This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Paul Lazarus: Hi, this is Paul Lazarus. In the 1980s, I produced and hosted a radio series called Anything Goes, a celebration of the American musical theater. Now, the Broadway Podcast Network is bringing back these shows. This is the second of a three-part series taking a listen to the extraordinary work of the late, great Ethel Merman. This program originally aired in 1984 and covered Merman's entire Broadway career, from her debut in the Gershwin's Girl Crazy to her final show, Hello, Dolly! The musical comedy Stars in Your Eyes got off the ground in January 1939. Jimmy Durante was in the show and, as usual, kept the audience screaming. He was a character. He really was. He had a private phone. He spent on the horses all the time, you know.

He had the private phone in the dressing room. They'd be late for cues. He'd be betting on a horse or something, you know. And I never knew what he was going to do. We did the number. He'd say, don't raise the bridge, boys. Lower the river. And he'd break me up and he'd say things. Jimmy Durante, if you and Ethel Merman but only does have a sample of that delirious bit of fooling that comes near the end of the show, I could die happy. I see you're all very interested in my joyous demise, so I'll take a chance to set the scene. Bill, the hot idea man of the movies, played by Jimmy Durante, has the notion that if a Russian dancer can be used in a Kentucky picture, it should be much better than to put Kentucky in Russia. So, we're in Russia in the throne room of the Tsar and Ethel Merman, the Tsarina, is about to enter.

[1:47] Unknown Speaker: Her Imperial Majesty, the Tsarina of all the Russias.

[1:53] Ethel Merman: How are you all? I have no doubt. His Imperial Highness has not laughed for many a year. We must cheer him up with song and story. Summon the court musician.

[1:58] Unknown Speaker: Yes, your Majesty.

[2:08] Ethel Merman: I will now sing a madrigal to cheer his Majesty up. And as for you, my loyal subject, climb on that harpsichord and hammer it out.

[2:14] ♪ Musical number: "It's All Yours" — performed by Ethel Merman and Jimmy Durante ♪

[4:43] Paul Lazarus: Jimmy Durante and Ethel Merman singing "It's All Yours" from the Schwarzfield score, Stars in Your Eyes. Here's another tune from that score, "A Lady Needs a Change."

[5:01] ♪ Musical number: "A Lady Needs a Change" — performed by Ethel Merman ♪

[7:26] Ethel Merman: Like Edie, de Barry was a lady, which coincidentally was the name of my next show. In this lavish Frenchie production, I was beaucoup gussied up as Madame de Barry, and although I had all the good songs, the great comedian Burt Law was très magnifique. Funny thing happened, he used to chase me across a big king-size bed, you know, and he had on, as Louis XIV, he had on this nightgown, and he had the cap on with the tassel, not the tassel, but the balling. But he was so slow, you know, he'd chase me, and one night, we'd go to bed, and he was there, and I came around, and I passed him. It was the biggest laugh in the show. I kept going around and around, and passed right by him, say hi. Oh, he was a great artist.

[8:47] ♪ Musical number: "Friendship" — performed by Ethel Merman ♪

[10:48] ♪ Musical number: "Friendship" ♪

[11:05] Ethel Merman: Here we are up to 1940, a year I'll never forget if I lived to beat old Methuselah's record. The show was Panama Hattie and my first starring vehicle. Previous to this time, I had been co-starred, and seeing my name in lights over the title alone was a more beautiful sight to me than the Aurora Borealis, and seemed bigger too. I thank God for giving me a voice, Thomas Edison for inventing the electric light, and Buddy Da Silva for putting my name on top.

[11:59] ♪ Musical number: "I've Still Got My Health" — performed by Ethel Merman ♪

[14:17] Paul Lazarus: You are listening to Anything Goes featuring the late, great Ethel Merman.

[14:21] ♪ Musical number: "Something for the Boys" — performed by Ethel Merman ♪

[15:09] Paul Lazarus: And you're listening to a tribute to Miss Merman on Anything Goes.

[15:26] Unknown Speaker: This is the United States Treasury Department. The Treasury Star Parade brings you excerpts from the popular Broadway success Something for the Boys with a singing star, Miss Ethel Merman, the leading man, Mr. Bill Johnson, and the music of David Brookman's orchestra.

[15:49] Unknown Speaker: Very early in the festivities, of course, Blossom and Rocky meet and exchange pleasantries, each agreeing amiably that the other is definitely a contribution to the American scenery. Ethel Merman and Bill Johnson in "Hey, Good-Looking."

