arrangement for "I'll Never Forget What's-Her-Name", but Holmes does not include this in his listing of performances.

2. According to Holmes, Maria Cole was guest and performed a solo rendition of "I Didn't Know What Time It Was".


Date: April 1, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), unknown (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. lost You're The Top(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle
b. lost Night Lights(Chester Conn, Sammy Gallop) / arr: Nelson Riddle
c. lost Spring Is Here(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle
d. lost Exactly Like You(Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields)
e. lost Stardust(Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish) / arr: Gordon Jenkins, Bill Jones
All titles unissued.

unknown (bkv) on c; Nat Cole (p) on d; others unknown (acc) on a-c, e.

The information for this session comes primarily from Cole discographer Roy Holmes and the ledger of Nelson Riddle. Holmes may have possessed audio or footage of this episode, but neither is known to exist at this time.


Date: April 8, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. lost 'S Wonderful(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle
b. lost More Than You Know(Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu, Billy Rose) / arr: Nelson Riddle
c. lost How High The Moon(Nancy Hamilton, W. Morgan Lewis) / arr: Nelson Riddle
d. lost It Had To Be You(Gus Kahn, Isham Jones) / arr: Nelson Riddle
All titles unissued.

The information for this session comes from the ledger of Nelson Riddle.


Date: April 15, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), Juan Tizol (vtb), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), Jack Costanzo (bgo), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Just One Of Those Things(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:20
b. film Easy To Love(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:30
c. film The Party's Over(Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:08
d. film When Rock And Roll Come To Trinidad(Marvin Fisher, Roy Alfred) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:48
e. film The Sand And The Sea(Hal Hester, Sol Parker) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:57
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3203 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 3   (1989)

The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a, d-e; Juan Tizol (vtb) on a-c, e; Jack Costanzo (bgo) on d.


Date: April 22, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), Juan Tizol (vtb), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart(James F. Hanley) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:45
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
b. film So Long, My Love(Lew Spence, Sammy Cahn) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:30
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
c. film Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?(Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:54
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
d. film Crazy Rhythm(Joseph Meyer, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Irving Caesar) - 1:53
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
e. film Red Sails In The Sunset(Wilhelm Grosz [as Hugh Williams], Jimmy Kennedy) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:45
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)

The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a, c, e; Juan Tizol (vtb) on a-c, e; Nat Cole (p) on d; others unknown (acc) on a-c, e.

Location

The Copa Room of the Sands Hotel (where Cole was performing at the time) was recreated as the setting for this episode.


Date: April 29, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Almost Like Being In Love(Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:25
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
b. film Anything Goes(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:16
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
c. film It's All In The Game(Carl Sigman, Charles Dawes) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 1:30
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
d. film Where Or When(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:10
unissued
e. film Love Is The Thing(Victor Young, Ned Washington) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 2:15
unissued

The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on d.

Location

The Las Vegas strip was the setting for this episode, as Cole was performing at the Sands Hotel at the time of this broadcast.


Date: May 6, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), Juan Tizol (vtb), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), Jack Costanzo (bgo), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Lucky Day(Lew Brown, Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:23
b. film Stay As Sweet As You Are(Harry Revel, Mack Gordon) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 1:57
c. film Sometimes I'm Happy(Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar) - 1:48
d. film Caravan(Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol, Irving Mills) - 2:25
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
e. film Shadow Waltz(Harry Warren, Al Dubin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:47
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3203 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 3   (1989)

The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a, e; Juan Tizol (vtb) on a-b, d-e; Nat Cole (p) on c-d; Jack Costanzo (bgo) on d; others unknown (acc) on a-b, e.


Date: May 13, 1957 16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. lost It's Only A Paper Moon(Harold Arlen, Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg) / arr: Nelson Riddle
unissued

Songs

Listed in Nelson Riddle's ledger, "It's Only A Paper Moon" is the only known performance from this episode. While a kinescope is rumored to exist, it has yet to surface.

Guest

1. Stan Kenton was guest. (Thanks to Kenton scholar Steven Harris for providing this info.)


Date: May 20, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio D, NBC Studios, Hollywood
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film My Blue Heaven(Walter Donaldson, George Whiting) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:18
b. film Old Folks(Willard Robison, Dedette Hill) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:50
c. film Kee-Mo Ky-Mo (The Magic Song)(Roy Alfred, Bob Hilliard) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:15
d. film When Rock And Roll Come To Trinidad(Marvin Fisher, Roy Alfred) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:33
e. film Home (When Shadows Fall)(Harry Clarkson, Jeff Clarkson, Peter Van Steeden) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:40
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3203 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 3   (1989)

The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a-b, d-e.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Ralph Brewster, Ralph Carmichael, Jimmy Joyce, Randy Van Horne, possibly Loulie Jean Norman, and one other unidentified woman.

