The Eddy Duchin Story Page #2

- Well, go ahead. You're on, you're on.

Treat the tuxedo gently, will you?

It's an old friend.

Uncle Sherm, want to dance again?

- Let's. Come on.

- Don't you ever get tired? All right.

Joan, Harry. Come on, dance.

Come on.

It's the first time they've

ever danced to just a piano.

- Maybe I'd better sell my fiddle.

- Maybe you'd better.

Say, there's Jimmy Walker.

Call the boys.

Wait a minute.

What did I do wrong?

His Honor the mayor is coming in.

Jimmy Walker?

They'll be running in

that good, old-fashioned way

Though my hair be old and gray

Get off the stage.

- That's Jimmy Walker!

- Yes, I know. Get off the stage.

As they do in May

They'll be running in December

As they do in May

They'll be running in

that good, old-fashioned way

When my hair is old and gray

That's a great number.

The mayor wrote it, you know.

Yes, I know.

Hello again.

Miss-

This is the weirdest set of books

I have ever looked at.

I'm a decorator, not a bookkeeper.

Honestly!

What good is it to have one of the great

bankers of the world for an uncle...

when he can't even

balance my books?

Sherman, perhaps you are

being a little unreasonable.

- She's no child.

- Walter.

- Make sure it's ready by Tuesday.

- Yes, Miss Oelrichs.

Just put it down, please.

Do I have to sign for it?

No.

Well, hello.

Is that for me?

- Yes.

- How nice.

This is Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth.

This is Mr. Duchin.

He played the piano

at the casino last night.

- How do you do?

- Oh, yes, I remember.

- We enjoyed the music very much.

- Thank you.

Marjorie, for the last time,

will you please shut up shop...

and come down to Southampton

for the weekend?

I told you I have work to do.

I wish we'd never let you

open this place.

- Aunt Edith-

- You've missed everything-

- Europe, Palm Beach-

- I know, dear, but look.

Look at the wonderful

jobs that I did.

Edith, you can't argue with success.

Good-bye, dear.

Good-bye, darling,

and don't work too hard.

- Good-bye.

- Good-bye.

Let her live her own life.

It would have been so nice

to have her down for the weekend.

- Relatives.

- Yes. My aunt and uncle.

They brought me up,

and I love them dearly.

Here, would you fill this, please?

The fountain.

They can't understand why I work.

Why do you work?

- Why do you play the piano?

- You don't have to make a living.

I have to have a reason for living.

Just having money doesn't do it.

Oh? I thought it did.

No. Because then you're

dependent on money.

Huh?

Then you're dependent on money,

not yourself.

Oh. Well, I can't lie.

I hope money comes

right up and bites me.

I never met anyone like you.

I read all the Horatio Alger

stories when I was a child.

Sink or swim, do or die.

But I've never

actually known anyone...

who came to New York

to seek fame and fortune.

Do you think I'll make it?

I think you'll make it

because you're productive.

I like productive people.

I wish I were part of that royalty.

I only play the piano.

And you produce happiness.

That's nice.

I'll remember that.

Oh, Mr. Sherwood!

I hope I'm not late.

No. You made it just in time.

I rushed over as soon

as I got your message.

Mr. Reisman really

told you to call me?

- I've got the job?

- Please, they're playing.

- Oh, now?

- No. Between the sets.

- Intermission piano.

- I see. Intermission. Yeah.

Another reason I was late was

I had to rush out and rent a tuxedo.

I hope it fits.

The man told me that it does.

- Does it look all right?

- Just fine.

- Oh, good.

- Eddy. Eddy, you're on.

- Now?

- Wait. Please calm down.

Just settle down. Get-

He'd be a great guy to send out

for a cup of coffee.

Eddy, we thought we'd lost you.

- Now remember. Soft.

- Gee, thanks, Mr. Reisman.

- Good afternoon, Mr. Duchin.

- Good afternoon.

Well, how do you like it, Lou?

Don't tell me you bought it just because

you're going to a classy party.

- Yep.

- What did you pay for it?

- Well, it's secondhand.

- How much?

- It belonged to one of the Vanderbilts.

- Oh, high class.

Tell me, when it backfires

does it say, " Excuse me"?

- How do I look?

- Like a secondhand Vanderbuilt.

Wait.

I could've booked you for two cocktail

parties today- a very fancy fee.

This was a personal invitation

from Mrs. Wadsworth.

I'm invited for myself this time.

I don't have to play.

- I'm a guest.

- All right, fine.

- Good-bye.

- Have a good time.

- There's Eddy Duchin.

- Hello, Eddy!

- Are you going to play today?

- No. I'm a gue- No, not today.

- Oh, that's a shame.

- I'm so disappointed.

The casino is so much more lively

now that he's there.

Hey, look out!

Take it easy.

Oh, hello. My car.

- Hello, Mr. Duchin.

- Mr. Wadsworth.

- Nice to have you with us.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Miss Oelrichs.

- Hello.

- It's awfully nice to see you.

I didn't know you were

going to be here.

Your aunt invited me.

You live here with them, don't you?

- Yes, I do.

- Then I'm your guest too.

- I'm having a wonderful time.

- Good. I'm glad.

I read that you were away at Sands Point

doing the Whitney house.

It was a very interesting job.

Since I last saw you, I guess you

don't know the whole sky fell in on me.

- Oh, really?

- I made some records with Reisman...

and I've been playing some

wonderful private parties too.

Can you imagine? Last week, I played

a party at the Waldorf-Astoria...

and the Prince of Wales was sitting

right beside the piano, and-

Oh, I guess I still

talk too much, don't I?

You know, this is

a new experience for me...

being a guest instead of

a paid entertainer.

- I love it.

- Marjorie, come here.

Excuse me a moment, please.

Linus Larrabie has the most fabulous

idea for a party- undersea.

- We're all going to wear fishnets.

- Thank you.

- Just imagine- nothing but fishnets.

- Thank you very much.

Edith, did you make it

clear to Mr. Duchin...

that he was engaged

to play the piano?

I thought I did. Why?

You'd better speak to him, dear.

He's not playing.

Don't you think

it'd be better if you did?

- You hired him.

- All right.

Mrs. Wadsworth.

I'm having a wonderful time.

Aunt Edith, why did you

ask Mr. Duchin to play?

But he was hired to play.

That's why he's here.

- But he thought he was a guest.

- Oh, nonsense.

That's his business,

playing the piano.

Well, I certainly made a fool

of myself, didn't I?

Eddy Duchin in high society.

The simple fact is that

I'm a presumptuous, conceited fathead...

who thought he'd be invited to a party

for his grace and charm.

I remember once when

I was a little girl.

I went to a lawn party

and had a lovely new dress.

It rained that morning...

and I ran from the house

to show myself off to the guests.

Well, I slipped,

and I fell in a mud puddle.

I still remember

how they all laughed.

I lay there wanting to die.

You don't.

And as you grow up, there's always

another beautiful dress...

and another mud puddle,

and still you don't die.

- You grow up.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes