WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:23.600 The Cavalcade of America, sponsored by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through 00:23.600 --> 00:31.920 chemistry, presents Patrice Munsell, Jesse Royce Landis, and Edwin Jerome in Song from Spokane. 00:31.920 --> 00:45.040 Before we begin our play, here's a word about a product that'll be brightening up many homes 00:45.040 --> 00:51.080 this spring. It's Speed-Easy, the new DuPont wall finish that covers even dingy wallpaper with one 00:51.080 --> 00:55.880 coat. It is one of the DuPont better things for better living that is still available to the 00:55.880 --> 01:03.200 public. Speed-Easy saves time, goes on so easily, dries in an hour, saves money. The average room 01:03.200 --> 01:09.600 costs less than three dollars, saves critical war materials too, because it thins with water. If 01:09.600 --> 01:16.640 you're painting a room this year, save with DuPont Speed-Easy. Ladies and gentlemen, may we for the 01:16.640 --> 01:22.600 moment draw your attention from the headlines to a simple yet significant point. America is 01:22.600 --> 01:28.080 still a land of opportunity and sudden wonder. Cinderella and Horatio Alger are still among us, 01:28.080 --> 01:34.440 and in that point lies much of our strength. In the city of Spokane, Washington, a few years 01:34.440 --> 01:40.520 ago lived a girl named Patrice Munsell. She was an average American girl in an average American 01:40.520 --> 01:48.080 community, preparing eventually to lead an average adult life. But because she liked to sing, things 01:48.080 --> 01:55.080 began happening to this average life. Things began and continued happening, till one night in New 01:55.080 --> 02:01.160 York, the girl from Spokane stepped forth for her debut performance on the stage of the Metropolitan 02:01.160 --> 02:07.760 Opera House, and Horatio Alger and Cinderella, hovering in the wings, smiled upon their protégé. 02:07.760 --> 02:14.080 Tonight's cavalcade play written by Halstead Wells is the story of that girl from Spokane, 02:14.080 --> 02:21.600 Patrice Munsell. DuPont presents Patrice Munsell, 18-year-old star of the Metropolitan Opera, 02:21.600 --> 02:27.120 with Jesse Royce Landis as her mother, and Edwin Jerome as her singing teacher, William 02:27.120 --> 02:38.480 Herman in Song from Spokane on the cavalcade of America. 03:27.120 --> 03:38.760 And so ended an aria from the opera mainly. Patrice Munsell had made her debut. Later that night, 03:38.760 --> 03:44.640 as the great golden curtain at the Metropolitan fell, a new star took her place on the roster of 03:44.640 --> 03:50.960 the Metropolitan Opera Company. Patrice Munsell, 18-year-old coloratura from Spokane, Washington. 03:50.960 --> 03:58.280 It was the 4th of December, 1943. Three hours later, when the applause had become a memory, 03:58.280 --> 04:02.480 Patrice Munsell sat in her hotel room writing a letter. 04:02.480 --> 04:23.320 December 4th, 1943. Dear Bobby, well Bobby, it's done. Done all right, I guess, from the 04:23.320 --> 04:28.680 way things sounded at the Metropolitan tonight. Are you flying tonight in California with your 04:28.680 --> 04:34.400 squadron? It's really December 5th here, but it's too early in the morning to be tomorrow. 04:34.400 --> 04:42.720 And anyway, I don't want tomorrow yet. I'm alone, and I've got to scribble my way near you. If my 04:42.720 --> 04:47.240 words look kind of limp, it's because I feel like the taffy we used to pull at the high school 04:47.240 --> 04:55.720 parties back in Spokane. It's just four years ago now, when we were freshmen, you 14 and me 15, 04:55.720 --> 05:00.840 everybody was at the party whistling, but you hadn't come. You'd been playing football. 