This episode marks the first known appearance in the Nat Cole story of Ralph Carmichael, who in 1960 would become Cole's full-time musical director.


Date: May 27, 1957
Location: NBC Studios, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), unknown (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Chicago(Fred Fisher) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:18
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
b. film Where Or When(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:55
c. film Tea For Two(Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:42
d. film There Will Never Be Another You(Harry Warren, Mack Gordon) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:16
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3202 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 2   (1989)

Nat Cole (v) on a-b, d, (p) on c; unknown (bkv) on b.


Date: June 3, 1957
Location: NBC Studios, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Lurlean Hunter (v), unknown (bkv, cl), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Muskrat Ramble(Edward 'Kid' Ory, Ray Gilbert) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:54
b. film Sweet Lorraine(Mitchell Parish, Cliff Burwell) - 2:06
c. film Too Marvelous For Words(Richard Whiting, Johnny Mercer) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:12
d. film Love Letters(Victor Young, Edward Heyman) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:02
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3202 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 2   (1989)

Lurlean Hunter (v) on c; unknown (bkv) on a, (cl) on b; Nat Cole (p) on a, c; others unknown (acc) on a, c-d.

Guest

1. Lurlean Hunter


Date: June 10, 1957
Location: NBC Studios, Hollywood or Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. lost Nice Work If You Can Get It(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle
b. lost Jamaica Farewell(Lord Burgess) / arr: Nelson Riddle
c. lost Around The World(Victor Young, Harold Adamson) / arr: Nelson Riddle
All titles unissued.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers probably appeared on this episode.

Location

Cole's show made the switch to NBC Burbank studios in June, but it is not known if this episode was filmed there or at the studios in Hollywood.

Songs

The listed song titles come from the ledger of Nelson Riddle, who wrote these arrangements for this episode. The remaining performances for this episode are not known at this time. To date, no audio or footage has surfaced.


Date: June 17, 1957 [16:30-16:45]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), Harry Warren (p), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Lulu's Back In Town(Harry Warren, Al Dubin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:25
b. film Lullaby Of Broadway(Harry Warren, Al Dubin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:50
c. film September In The Rain(Harry Warren, Al Dubin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:31
d. film With Plenty Of Money And You(Harry Warren, Al Dubin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 0:40
e. film You'll Never Know(Harry Warren, Mack Gordon) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:58
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3203 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 3   (1989)

Harry Warren (p) on d.

Dates

While Riddle's ledger indicates that these arrangements were written for the June 24th episode, contemporary newspapers list Harry Warren as the show's guest for the June 17th episode.

Further, a surviving ticket stub of the June 24th episode makes no mention of a guest, listing only Nelson Riddle and the Randy Van Horne Singers. Other surviving tickets from July and December, respectively, list either the name of the guest or indicate that a special guest star will be appearing. The absence of this on the ticket of the 24th, while not conclusive, does suggest that Warren likely appeared on the 17th.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Ralph Brewster, Jimmy Joyce, Randy Van Horne, possibly Loulie Jean Norman, and one other unidentified woman.

Guest

1. Harry Warren


Date: July 2, 1957 [19:00-19:30]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film I'm Shooting High(Jimmy McHugh, Ted Koehler) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:18
b. film When Rock And Roll Come To Trinidad(Marvin Fisher, Roy Alfred) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 3:09
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
c. film Love Letters In The Sand(J. Fred Coots, Charles Kenny, Nick Kenny) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:17
d. film I Get A Kick Out Of You(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:16
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
e. film Stay As Sweet As You Are(Harry Revel, Mack Gordon) - 2:18
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3204 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 4   (1989)

Nat Cole (v) on a-c, e, (p) on d; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on b-c.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Ralph Brewster, Jimmy Joyce, Randy Van Horne, possibly Loulie Jean Norman, and one other unidentified woman.

Songs

Cole sings 20 seconds of Laine's composition "It Only Happens Once", which the trio recorded in the 1940s.

Cole and Laine also performed a "T.V. of Tomorrow" medley, which consisted of parodies (with special lyrics most likely the work of Shirley Henry) of the following songs:

That's My Desire (Laine)
Nature Boy (Nat)
Rockin' Chair (Laine)
By The River Ste. Marie (Nat and Laine)
Mona Lisa (Nat)
On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Laine)
Night Lights (Nat)
Be A Clown (Nat and Laine)


Guest

1. Frankie Laine


Date: July 9, 1957 [19:00-19:30]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

June Christy (v), Nat Cole (v, p), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), Plas Johnson (ts), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Mel Tormé, Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Crazy Rhythm(Joseph Meyer, Roger Wolfe Kahn, Irving Caesar) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:08
b. film When I Fall In Love(Victor Young, Edward Heyman) / arr: Romo Falk, Gordon Jenkins - 2:28
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
c. film Send For Me(Ollie Jones) / arr: Billy May - 2:44
d. film How High The Moon(Nancy Hamilton, W. Morgan Lewis) - 2:46
e. film I'm In The Mood For Love(Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:50
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)

June Christy (v) on d; Nat Cole (v) on a-c, e, (p) on d; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a, c; Plas Johnson (ts) on a, c; Mel Tormé (d) on d; Lee Young (d) on a-c, e; others unknown (acc) on a-c, e.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Ralph Brewster, Jimmy Joyce, Randy Van Horne, possibly Loulie Jean Norman, and one other unidentified woman.

Guests

1. June Christy
2. Mel Tormé


Date: July 16, 1957 [19:00-19:30]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), Juan Tizol (vtb), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Breezin' Along With The Breeze(Haven Gillespie, Seymour Simons, Richard Whiting) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 0:55
b. film My Personal Possession(Charlie Singleton, Rose Marie McCoy) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:40
c. film Around The World(Victor Young, Harold Adamson) - 1:38
d. film C-U-B-A(Irving Berlin) - 1:14
e. film The Nearness Of You(Hoagy Carmichael, Ned Washington) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:00
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3202 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 2   (1989)

The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a-c, e.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Ralph Brewster, Jimmy Joyce, Randy Van Horne, possibly Loulie Jean Norman, and one other unidentified woman.

Guests

1. Pearl Bailey
2. Louis Bellson


Date: July 30, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Sammy Davis Jr., The Hi-Lo's (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Taking A Chance On Love(Vernon Duke, John Latouche, Ted Fetter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:04
b. film Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much(Irving Berlin) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 1:48
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
c. film It's Only A Paper Moon(Harold Arlen, Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:15
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
d. film Somewhere Along The Way(Jimmy Van Heusen [as Kurt Adams], Sammy Gallop) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:09
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
e. film Beyond The Blue Horizon(Richard Whiting, W. F. Harling, Leo Robin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:47
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3204 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 4   (1989)

Sammy Davis Jr. (v) on d-e; The Hi-Lo's (v) on e; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a, e; Nat Cole (p) on c-d.

Dates

This episode was most likely kinescoped on or around July 23rd when it was scheduled for broadcast. The episode, however, was pre-empted by The Big Issue and broadcast one week later on July 30th instead.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Ralph Brewster, Betty Joyce, Jimmy Joyce, Toni Stevens, Randy Van Horne, one unidentified man, and two unidentified women.

Songs

While the 'Memory' spot at the end of the show features both "Blue Horizon" and "Linger Awhile", the latter is only a 40-second interlude between choruses of the former and does not include Cole.

Guests

1. Sammy Davis, Jr.
2. The Hi-Lo's


Date: August 6, 1957 [19:00-19:30]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Harry Belafonte, Nat Cole (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Love Is Sweeping The Country(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:57
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
b. film It's Not For Me To Say(Al Stillman, Robert Allen) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:42
c. film I Thought About Marie(Gordon Jenkins) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 1:49
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
d. film Mama Look A Boo Boo(Lord Melody [Fitzroy Alexander]) - 1:47
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
e. film Unforgettable(Irving Gordon) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:31
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3205 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 5   (1989)

Harry Belafonte (v) on d; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a-b, d.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Ralph Brewster, Ralph Carmichael, Jimmy Joyce, Toni Stevens, Randy Van Horne, and three unidentified women.

Songs

During a career segment, Cole sings brief versions of "Straighten Up And Fly Right", "Nature Boy", and "Send For Me". Accompanying himself on piano and with Belafonte on drums, the two men join forces for a few bars of "How High The Moon".

Guest

1. Harry Belafonte


Date: August 13, 1957 [19:00-19:30]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Lisa Kirk, Jimmie Komack (v), Children's Chorus, The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Valentina(Albert Willemetz, Henri Christiné) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:58
b. film Pigalle(Georges Ulmer, Géo Koger, Guy Luypaerts) - 1:43
c. film Alouette(Traditional) - 1:15
d. film Mam'selle(Edmund Goulding, Mack Gordon) - 1:09
e. film C'est Si Bon(Jerry Seelen, Henry Betti, Andre Hornez) - 5:30
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
f. film La Seine(Guy LaFarge, Flavien Monod, Geoffrey Parsons) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:00
g. film Passing By(Laurent Hess, Jack Lawrence, Charles Trenet, Paul Misraki) - 2:07
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3203 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 3   (1989)

Lisa Kirk (v) on e; Jimmie Komack (v) on e; Children's Chorus (bkv) on c; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a, f; Nat Cole (p) on e.

