SwingDJs

I came across this biopic starring Danny Kaye as Red Nichols and wondered how much of it was true, because I couldn't identify a large enough interlude to his recording career to justify the dramatic plot point of leaving the business to care for his polio-stricken daughter.

Thought someone here might be able to fill me in. Thanks.

well, you wouldn't see a gap in his recording career, because the time he took off from music happens to coincide with the recording ban, more or less. he took a few years off starting in 1942, and worked in the shipyards. he did indeed move to california to be close to his daughter.

in any case: every source i've seen claims the film was "loosely based" on red's life. i haven't seen the film myself.

(aside: there's this wonderful tool called "google". it lets you find information about, for example, jazz musicians and their lives. quite useful.)

lipi wrote: (aside: there's this wonderful tool called "google". it lets you find information about, for example, jazz musicians and their lives. quite useful.)

I already checked Wikipedia, often a top search result on Google. Although, I found some more information, it doesn't hold the candle to the wonderful discussions that can be had with folks passionate about the subject.

The movie is loose with the facts-- it seems Red could pick up the wartime shipbuilding job and play locally, so he wouldn't have to be on tour and away from his polio strickened daughter-- but it's all a lot of fun.

I haven't seen the movie, but I can tell you that his "five pennis" were really about 10 men playing at a time, but only 5 got credited on recordings. On some of the early stuff, Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey were both uncredited artists of his.