05:00.840 --> 05:17.880 You know, if we keep on, we'll end up whistling birds for Walt Disney. Not me. Whistling is okay, 05:17.880 --> 05:22.680 but it's what I call a limited sphere. Now take me. I've been working up other things for extra 05:22.680 --> 05:34.560 power, like a loon crying over the water or under the water or a man sawing wood while a train starts. 05:34.560 --> 05:43.480 See what I mean about whistling, Pat? Well, I like whistling all right. Oh, yeah, but you've got to 05:43.480 --> 05:48.920 have something else. Well, I like singing. Singing? Yeah, that's okay too. Hello, everybody. 05:48.920 --> 05:58.120 This is Pat Munsell. Pat, I guess you know Bobby. Yes, I've noticed you playing football. I've 05:58.120 --> 06:06.160 noticed you too. You have? Where? At school. 2,500 kids and I've noticed you. Have you? Come on, 06:06.160 --> 06:10.960 everybody. Taffy's ready to pull. Get your partners and head for the kitchen. Taffy? Say, 06:10.960 --> 06:16.640 whose idea was this? My mother's. Don't you think she's kind of juvenile? Oh, I know, kidding. 06:16.640 --> 06:22.720 Pat, have you got anybody to pull with? Aren't you maybe too tired from football? No, 06:22.720 --> 06:38.040 of course not. Come on, we'll pull together. Bobby, tonight at the Met I could still hear you saying 06:38.040 --> 06:44.480 that. These four years, so many people have been pulling with me and for me. Most of all, 06:44.480 --> 06:51.200 of course, mother and daddy. I couldn't have done it without them, without you, without everybody. 06:51.200 --> 06:57.440 Big things help and little things happen and help. Like my whistling teacher asking her 06:57.440 --> 07:02.240 brother to hear me sing in the Pirates of Penzance that freshman year. He liked me and 07:02.240 --> 07:07.520 because he'd studied with a famous conductor and because the conductor was giving a concert at the 07:07.520 --> 07:13.120 University of Idaho, that's why he could give me an audition. And that's why daddy drove mother and 07:13.120 --> 07:20.320 me the 85 miles from Spokane to Moscow, Idaho. Well, the conductor heard me and then he said, 07:20.320 --> 07:27.240 I must go to New York and study. He was wonderful. He seemed to feel so assured about me. We were so 07:27.240 --> 07:37.960 excited. Driving home that night, we stopped by the lake. How lovely the lake looks way below us. 07:37.960 --> 07:45.280 The lake's bigger at night, mother. The mountains are taller. Well, in the way we've been talking, 07:45.280 --> 07:50.120 it looks as if the best thing would be for you two to go to New York. Take eight weeks and try it. 07:50.120 --> 07:57.160 If it works out, then stay on. If it doesn't, Pat will still have time to get back for high school. 07:57.160 --> 08:07.360 I'd like to sing. Well? What do you say, daddy? New York. Mother? New York. How about you, Pat? 08:07.360 --> 08:17.760 Which way is east? You're looking east. East it is. Beyond the mountains is Montana. Beyond 08:17.760 --> 08:24.360 Montana, Dakota, where I came from. Minnesota, where your mother came from. And New York is 08:24.360 --> 08:34.240 beyond, way beyond. You'll go beyond where we came from. That's right. That's the way it should be, 08:34.240 --> 08:55.280 isn't it, mother? Yes, dear. That summer in New York was something, Bobby. Gee, it was hot. And I 08:55.280 --> 09:01.960 wasn't getting anywhere. My teacher was good, but we just didn't work out together. At the end of a 09:01.960 --> 09:08.560 month, I was singing like a frog. Mother was worried, and I was worried. We didn't know where 09:08.560 --> 09:16.240 to turn or who to ask. We decided to quit, packed our bags for Spokane. Then one of those little 09:16.240 --> 09:21.640 things that I was writing about happened. A woman we'd never seen came up and said she heard me 09:21.640 --> 09:27.760 practicing in the studio. She begged us to stay and try her singing coach, William Herman. So we 