Personnel

For this episode, identifiable members of the Randy Van Horne Singers are Ralph Brewster, Jimmy Joyce, Randy Van Horne, and possibly Toni Stevens. Others are unknown.

Arrangements

While Nelson Riddle most likely arranged all music for this episode, his ledger only identifies original arrangements for "Valentina" and "La Seine".

Songs

Cole appears to be singing to a pre-recorded track on "La Seine".

Guests

1. Lisa Kirk
2. Jimmie Komack


Date: August 20, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. lost When You're Smiling(Larry Shay, Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle
b. lost It All Depends On You(Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson) / arr: Nelson Riddle
c. lost Where Or When(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle
d. lost Blue Skies(Irving Berlin) / arr: Nelson Riddle
All titles unissued.

Dates

Though broadcast on August 20th, this episode was kinescoped on or around July 30th. At time of airing, Cole was performing at the 500 Club in Atlantic City.

Songs

This is the only 30-minute episode of The Nat King Cole Show that has yet to surface. Information on the titles above comes from TV Guide, via Jim Davidson, and the ledger of Nelson Riddle.

This episode, described by Nat during the close of the August 20 episode as "a cavalcade of song from the past 30 years", features the following performances from the show's guests:

Easy To Love (King Sisters)
I'll Be Seeing You (Johnny Desmond, arranged by Nelson Riddle)
Moonlight In Vermont (Alvino Rey)
Consideration (Johnny Desmond)


Riddle's ledger includes a new arrangement of "Blue Skies", which has been included in the main listing as a Cole performance. This, however, cannot be verified at this time.

Guests

1. Johnny Desmond
2. Alvino Rey
3. The King Sisters


Date: August 27, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Merry Macs (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), Judd McMichael (cl), Vern Rowe (t), Margaret Whiting (p, per), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Another Op'nin', Another Show(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:05
b. film The Song Of Raintree County(Johnny Green, Paul Francis Webster) - 2:23
c. film I'm Sitting On Top Of The World(Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, Ray Henderson) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:17
d. film Pretend(Cliff Parman, Lew Douglas, Dan Belloc, Frank Lavere) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:45
e. film Chopsticks(Jack Lawrence, Elliot Daniels) - 3:30
f. film Shine On Harvest Moon(Nora Bayes, Jack Norworth) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:42
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3206 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 6   (1989)

Nat Cole (v) on a-d, f, (p) on e; The Merry Macs (v) on e; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a; Judd McMichael (cl) on e; Vern Rowe (t) on e; Margaret Whiting (p) on e, (per) on e.

Dates

Though broadcast on August 27th, this episode was likely taped/kinescoped on or around August 9th, prior to Cole leaving Los Angeles for an engagement in Atlantic City.

Personnel

For this episode, the Merry Macs consisted of Judd McMichael, Ted McMichael, Marjorie Garland McMichael, and Vern Rowe. The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Ralph Brewster, Jimmy Joyce, Randy Van Horne, and two unidentified women.

Guests

1. Margaret Whiting
2. The Merry Macs


Date: September 3, 1957 [19:00-19:30]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole, Julius LaRosa, Peggy Lee (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film It's A Good Day(Dave Barbour, Peggy Lee) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:16
b. film I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter(Joe Young, Fred E. Ahlert) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:20
c. film With You On My Mind(Nat Cole, Charlotte Hawkins) - 1:38
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
d. film How High The Moon(Nancy Hamilton, W. Morgan Lewis) - 2:17
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
e. film Makin' Records(Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn, Shirley Henry) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:24
f. film There's A Goldmine In The Sky(Charles Kenny, Nick Kenny) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:17
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3206 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 6   (1989)

Julius LaRosa (v) on e; Peggy Lee (v) on e; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a, c, f.

Personnel

Of the Randy Van Horne Singers whom appear on camera, only Jimmy Joyce and Randy Van Horne have been identified. Two other men are unknown.

Songs

"Makin' Records" is a parody of "Makin' Whoopee", with new lyrics by Shirley Henry.

Guests

1. Peggy Lee
2. Julius LaRosa


Date: September 10, 1957 [19:00-19:30]
Location: Copa Room, The Sands Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Ella Fitzgerald (v), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Pick Yourself Up(Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 0:58
b. film Anything Goes(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:05
c. film Fascination(Dick Manning, Fermo Dante Marchetti) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:17
d. film It's All Right With Me(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:44
e. film You're The Top(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:34
f. film Love Is The Thing(Victor Young, Ned Washington) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 1:55
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)

Ella Fitzgerald (v) on d-e; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a; Nat Cole (p) on d.

