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[COLCJM2]

My dad was on the June 16th,1958 show (Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts)
and I have the original (aluminum master) 45 rpm record
of the piece he performed with the Berj Vaughn Quartet... Night
Train... Good stuff.. A little factoid- Charlie Callas was the drummer. He
went on to gain some fame in the Barnaby & Jones series.. My
dad kept playin the sax (one of the best ever- per "Boots Randolph") until
he died a year and a half ago... I wonder if anyone knows if
video of this show exists?

[CrazyAboutTV]

I think that there's only one show that has survived and it's from 1956 but I'm not sure.

Anyone else?

[COLCJM2]

Thanks for the information..

[JazzLover]

Wasn't there some kind of scandal or something that killed the show? I think Arthur Godfrey ruthlessly fired one of the public's favorite people on the show or something?

[Becky]

You're referring to when Arthur Godfrey fired Julius La Rosa on the air with no notice to La Rosa. After La Rosa sang a song, Godfrey told the audience, "that was Julie's swan song with us".

Godfrey had given La Rosa his first big break by hiring him for several of his other shows (not Talent Scouts) but La Rosa eventually became a recording star and a big hit on TV. When he began getting more fan mail than Godfrey, Arthur just couldn't take what he felt was rejection by his audience and being surpassed by La Rosa.

It was really stupid because up until the firing, Godfrey was still hugely popular but after firing La Rosa in such a thoughtless and petty manner, Godfrey's fans abandoned him and never returned. You just didn't treat people that way back in those days without being shunned by the public.

[misterg]

yeah, people expected more their heros to be perfect back in those days.

[JazzLover]

Don't you just hate people who use their power to dominate others! I'm glad to hear that he lost the adoration of his audience! Good riddance!

[araldrich]

Godfrey fired Julius LaRosa and Carmel Quinn on the air claiming “lack of humility." Carmel Quinn lives in Ridgefield Park, NJ and is still performing like a trouper. I did the lighting for a recent telethon on which she appeared. She is a gracious lady and a true pro. LaRosa, if he is still alive, was doing condo shows in Florida, as was Eddie Fisher.

[JazzLover]

LaRosa is still alive as far as I can tell. Like many singers of that period, he continued performing at concert halls and supper clubs until at least 1999.

[Becky]

araldrich said:

[VermontGal]

I'm looking for an old episode of the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scounts that my Mother Alma Bushway may have a appeared on. She was a tap dancer and she sang... She was a good friend of a trombone player named Lou McGarrity who performed with Benny Goodman. I have no idea when the performance aired. Thank you to anyone who may have seen this and can assist me!

[NDwyer]

My uncle was on this show several times, I believe. How can I find more info about the dates or episodes?

[misterg]

There's very little information available on those old shows. Unless your uncle was a big star it's unlikely that his credits are recorded anywhere public.

[rcarey]

Trying to Track down Arthur Godfreys talent shows in 1955-56 and winner Bob Carey (my father) who went on to become one of the original Tarriers and their original 1956 hit song the Banana Boat song.