09:27.760 --> 09:35.200 met him. He suggested I work with him for ten days and then decide. So I did. Mrs. Munsell and 09:35.200 --> 09:42.600 Patrice, the ten days are up. What you have found out, I don't know. But I have found a voice that 09:42.600 --> 09:49.200 is flawless. There's nothing to be corrected, nothing to be overcome. Time and work will tell 09:49.200 --> 09:57.840 the grand story. I want you to stay. Two years, three years, four, as long as it takes. Mr. Herman, 09:57.840 --> 10:04.240 I think you've been wonderful for Pat. Oh, and I loved working with you. Singing is fun. Don't 10:04.240 --> 10:09.880 you think so, Mr. Herman? Yes, but there's another side, and you should face it while there's still a 10:09.880 --> 10:17.920 chance to turn back. What do you mean? Well, Patrice, all performers, actors, dancers, musicians, circus 10:17.920 --> 10:25.040 people, when they begin to fulfill themselves, they begin in a way to defeat themselves. They 10:25.040 --> 10:31.120 become public servants and must often submit to a public will. Loneliness can grow with applause. 10:31.120 --> 10:40.120 For all the bright lights, a performer travels the dark way, and that isn't fun. I know. Patrice, 10:40.120 --> 10:48.680 I want you to stay, but I want you to be very sure you want to. Well? I don't know, Mr. Herman. I 10:48.680 --> 10:55.720 have a lot of friends in Spokane. That's where I live. Maybe I'll give that all up, and I won't be 10:55.720 --> 11:02.520 good enough. It's a tough decision, but it's for you to make. I've only had one year of high school, 11:02.520 --> 11:10.960 and school starts next week. Will, Pat? I like to sing, but I guess I'd rather be a sophomore. 11:20.960 --> 11:29.160 Gosh, Bobby, is there any place like Spokane, any country like Washington, 11:29.160 --> 11:37.200 Indian summer with you? I'll never forget that Thanksgiving game. Oh, what fun we had after it 11:37.200 --> 11:43.120 at Four Lakes, singing together and holding hands, watching the bonfire burn the night, 11:43.120 --> 11:51.120 home late and the house dark, whispering on the front porch, and you kissed me, and your arm going 11:51.120 --> 12:00.360 around hit the doorbell. See what I mean about the little things that happen? Is that you, Pat? Yes, 12:00.360 --> 12:07.200 Mother. How was the bonfire? Wonderful. Is Daddy asleep? Yes. Can I sit on your bed a minute? Of 12:07.200 --> 12:14.480 course, darling. You know, Daddy and I have been talking about you. Another letter came today from 12:14.480 --> 12:21.240 Mr. Herman urging you to go back to New York. Your singing teacher here says the same, the 12:21.240 --> 12:27.360 principal too. He told me you could get credit here if you tutored there, and Mr. Herman is a 12:27.360 --> 12:35.160 Phi Beta Kappa from Cornell. What do you think? Oh, Mother, I don't know what to say. I love home, 12:35.160 --> 12:43.400 and my friends are here, my teachers, and Bobby. Can't you and Daddy decide for me? It's your life, 12:43.400 --> 13:03.040 Pat. I wish they weren't going to ask me to sing. I just want to sit here by you. Yeah, me too. I wish 13:03.040 --> 13:11.120 we were alone. I wish we were too. Ladies and gentlemen of Lewis and Clark High, our farewell 13:11.120 --> 13:18.000 rally for our friend is just about over. Oh, really? Now, sitting here by a boy called Bobby 13:18.000 --> 13:30.200 is a girl called Pat. You've heard from Bobby. Would you like to hear from Pat? She says she can't 13:30.200 --> 13:36.760 say anything. I think she kind of hates to leave us, or at least leave Bobby. Shall I ask her to 13:36.760 --> 13:46.680 sing? Well, I guess we didn't get our wish, Pat. You better sing. All right, but this one's for you, Bobby. 