Personnel

The Randy Van Horne Singers consisted of Randy Van Horne, possibly Loulie Jean Norman and Toni Stevens, and two unidentified men.

Composers

Shirley Henry was responsible for the special lyrics for "Anything Goes" and "You're The Top".

Guests

1. Ella Fitzgerald
2. The Four Lads


Date: September 17, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Copa Room, The Sands Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Tony Martin (v, cl), The Jerry Graff Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Lucky Day(Lew Brown, Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:22
b. film An Affair To Remember(Harry Warren, Harold Adamson, Leo McCarey) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:48
c. film It's All In The Game(Carl Sigman, Charles Dawes) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 1:57
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
d. film On The Sunny Side Of The Street(Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields) - 2:15
e. film Smoke Gets In Your Eyes(Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:45
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDisc — The Nat King Cole Collection [Bonus Disc]   (1989)

Tony Martin (v) on d, (cl) on d; The Jerry Graff Singers (bkv) on a, e; Nat Cole (p) on d.

Personnel

The Jerry Graff Singers consisted of Jerry Graff, Don MacLeod, and two unidentified women.

Guests

1. Tony Martin
2. The Sparkletones
3. Guy Lombardo also makes a brief appearance prior to Nat singing a few bars of the Rheingold beer theme.


Date: September 24, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Copa Room, The Sands Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v), The Jerry Graff Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Who Cares?(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:20
b. film Soft Sands(Lou Stein, Carroll Coates) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:08
c. film With You On My Mind(Nat Cole, Charlotte Hawkins) - 1:48
d. film Tea For Two(Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:16
e. film Mona Lisa(Jay Livingston, Ray Evans) - 1:23
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3202 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 2   (1989)

The Jerry Graff Singers (bkv) on a-c, e.

Personnel

The Jerry Graff Singers consisted of Jerry Graff, Don MacLeod, and two unidentified women.

Composers

Shirley Henry penned special lyrics to "Who Cares?" and "Tea For Two". She also may have written the lyrics for the Rheingold spot that Cole performed to the music of "Nothing Ever Changes".

Songs

On "Tea For Two", the Dunhills dance while Nat sings, then all four men dance together. The 1:16 timing refers only to Cole's vocal.

Guests

1. Gogi Grant
2. The Dunhills


Date: October 1, 1957 [15:30-16:00]
Location: Copa Room, The Sands Hotel, 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Tony Bennett, Nat Cole, The Beachcombers With Natalie (v), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Little Girl(Madeline Hyde, Francis Henry) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:12
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
b. film I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter(Joe Young, Fred E. Ahlert) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:17
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
c. film The Song Of Raintree County(Johnny Green, Paul Francis Webster) - 2:13
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
d. film Muskrat Ramble(Edward 'Kid' Ory, Ray Gilbert) - 3:13
e. film Stardust(Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish) / arr: Gordon Jenkins, Bill Jones - 3:12
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3204 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 4   (1989)

Tony Bennett (v) on d; The Beachcombers With Natalie (v) on d.

Date & Time

The show's script says this episode was performed from 3:30-4:00 pm Las Vegas time, one hour earlier than usual.

Personnel

The Beachcombers with Natalie were: Natalie Alesna Shepherd, Jerry Graff, Don MacLeod, and Bill Shepherd.

Songs

Cole and Bennett appear briefly at the end of "Muskrat Ramble", which is otherwise a feature for The Beachcombers with Natalie.

Nat performs a Rheingold spot to the music of "Little Girl", with special lyrics possibly penned by Shirley Henry.

Guests

1. Tony Bennett
2. The Beachcombers with Natalie


Date: October 8, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole, Eartha Kitt (v), The Jerry Graff Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Breezin' Along With The Breeze(Haven Gillespie, Seymour Simons, Richard Whiting) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:18
b. film It's Not For Me To Say(Al Stillman, Robert Allen) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:14
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
c. film My One Sin(Vittorio Mascheroni, Robert Mellin, Giancarlo Testoni) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:08
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
d. film The Sheik Of Araby(Ted Snyder, Francis Wheeler, Harry B. Smith) - 3:35
e. film What's Wrong With Me?(Shirley Henry) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:53
f. film Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much(Irving Berlin) / arr: Gordon Jenkins - 2:10
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3206 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 6   (1989)

Eartha Kitt (v) on d-e; The Jerry Graff Singers (bkv) on a-b.

Personnel

The Jerry Graff Singers consisted of Jerry Graff, Don MacLeod, and two unidentified women.

Songs

Nat performs a spot for Rheingold to the tune of "Mona Lisa", arranged by Nelson Riddle and with special lyrics possibly penned by Shirley Henry. Henry was also responsible for the special lyrics for the "The Sheik Of Araby".

