Two Heat Waves...16 Years Apart!

 Alexander's Ragtime Band

was released in 1938,

featuring 26 songs by Irving Berlin

(who also wrote the script!)

with Tyrone Power, Alice Faye and Don Ameche given star billing.

All about a classically trained musician who turns to Ragtime
(scandalous!).

Ethel Merman (30 yrs old at the time)

got to tackle Heat Wave, in horns.

 Were they REALLY rehearsing?

 Irving, above at the piano,

with Alice, Tyrone, and Don.

The film was a smash, thanks to the IB songs,

tho the dialogue was anachronistic 

and the plot "irritating".

 

 Sixteen years later,

Heat Wave appeared again in

There's No Business Like Show Business.

It starred (below, left to right)

Johnny Ray, Mitzi Gaynor, Dan Dailey,

Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor, and Marilyn Monroe.

Marilyn rejected the role initially,

until they waved "The Seven-Year Itch" at her.

Tit for Tat.

The film tanked.

Ed Sullivan called Marilyn's version of Heat Wave,

"one of the most flagrant violations of good taste"

he'd ever witnessed.

What I wanna know is, what did Ethel think? :)