[16:03] Unknown Speaker: Rocky? Is your name Rocky?

[16:05] Unknown Speaker: Yeah.

[16:06] Unknown Speaker: Well, of course, I should have known. I saw you were town with the band. I should have put you and you together.

[16:13] Unknown Speaker: What's your name?

[16:14] Unknown Speaker: Rocky Fulton. Gee, I've been in love with you for a month. Every night at the factory, they used to play your records on the swing shift.

[16:20] Unknown Speaker: They did?

[16:21] Unknown Speaker: Yeah, and at three o'clock, they gave us a half hour recess and I'd go in and take off my shoes and close my eyes and you and I'd go to sleep together in the women's restroom.

[16:34] ♪ Musical number: "Hey, Good-Looking" — performed by Ethel Merman and Bill Johnson ♪

[19:05] Paul Lazarus: One of Merman's greatest roles was as sharpshooter Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, which premiered in 1946. Irving Berlin's score was filled with songs that became Merman standouts.

[19:18] ♪ Musical number: "I Got the Sun in the Morning" — performed by Ethel Merman ♪

[22:07] Ethel Merman: Come on, BB. Where's that messenger?

[22:10] Ethel Merman: You come too.

[22:12] Ethel Merman: I'll just stay here a while and think about how I'm going to feel when I see him and how he's going to feel.

[22:24] Ethel Merman: When you fall in love with Frank.

[22:27] Ethel Merman: When I've seen him?

[22:36] Ethel Merman: Don't ask me just how it happened. I wish I knew.

[22:50] Ethel Merman: I can't believe that it's happened.

[22:56] Ethel Merman: But still it's true.

[23:02] Ethel Merman: I got lost in his arms.

[23:07] Ethel Merman: And I had to stay.

[23:10] Ethel Merman: It was dark in his arms.

[23:15] Ethel Merman: And I lost my way.

[23:18] Ethel Merman: From the dark came a voice.

[23:22] Ethel Merman: And it seemed to say.

[23:25] Ethel Merman: There you go.

[23:31] Ethel Merman: There you go.

[23:37] Ethel Merman: How I felt.

[23:40] Ethel Merman: As I fell.

[23:42] Ethel Merman: I just can't recall.

[23:46] Ethel Merman: But his arms held me fast.

[23:50] Ethel Merman: And it broke the fall.

[23:53] Ethel Merman: And I pledged my heart.

[23:57] Ethel Merman: And it foolishly kept jumping all around.

[24:07] Ethel Merman: I got lost.

[24:11] Ethel Merman: But look what I found.

[24:28] Ethel Merman: Eleven is very popular as a lucky number.

[24:31] Ethel Merman: At least it once was for me since Call Me Madam was my eleventh musical comedy.

[24:37] Ethel Merman: Up to now I had played every imaginable role from a Panama Hattie character to a French countess to an American sharpshooter.

[24:46] Ethel Merman: This time Lindsay and Krauss came out of their huddle with me as a lady ambassador.

[24:51] Ethel Merman: The stage counterpart of my good friend Pearl Mester.

[24:56] Ethel Merman: Call Me Madam was what we call high comedy.

[24:59] Ethel Merman: It was lusty, lively, lavishly produced, and loaded with colorful and melodic Berlin tunes.

[25:07] Ethel Merman: We didn't have, when we opened in New Haven, we didn't have You're Not Sick, You're Just in Love.

[25:14] Ethel Merman: That's where the genius comes in of Irving Berlin.

[25:17] Ethel Merman: A number was needed so badly to start the show.

[25:22] Ethel Merman: And overnight, I remember we went up to his, everybody lived at the Taft Hotel, and we went up to his room.

[25:31] Ethel Merman: And he had written You're Not Sick, You're Just in Love.

[25:36] Ethel Merman: And then we went to Boston from there.

[25:39] Ethel Merman: And we put it in the second night in Boston, not the first night, second night.

[25:44] Ethel Merman: And ever since the night that we put it in, we did four or five encores.

[25:50] Ethel Merman: Next to me was a newcomer who has since made a name for himself in the entertainment world.

[25:55] Ethel Merman: In Call Me Madam, I played a lady ambassador.

[25:59] Ethel Merman: And this young man was my assistant.

[26:02] Ethel Merman: I wonder if you remember the scene where I consoled him over his unhappy love affair.

[26:07] Ethel Merman: And he consoled me over the fact that I'd been recalled to Washington.

[26:12] Ethel Merman: I think you'll remember the song.