Guests

1. Eartha Kitt


Date: October 15, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips (ts), Roy Eldridge (t), Oscar Peterson (p), John Collins, Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown, Charlie Harris (b), Jo Jones, Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film It's Only A Paper Moon(Harold Arlen, Billy Rose, E. Y. Harburg) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:44
Sunbeam LPSB 222 — The Incomparable Nat King Cole: 1956-1957 Broadcasts   (1977)
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
b. film Sweet Lorraine(Mitchell Parish, Cliff Burwell) - 2:45
Sunbeam LPSB 222 — The Incomparable Nat King Cole: 1956-1957 Broadcasts   (1977)
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
c. film I Want To Be Happy(Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar, Otto Harbach) - 1:47
Sunbeam LPSB 222 — The Incomparable Nat King Cole: 1956-1957 Broadcasts   (1977)
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
d. film With You On My Mind(Nat Cole, Charlotte Hawkins) - 2:36
Sunbeam LPSB 222 — The Incomparable Nat King Cole: 1956-1957 Broadcasts   (1977)
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
e. film Stompin' At The Savoy(Edgar Sampson, Chick Webb, Benny Goodman) - 2:43
Sunbeam LPSB 222 — The Incomparable Nat King Cole: 1956-1957 Broadcasts   (1977)
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
f. film Tenderly(Walter Gross, Jack Lawrence) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 3:09
Sunbeam LPSB 222 — The Incomparable Nat King Cole: 1956-1957 Broadcasts   (1977)
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
g. film Shadow Waltz(Harry Warren, Al Dubin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:47
unissued

Nat Cole (v) on a-b, d-f, (p) on c, g; Stan Getz (ts) on a, c, e; Coleman Hawkins (ts) on a-b, e; Illinois Jacquet (ts) on a, d; Flip Phillips (ts) on a, d; Roy Eldridge (t) on a, c, e; Oscar Peterson (p) on a-b, e-f; John Collins (g) on a, d, f-g; Herb Ellis (g) on a-c, e-f; Ray Brown (b) on a-c, e-f; Charlie Harris (b) on a, d, f-g; Jo Jones (d) on a, e; Lee Young (d) on a, d, f-g; others unknown (acc) on a-b, d, f-g.

Songs

Nat sings also sings a Rheingold spot to the tune of "Everybody Loves My Baby", arranged by Nelson Riddle.

Guests

1. Norman Granz' Jazz At The Philharmonic


Date: October 22, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Cab Calloway (v), Nat Cole (v, p), The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film I'm Shooting High(Jimmy McHugh, Ted Koehler) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:08
b. film Don't Move(Ken Darby) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:37
c. film My Personal Possession(Charlie Singleton, Rose Marie McCoy) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:42
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
d. film Home On The Range(Traditional, Shirley Henry) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 0:53
e. film Don't Fence Me In(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:12
f. film California, Here I Come(Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva, Joseph Meyer) - 0:30
g. film Give A Thought(Danny Goodman, David Nelson Levin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:35
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3205 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 5   (1989)

Cab Calloway (v) on e; Nat Cole (v) on a-e, g, (p) on f; The Randy Van Horne Singers (bkv) on a-c, g; John Collins (g) on a-e, g; Charlie Harris (b) on a-e, g; Lee Young (d) on a-e, g; others unknown (acc) on a-e, g.

Personnel

Members of the Randy Van Horne singers appearing on camera are Hal Hopper, possibly Randy Van Horne, and two there unidentified men.

Composers

"Home On The Range" and "Don't Fence Me In" feature special lyrics by Shirley Henry.

Songs

Nat performs a Rheingold spot to the music of "To The Ends Of The Earth".

Guests

1. Cab Calloway
2. Hugh O'Brian


Date: October 29, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Johnny Mercer (v), The Cheerleaders (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film I'm Sitting On Top Of The World(Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, Ray Henderson) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:20
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
b. film Dream(Johnny Mercer) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:46
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
c. film My Heart Reminds Me(Camillo Bargoni, Al Stillman) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:30
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
d. film Save The Bones For Henry Jones(Danny Barker, Mickey Goldsen, Henry Jones) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:45
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
e. film Autumn Leaves(Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prevert, Johnny Mercer) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:38
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3203 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 3   (1989)

Johnny Mercer (v) on d; The Cheerleaders (bkv) on b; Nat Cole (p) on c-d.

Personnel

The Cheerleaders were Donna Manners, Tom Roddy, Patty (last name unknown), and an unidentified man.

Songs

Nat sings a Rheingold spot to the tune of "Too Marvelous For Words".

