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Fired On-The-Air - Even those
in the Hollywood limelight have to face the fear that one day the lights
will go out. Such was the case in the life of Julius La Rosa, a popular
singer who was given the axe "on-the-air" during October of 1953 courtesy of
his mentor Arthur Godfrey, host of ARTHUR GODFREY AND HIS
FRIENDS/CBS/1949-59.
Julius LaRosa, a young Italian crooner from Brooklyn,
had just finished singing his weekly number when Arthur Godfrey walked up to
him and told the audience "Thank you, Julie. And that folks was Julie's swan
song."
The public couldn't believe their ears. Sympathy letters by the
thousands flooded the program expressing their disappointment at Godfrey's
decision. Despite all the support, Julius LaRosa never returned.
Arthur
Godfrey explained that LaRosa was fired for "improper lack of humility." In
reality,
it was LaRosa's growing independence from Godfrey's autocratic style
that finally caused a break between the two.
LaRosa did go on to limited
success, having several hit records and guest spots on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW.
He also appeared as a regular on TV'S TOP TUNES/CBS/1955, and hosted his own
music series THE JULIUS LAROSA SHOW/CBS/1955; and musical variety series THE
JULIUS LAROSA SHOW/NBC/1956-57.
Julius La Rosa was just one in a number of celebrities who
lost their positions in the limelight over the years. When playwright Arthur
Miller was remarried to Marilyn Monroe by a rabbi, musician Oscar Levant
stupidly remarked on his weekly program "Now that Marilyn Monroe is kosher,
Arthur Miller can eat her." That remark got him thrown off the air the same
day.
TRIVIA NOTE: Celebrities
aren't the only ones who get the boot. The bawdy ABC comedy TURN ON was
canceled after only one episode on February 5, 1969 because of all the
negative reaction from viewers. See also -
MONEY: "Soupy Sales" and NICKNAMES: "The Champagne Lady"
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