14:06.760 --> 14:26.200 I'll never laugh again. What good would it do? For tears would fill my eyes. My heart would 14:26.200 --> 14:50.200 realize that all your life is true. I'll never laugh again. I'm so in love with you. I'll never thrill 14:50.200 --> 15:17.120 again who somebody knew. Within my heart, I know I will never start to smile again until I smile 15:17.120 --> 15:21.720 at you. 15:21.720 --> 15:44.120 Patrice Munsell with Jesse Royce Landis as her mother and Edwin Jerome as her singing teacher in 15:44.120 --> 15:50.680 Song from Spokane, the story of the 18-year-old girl who is the Metropolitan Opera's newest star 15:50.680 --> 15:58.720 on the cavalcade of America sponsored by DuPont, maker of better things for better living through 15:58.720 --> 16:12.360 chemistry. As our story continues, Patrice Munsell has returned to New York to resume preparing for 16:12.360 --> 16:29.640 a career in opera. Keep the breath high, Patrice, high. Fine, fine. Patrice, now that you're back to 16:29.640 --> 16:34.320 stay, I've laid out a... This, of course, is in addition to singing lessons and practice. Here it 16:34.320 --> 16:39.520 is. English and American literature, history. You'll have another teacher for French, another 16:39.520 --> 16:45.760 for Italian, another for musical theory, another for fencing, and one for acting. It seems a lot. 16:45.760 --> 17:02.240 But you'll do it? I'll do it. Two years of it, Bobby. But there were other things. I'd go 17:02.240 --> 17:07.640 riding in Central Park and think it was the prairie, swim in the hotel pool and make it the 17:07.640 --> 17:16.280 Pacific, and ride you every night to feel you near. Two years. And then a big thing happened. I sang 17:16.280 --> 17:21.480 on the Metropolitan auditions of the air. You can imagine how I must have felt when I heard 17:21.480 --> 17:27.480 the announcer. Ladies and gentlemen, these young people singing here tonight are singing to a 17:27.480 --> 17:33.680 nation at war. That we can sing at a time like this is a tribute to the power of our country and 17:33.680 --> 17:40.680 the power of music. For music fights too. Across the continent, singers and symphonies are proving 17:40.680 --> 17:47.320 that freedom has music and freedom is music. Our next contestant this evening is Miss Patrice 17:47.320 --> 18:04.600 Munsell of Spokane, Washington. Miss Munsell sings, O Luce di quest'anima. 18:17.320 --> 18:35.600 Oh Carlo, Carlo, Carlo. E chi sa mai quanti li avrò sofferto, ma non al par di me. 18:35.600 --> 18:56.200 E ne ho d'amore, queste fior mi lascio in era care, e per quel core io l'amo. 18:56.200 --> 19:21.800 Ah, unica di lui bene, puveri entrambi siano, e vi ando mai di speme. 19:21.800 --> 19:40.200 Pizzare in mio toncore, e li si ralzerà, co suoi talenti, sarò sua sposa allora. 19:40.200 --> 20:06.600 Ah, unica di lui. 20:10.200 --> 20:27.800 Oh Luce di quest'anima, amata, delizia e vita, la sorria unica di osprea, in terra, in cielo 20:27.800 --> 20:46.200 sarà. Se vieni a me riposati su questo core che t'ama, che ti sospira e brava, che per te sovivrà. 20:46.200 --> 20:59.800 Oh Luce di quest'anima, amata, delizia e vita, unica nostra sonnata in terra, in cielo 20:59.800 --> 21:23.400 sarà. 21:23.400 --> 21:34.600 Oh Luce di quest'anima, amata, delizia e vita, unica nostra sonnata in terra, in cielo 21:34.600 --> 21:39.800 sarà. Unica nostra sonnata in cielo sarà. 21:39.800 --> 21:54.200 Vieni al mio core che ti sospira, che per te solo ti sovivrà, si sovivrà forte. 21:54.200 --> 22:13.400 Ah, si, ah, ah, si, ah, ah, si sovivrà forte. 22:13.400 --> 22:27.000 Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. 22:57.000 --> 23:09.680 And when I was done, Bobby, I'd won with a contract for the Met. 23:09.680 --> 23:13.000 Then Mother and I started home for a summer of rest. 23:13.000 --> 23:15.460 Did the train seem good? 23:15.460 --> 23:17.560 Did the West seem good? 23:17.560 --> 23:19.800 With all of us together again. 