Guests

1. Johnny Mercer
2. The Cheerleaders


Date: November 5, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole, Billy Preston (v, org), The Cheerleaders (bkv), Barney Bigard (cl), Ted Buckner (t), George Washington (tb), Gerald Wiggins (p), John Collins (g), Arthur Edwards, Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Who Cares?(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:27
b. film Fascination(Dick Manning, Fermo Dante Marchetti) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:40
c. film Careless Love(Spencer Williams, W. C. Handy, Martha Koenig) - 2:53
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
d. film When I Fall In Love(Victor Young, Edward Heyman) / arr: Romo Falk, Gordon Jenkins - 2:13
e. film Blueberry Hill(Al Lewis, Larry Stock, Vincent Rose) - 1:43
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
f. film St. Louis Blues(W. C. Handy) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:14
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3204 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 4   (1989)

Billy Preston (v) on e, (org) on e; The Cheerleaders (bkv) on a; Barney Bigard (cl) on c; Ted Buckner (t) on c; George Washington (tb) on c; Gerald Wiggins (p) on c; John Collins (g) on a-b, d, f; Nat Cole (org) on e; Arthur Edwards (b) on c; Charlie Harris (b) on a-b, d, f; others unknown (acc) on a-b, d, f.

Personnel

The Cheerleaders were Donna Manners, Tom Roddy, Don Williams, and Patty (last name unknown). These four would be with the show until its end in December.

Songs

Nat performs a Rheingold spot to the music of "Sweet Georgia Brown".

Nat also introduces his new closing theme "It's Just About That Time Again", written especially for him by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Keith (Bergman), and Lew Spence.

Guests

1. Cornel Wilde
2. Peggy King
3. Michel Ray
4. Billy Preston


Date: November 12, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole, Mahalia Jackson (v), The Cheerleaders (bkv), Buddy Collette (ww, ts), Ray Linn, Mickey Mangano, Jimmy Salko (t), Russ Brown, Jerry Rosa (tb), Juan Tizol (vtb), Paul Smith (p), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Button Up Your Overcoat(Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva, Lew Brown) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:34
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
b. film The Song Of Raintree County(Johnny Green, Paul Francis Webster) - 2:20
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
c. film Steal Away(Traditional, Adapted by Nat Cole, Adapted by Gordon Jenkins) - 4:08
d. film My Heart Stood Still(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:00
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3206 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 6   (1989)

Mahalia Jackson (v) on c; The Cheerleaders (bkv) on a; Buddy Collette (ww) on a-b, d, (ts) on a-b, d; Ray Linn (t) on a-b, d; Mickey Mangano (t) on a-b, d; Jimmy Salko (t) on a-b, d; Russ Brown (tb) on a-b, d; Jerry Rosa (tb) on a-b, d; Juan Tizol (vtb) on a-b, d; Paul Smith (p) on a-b, d; John Collins (g) on a-b, d; Charlie Harris (b) on a-b, d; Lee Young (d) on a-b, d.

Songs

Nat performs a Rheingold spot to the music of "Somebody Loves Me".

Nat, the Cheerleaders, and Mahalia Jackson sing a medley of songs, each only a few bars long. These are:

I Feel A Song Coming On (Nat)
I Hear Music (Cheerleaders)
It Don't Mean A Thing (Nat)
True Love (Nat)
Jamaica Farewell (Cheerleaders)
Jailhouse Rock (Nat)
Ain't Gonna Study War No More (Mahalia)
Sing, Sing, Sing (Nat & Cheerleaders)
The Song Is Ended (Nat & Cheerleaders)


Guests

1. Mahalia Jackson
2. Nelson Riddle


Date: November 19, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Ella Fitzgerald (v), The Cheerleaders (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Beer Barrel Polka(Wladimir Timm, Taromir Vejvoda, Lew Brown) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:22
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
b. film All The Way(Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:50
c. film Where Or When(Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:50
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
d. film Too Close For Comfort(Jerry Bock, Lawrence Holofcener, George David Weiss) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:47
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
Passport Audio DVD1598 — Stardust Memories   (2005)
e. film Unforgettable(Irving Gordon) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:37
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3201 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 1   (1989)

Ella Fitzgerald (v) on d; The Cheerleaders (bkv) on a, c; Nat Cole (p) on b.

Composers

The special lyrics heard on "Beer Barrel Polka" are likely the work of Shirley Henry.

Songs

At the end of the show, Cole sang both of his closing themes, "It's Just About That Time Again" and the "Shadow Waltz".