[26:14] Ethel Merman: And of course, who could ever forget Russell Knight.

[26:18] Ethel Merman: Applause

[26:24] Ethel Merman: I hear singing and there's no one there

[26:31] Ethel Merman: I smell blossoms and the trees are bare

[26:37] Ethel Merman: All day long I seem to walk on air

[26:43] Ethel Merman: I wonder why, I wonder why

[26:51] Ethel Merman: I keep tossing in my sleep at night

[26:57] Ethel Merman: And what's more I've lost my appetite

[27:04] Ethel Merman: Stars that used to twinkle in the skies

[27:09] Ethel Merman: Are twinkling in my eyes

[27:12] Ethel Merman: I wonder why

[27:16] Ethel Merman: You don't need analyzing

[27:19] Ethel Merman: It is not so surprising

[27:22] Ethel Merman: That you feel very strange but nice

[27:27] Ethel Merman: Your heart goes pitter patter

[27:30] Ethel Merman: I know just what's the matter

[27:32] Ethel Merman: Because I've been there once, what's why?

[27:37] Ethel Merman: Put your head on my shoulder

[27:40] Ethel Merman: You need someone to shoulder

[27:42] Ethel Merman: A rub down with a velvet glow

[27:47] Ethel Merman: There is nothing you can take

[27:50] Ethel Merman: To relieve that pleasant ache

[27:53] Ethel Merman: You're not sick, you're just in love

[27:58] Ethel Merman: I hear singing and there's no one there

[28:03] Ethel Merman: I smell blossoms and the trees are bare

[28:08] Ethel Merman: All day long I seem to walk on air

[28:13] Ethel Merman: I wonder why, I wonder why

[28:18] Ethel Merman: I keep tossing in my sleep at night

[28:24] Ethel Merman: And what's more I've lost my appetite

[28:29] Ethel Merman: There is nothing you can take

[28:32] Ethel Merman: To relieve that pleasant ache

[28:35] Ethel Merman: You're not sick, you're just in love

[28:46] Ethel Merman: To the hunt!

[28:47] Ethel Merman: To the hunt!

[28:48] Ethel Merman: To the hunt!

[28:50] Ethel Merman: Happy hunting!

[28:52] Ethel Merman: Happy hunting!

[28:53] Ethel Merman: Happy hunting!

[28:55] Ethel Merman: Tally-ho!

[28:57] Ethel Merman: Tally-ho!

[29:00] Ethel Merman: Tally-ho!

[29:03] Ethel Merman: Everyone's on the hunt

[29:06] Ethel Merman: For whatever they want

[29:08] Ethel Merman: And whatever you want

[29:11] Ethel Merman: Happy hunting!

[29:13] Ethel Merman: What a day for a hunt

[29:16] Ethel Merman: Keep that eagle-eye peeled

[29:18] Ethel Merman: And look over the field

[29:21] Ethel Merman: Happy hunting!

[29:23] Ethel Merman: That's what life is

[29:54] Ethel Merman: Gee, but it's good to be here

[29:57] Ethel Merman: Gee, but it's good to be here

[30:00] Ethel Merman: Frankly, I feel right at home

[30:04] Ethel Merman: Here is where all the excitement is

[30:08] Ethel Merman: This is champagne with all the fizz

[30:12] Ethel Merman: Gee, but it's good to be here

[30:16] Ethel Merman: Gee, but it's good to be here

[30:21] Ethel Merman: Gee, but it's good to be here

[30:25] Ethel Merman: I really feel enraptured

[30:29] Ethel Merman: There's nothing like this not anywhere

[30:33] Ethel Merman: There's a magic that fills the air

[30:37] Ethel Merman: I'm so ecstatic

[30:40] Ethel Merman: I could yell

[30:42] Ethel Merman: I could dance about

[30:45] Ethel Merman: To be emphatic

[30:48] Ethel Merman: I could shout, shout, shout, shout

[30:51] Ethel Merman: Shout it out, oh

[30:53] Ethel Merman: Gee, but it's good to be here

[30:56] Ethel Merman: Wouldn't miss this for the world

[31:00] Ethel Merman: It's my considered opinion that

[31:04] Ethel Merman: The place to be is the place I'm at

[31:08] Ethel Merman: And I couldn't be more sincere

[31:12] Ethel Merman: Gee, but it's good to be here

[31:26] Ethel Merman: Ethel Merman live, singing Gee, but it's good to be here

[32:00] Paul Lazarus: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to rate and follow us.

[32:04] Paul Lazarus: Thanks for listening.