23:19.800 --> 23:24.040 Bobby, it's 2 a.m. and I've got to stop writing. 23:24.040 --> 23:27.080 But what a perfect summer we had. 23:27.080 --> 23:29.540 Right up until the end. 23:29.540 --> 23:31.540 Even the parting was perfect. 23:31.540 --> 23:33.680 But parting can be perfect. 23:33.680 --> 23:38.680 When you started for Texas in the Air Corps and I started for New York. 23:38.680 --> 23:43.480 Do you remember the last Sunday at our house reading the funny papers on the floor? 23:43.480 --> 23:46.280 And just as Black Jack was about to spring the trap on her... 23:46.280 --> 23:48.320 Bobby, how long will you be in Texas? 23:48.320 --> 23:49.320 Crash! 23:49.320 --> 23:52.560 She threw the magic bottle and saved her life with a chemical compound. 23:52.560 --> 23:54.440 What will happen after Texas? 23:54.440 --> 23:58.400 Well, after Texas, I guess it's California, Santa Ana. 23:58.400 --> 23:59.400 And then? 23:59.400 --> 24:00.960 Wings, I hope. 24:00.960 --> 24:03.440 I wish my train went before yours did. 24:03.440 --> 24:06.840 No, I don't mean that. 24:06.840 --> 24:09.280 Do you want to read the funny papers anymore? 24:09.280 --> 24:10.280 No. 24:10.280 --> 24:12.280 Do you? 24:12.280 --> 24:14.120 No. 24:14.120 --> 24:15.760 I can hear your watch tick. 24:15.760 --> 24:18.560 Your hands are brown. 24:18.560 --> 24:19.560 Pat. 24:19.560 --> 24:20.560 Yes? 24:20.560 --> 24:23.560 Let's say goodbye here. 24:23.560 --> 24:25.840 Instead of at the train with everybody around. 24:25.840 --> 24:26.840 All right. 24:26.840 --> 24:29.840 How do you say it? 24:29.840 --> 24:30.840 I don't know. 24:30.840 --> 24:33.280 I thought you'd start. 24:33.280 --> 24:34.280 Maybe it starts itself. 24:34.280 --> 24:37.840 What are you looking at? 24:37.840 --> 24:41.000 Picture of an airplane. 24:41.000 --> 24:43.200 Remember when you sang, I'll never smile again? 24:43.200 --> 24:45.960 You see, you're smiling now. 24:45.960 --> 24:46.960 That's different. 24:46.960 --> 24:50.480 I know it is, Pat. 24:50.480 --> 24:55.640 Look, you're already 18 and I'm 19. 24:55.640 --> 24:58.480 How much should we mean to each other? 24:58.480 --> 25:02.920 I mean, how close do you think we ought to be? 25:02.920 --> 25:03.920 Close as we are now. 25:03.920 --> 25:04.920 Not closer? 25:04.920 --> 25:05.920 Close as we grow. 25:05.920 --> 25:06.920 Yeah, I guess that's it. 25:06.920 --> 25:07.920 Kiss me. 25:07.920 --> 25:08.920 Now count one, two, three. 25:08.920 --> 25:09.920 We'll say goodbye together. 25:09.920 --> 25:20.920 Goodbye. 25:20.920 --> 25:37.440 It's 2.30 now. 25:37.440 --> 25:38.440 Started to snow. 25:38.440 --> 25:39.440 Mother's asleep. 25:39.440 --> 25:44.000 I have your new picture by me. 25:44.000 --> 25:46.040 I'm glad I wrote you. 25:46.040 --> 25:48.160 I'm not alone now. 25:48.160 --> 25:50.040 Tomorrow can come. 25:50.040 --> 25:51.040 You're close. 25:51.040 --> 25:54.040 Closer than ever. 25:54.040 --> 25:55.040 Good night, Bobby. 25:55.040 --> 25:56.040 Love, Pat. 25:56.040 --> 26:20.280 Thank you, Patrice Munsell, Jesse Royce Landis, Edwin Jerome, and Richard Widmark. 26:20.280 --> 26:24.920 Before we tell you about next Monday's Cabalcade, here is George Albee speaking for DuPont 26:24.920 --> 26:27.000 with this week's story of chemistry. 26:27.000 --> 26:28.000 Good evening. 26:28.000 --> 26:34.080 I have visited many plants of the DuPont company for a number of years now, collecting facts 26:34.080 --> 26:36.560 for these weekly stories of chemistry. 26:36.560 --> 26:41.700 This week I learned how chemistry is aiding the farmer in his task of increasing the supply 26:41.700 --> 26:43.760 of poultry and eggs. 26:43.760 --> 26:48.500 Have you ever stopped to realize what's required to produce the dozen eggs you buy so casually 26:48.500 --> 26:49.500 at the store? 