By Dom Cioffi
Frank Loesser was thrown out of high school and college — both times for the same reason: he failed almost every subject. Oddly, the one class he excelled in was English, which would prove prophetic as his career trajectory unfolded.
Given this track record of failing, Loesser had to be resourceful, especially after his father’s death when he was still a teenager. Other than his ability to write, the only other talent he had was a prowess on the piano. Coupled with his ambition, Loesser would eventually use his precise skillset to reach the upper echelons of the entertainment world.
Fans of the theater will undoubtedly know Loesser’s name since he wrote the music and lyrics to many great Broadway shows like “Guys and Dolls” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” He also wrote songs for over 60 Hollywood films, additionally winning a Tony, a Grammy, and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
But Loesser’s crowning achievement was his Academy Award, having won the golden statue in 1950 for the song, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (now a holiday standard) was a huge hit when it was featured in the film “Neptune’s Daughter” starring Ricardo Montalbán and Red Skelton. In subsequent years, it fell out of fashion, but over the last two decades, the song has reemerged as a holiday favorite.
Loesser wrote “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” as a duet for he and his wife to sing at their housewarming party. The performance was a hit with their social circle, so friends continuously asked them to sing it at their parties. Eventually, the couple got asked to perform the song at several elite Hollywood parties, which is how an executive from MGM eventually bought the rights.
Loesser’s wife was infuriated with him when she discovered that he had sold their song, but after its release, immense popularity, and emotional Oscar win, she decided that the song was meant to be shared with the world.
Many years ago, I received a professional karaoke machine as a gift. I have few inhibitions about singing, so I put the device to good use during parties and on weekends when I had nothing better to do.
Unfortunately, I had few friends who would join in. On occasion, a friend or two might try something after a few drinks, but those results were precarious at best. However, I had one friend who was an exceptional singer, and whenever she came to visit, I was insistent that she and I perform together.
Sarah was a buxom redhead whose voice was as large as her personality. She and I worked together for several years and in that time became close friends. When I found out that Sarah could sing, we were off to the races.
The two of us often sang popular duets. We’d belt out “Stumblin’ In” by Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman or “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty, but our all-time favorite was “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
When the holiday season arrived, we’d pull out the backing track, pour ourselves a martini (in the spirit of Dean Martin), and belt it out. The call-and-response format of the song not only made it challenging to sing, but also a hell of a lot of fun to perform. I have numerous Christmas memories in my life, but singing “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Sarah is one of my favorites.
Eventually, Sarah moved away and our duets came to an end. But every time I hear “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” I think of her and the fun we had in my basement during the holidays.
Another great holiday memory I have was watching “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” starring Gene Wilder, which always seemed to get airplay during the Christmas season. The characters, storyline, and bevy of catchy songs make it one of the true Hollywood classics when it comes to children’s musicals.
In 2005, Tim Burton remade the classic film with Johnny Depp in the title role of Willy Wonka. Reviews were mixed but I was adamant that Depp’s portrayal was totally off base, and in my mind, one of the lowest performances of his career.
And now Timothée Chalamet is giving it a shot with the chocolatier’s origin story. “Wonka” imagines Willy Wonka’s life before he becomes famous and what it took for him to break through. It’s light-hearted, whimsical, and full of catchy, upbeat performances.
I ended up liking this film more than I thought I would. It’s still no match to the original 1971 film, but at least it embodied a Wonka that author Roald Dahl would have been proud of.
Be sure to check this one out over the holidays. It’s the kind of film that the whole family can enjoy together.
A scrumptious “B” for “Wonka,” now playing in theaters everywhere.
Got a question or comment for Dom? You can email him at moviediary@att.net.