Guests

1. Ella Fitzgerald


Date: December 3, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Betty Hutton (v), The Cheerleaders (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film I Want To Be Happy(Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar, Otto Harbach) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:18
b. film April Love(Sammy Fain, Paul Francis Webster) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:43
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
c. film I Am In Love(Cole Porter) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:20
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
d. film Tea For Two(Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar) - 1:49
e. film Orange Colored Sky(Milton DeLugg, Willie Stein, Frank Loesser) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:11
f. film Anything You Can Do(Irving Berlin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 4:30
g. film The Old Soft Shoe(Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 0:50
h. film Once In A While(Michael Edwards, Bud Green) / arr: Billy May - 2:49
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3202 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 2   (1989)

f, g  performed as medley

Nat Cole (v) on a-c, e-h, (p) on d, f; Betty Hutton (v) on e-g; The Cheerleaders (bkv) on a; others unknown (acc) on a-c, e-h.

Date

Cole departed Los Angeles for Australia on 26 November for a week of performances and was still appearing in the country when this episode was broadcast. It was likely kinescoped just prior to leaving the states.

Songs

During a brief sketch, Nat and Betty Hutton each take turns singing a few bars of songs associated with the other. These are:

Mona Lisa (Hutton)
Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief (Nat)
Answer Me, My Love (Hutton)
His Rocking Horse Ran Away (Nat)


Guest

1. Betty Hutton


Date: December 10, 1957 [16:30-17:00]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), The Mills Brothers (v), The Cheerleaders (bkv), Harold Diner (tb), Juan Tizol (vtb), Russ Brown (btb), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film Love Is Sweeping The Country(George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:55
b. film Sayonara(Irving Berlin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:30
c. film Lullaby Of The Leaves(Bernice Petkere, Joe Young) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:30
d. film Opus One(Sy Oliver, Sid Garris) - 1:45
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
e. film These Foolish Things(Jack Strachey, Harry Link, Eric Maschwitz) / arr: Billy May - 2:00
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38292 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole, Volume II   (1992)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3205 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 5   (1989)

The Mills Brothers (v) on d; The Cheerleaders (bkv) on a, d.

Personnel

The Mills Brothers were Harry Mills, Herbert Mills, Donald Mills, and guitarist Norman Brown.

Songs

Nat and the Mills Brothers also performed a medley of songs, though each performance is no more than a few bars each and is omitted here. They are:

I Want To Be Happy (Nat)
I'm the Guy (Mills Brothers)
If I Had You (Nat)
If I Had My Way (Mills Brothers)
I'll String Along With You (Nat)
I'll Be Around (Mills Brothers)
Sweet Lorraine (Nat)
Sweet Adeline (Mills Brothers and Nat)


Guest

1. The Mills Brothers


Date: December 17, 1957 [broadcast]
Location: Studio 1, NBC-TV, 3200 Olive Avenue, Burbank
The Nat King Cole Show (NBC TV)

Nat Cole (v, p), Billy Eckstine (v, t, jaz), The Cheerleaders (bkv), John Collins (g), Charlie Harris (b), Lee Young (d), others unknown (acc), Nelson Riddle (dir)

a. film When You're Smiling(Larry Shay, Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 1:42
b. film The Party's Over(Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) / arr: Billy May - 2:15
c. film A Blossom Fell(Howard Barnes, Harold Cornelius, Dominic John) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 3:23
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
d. film Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries(Ray Henderson, Lew Brown) / arr: Shorty Rogers - 2:46
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
e. film Rosetta(Earl Hines, Henri Woode) - 2:54
Real Gone Music CDRGM-0412 — Stardust: The Rare Televsion Performances   (2015)
f. film The Christmas Song(Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) / arr: Nelson Riddle - 2:05
Warner Reprise Video VHS/LaserDisc9 38266 6 — The Incomparable Nat "King" Cole   (1991)
Eagle Eye Media DVDEE39034-9 — When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole   (2004)
All titles on:
Video Arts Music (JP) LaserDiscVALC-3205 — The Nat King Cole Collection, Volume 5   (1989)

Billy Eckstine (v) on d-e, (t) on e, (jaz) on e; The Cheerleaders (bkv) on a; Nat Cole (p) on d-e; others unknown (acc) on a-d, f.

Dates

At the end of the December 10 episode, Nat mentions that he's opening at the Koko club in Phoenix the following Monday, which would be the 16th. Therefore, we are uncertain if he returned to Burbank to shoot the final episode on the 17th, or if it was kinescoped prior to leaving for his opening in Phoenix.

Songs

Nat performs "It's Just About That Time Again" as a closing theme for the broadcast.

Arrangements

"Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries" is essentially the same chart that Eckstine used during his 1951 duet of the tune with Woody Herman, which was arranged by Shorty Rogers.

Guest

1. Billy Eckstine


Sessions Reported: 56

Performances Reported: 278

Unique Songs Reported: 186

Unique Issues Reported: 22