26:49.500 --> 26:52.280 What are the necessary ingredients? 26:52.280 --> 26:56.880 What are the things you have to have that have to be done before anybody can say a dozen 26:56.880 --> 26:59.120 grade A eggs, please? 26:59.120 --> 27:01.520 Well first of all, there's the hen. 27:01.520 --> 27:06.560 The hen has to have a roof over her head and litter underfoot to keep her warm and dry. 27:06.560 --> 27:09.760 Believe it or not, hens catch cold very easily. 27:09.760 --> 27:15.240 Then there's the great amount of hard, painstaking work the farmer puts into caring for the henhouse, 27:15.240 --> 27:20.560 raking the floor, disinfecting walls and roofs, maintaining a supply of fresh, clean drinking 27:20.560 --> 27:21.560 water. 27:21.560 --> 27:24.720 Finally, there's feed. 27:24.720 --> 27:30.680 Our poultry industry is what it is today, largely because so much scientific research 27:30.680 --> 27:34.920 has gone into discovering how to feed chickens efficiently. 27:34.920 --> 27:40.080 Included in the diet of hens are various grains, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. 27:40.080 --> 27:44.820 And one of the most important of these is vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. 27:44.820 --> 27:49.880 A chick must have the sunshine vitamin in order to grow sturdy and strong. 27:49.880 --> 27:53.440 A laying hen must have it for health and egg production. 27:53.440 --> 27:59.480 A source of vitamin D that's scientifically controlled and always uniform has been provided 27:59.480 --> 28:02.060 as a result of ten years of research. 28:02.060 --> 28:05.000 It's a dramatic example of chemistry at work. 28:05.000 --> 28:10.080 For this development of chemistry captures the vitamin D effect of sunlight. 28:10.080 --> 28:16.000 Great banks of ultraviolet lamps supplying the same ultraviolet rays found in sunshine 28:16.000 --> 28:21.200 are used to irradiate the raw materials utilized by this discovery. 28:21.200 --> 28:24.600 These materials are found within the boundaries of the United States. 28:24.600 --> 28:30.440 They supply the necessary chemical substances which are converted into vitamin D. 28:30.440 --> 28:37.520 Trademarked delsterol, deactivated animal sterol, this vital ingredient of scientifically 28:37.520 --> 28:49.200 balanced poultry feeds is one of DuPont's better things for better living through chemistry. 28:49.200 --> 28:54.000 Next week DuPont presents Anne Southern and Joey Brown in GI Circuit, the spirited and 28:54.000 --> 28:58.380 sympathetic story of the thousands of little known and courageous entertainers who tour 28:58.380 --> 29:01.520 the battle fronts with their USO camp shows. 29:01.520 --> 29:05.440 Filled with humor and heartwarming appeal, the play is a tribute to the men and women 29:05.440 --> 29:09.780 who sacrificed their time and their comfort to the great job of bringing a little touch 29:09.780 --> 29:16.820 of home to the boys overseas. 29:16.820 --> 29:20.360 Cabellcade is pleased to remind its audience that Patrice Munsell is singing this season 29:20.360 --> 29:22.440 with the Metropolitan Opera Company. 29:22.440 --> 29:27.920 Miss Landis is currently featured in the Broadway hit comedy Kiss and Tell. 29:27.920 --> 29:31.340 Tonight's DuPont Cabellcade Orchestra was under the direction of Donald Voorhees. 29:31.340 --> 29:35.720 This is Roland Winters sending best wishes from Cabellcade's sponsor, the DuPont Company 29:35.720 --> 29:40.760 of Wilmington, Delaware, who invites you to join Cabellcade's audience again next Monday 29:40.760 --> 29:47.920 when Anne Southern and Joey Brown will be starred in GI Circuit. 29:47.920 --> 29:51.880 This is a story of the men and women of show business who are touring the world's battle 29:51.880 --> 29:58.640 areas on the USO camp show circuit. 29:58.640 --> 30:16.120 This is the National Broadcasting Company.