Your Cheatin' Heart (MGM) (1964)

GRAND OPRY GAVE “COUNTRY MUSIC” TS BiG IMPETUS Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s song-filled “Your Cheatin’ Heart” marks the first time a motion picture has probed a specific era of the highly popular field of country and western music, now more appropriately identified as “the Nashville sound.” “Your Cheatin’ Heart” is based on the life story of Hank Williams, who in his 29-year life emerged from the cottonfields of Alabama to national prominence as a songwriter, singer and entertainer. George Hamilton portrays him in the film, with Hank Williams, Jr., now a teenager, re-recording some of his father’s biggest hits for the picture, including ‘Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Cold, Cold Heart” and “Jambalaya.” Country music, which had its origin in the mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas, first gained national prominence through such radio shows as “Grand Ole Opry,” “The Lousiana Hayride” and those featuring individual stars, such as Gene Autry and Tex Ritter. But in recent years, country and western music has become such a part of the popular field that it is no longer possible to draw a line between the two. Elvis Presley, for example, may be considered the top artist in the socalled “pop” field, but actually he belongs to the rock-a-billy country field, part of the music now called “the Nashville sound.” Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Marty Robbins, Jim Reeves and hundreds more are deeply rooted in country music, both in material and in style of arrangement, This flooding of country songs into the mainstream of national music was no accident. It was the gradual acceptance by America of its only true folk music. Pioneers of the country field, such as Ralph Peer, Art Satherley and Frank Walker, were thoroughly conversant with Negro blues material, and through these artists came the fusion of “hillbilly” music with Negro blues songs, resulting in the country music that is so popular today. Hank Williams was so important a contributor to the movement of popular music away from New York’s long-estabilshed “Tin Pan Alley” that to devotees of “the Nashville sound” he still is referred to as “the immortal Hank Williams.” Williams’ widow, Audrey, served as technical advisor during filming of “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” which was produced by Sam Katzman and directed by Gene Nelson. Susan Oliver portrays Audrey Williams in the picture. OF CROSBY CLAN Chris Crosby, son of singer Bob Crosby, makes his acting debut with stars George Hamilton, Susan Oliver, Red Buttons and Arthur O’Connell in MetroGoldwyn-Mayer’s ‘‘ Your Cheatin’ Heart,” story of the late famed country-western singer Hank Williams. Young Crosby’s only previous film was **Hootenanny Hoot,” in which he made a singing appearance. Your Cheatin’ Heart Still 1827-14 Mat 1-A SKEPTICAL OF “CURE ALL” HARD-SELL Red Buttons (center) is amused at George Hamilton’s persistence in trying to sella skeptical Susan Oliver a bottle of ‘‘cure all’ in this scene from “‘ Your Cheatin’ Heart.’? The new MetroGoldwyn-Mayer picture, in Panavision, tells the dramatic and moving story of the late country-western singer Hank Williams, one of the most popular natural entertainers of his time. The picture features ten of William’s greatest song hits, sung on the sound track by Hank Williams, Jr., himself a popular concert and recording star. It was produced by Sam Katzman, Still 1827-8 Your Cheatin’ Heart Mat 2-A HANK WILLIAMS’ WIDOW ADVISES FILM MAKERS ON FACTS OF HUSBAND'S LIFE The remarkable story of Audrey Williams, attractive widow of the famous country-singer composer Hank Wiliams, is a fascinating version of the classic Cinderella tale. Born in the small town of Banks, Alabama, Mrs. Williams married into show business and with no previous experience became one of the most successful personal managers in a highly competitive field. Her contribution to the phenomenal career of her husband is told dramatically in the screen presentation of his life story, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” George Hamilton portrays Hank Williams, with Susan Oliver, Red Buttons and Arthur O’Connell also starred. Sam Katzman produced, Gene Nelson directed and Audrey Williams served as technical advisor. “Seeing Hank’s life made into a film was one of my greatest ambitions,” Mrs. Williams declared. “Talent like his doesn’t happen often and the picture will help to immortalize him.” Hank and Audrey met while both were twenty-year-olds. Audrey, herhelf, was not an entertainer at the time, although her father’s family had been musicians. But the first time she laid eyes on Williams, who came to her hometown playing a guitar and singing Red Buttons Knows About Singing for Mere Pennies In Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s ‘Your Cheatin’ Heart,” the story of Hank Williams, Red Buttons plays a member of a touring group of hillbilly performers, who are not above passing the hat after a performance. The role is not such a far cry from the early experience of Buttons, who went on to become an Academy Awardwinner for his portrayal in ‘“SayoNata.” Red’s “show business” career began on the street corners of Manhattan where the youth sang and danced for pennies. Later, he got a job as a singing bellboy at Ryan’s City Island, and it was here that he was named “Red Buttons” by orchestra leader Dinty Moore. his own songs, she knew he was the man for her, They were married on December 15, 1944, and set off traveling around the country to give shows. Audrey’s chore was taking admission at the door. However, soon she began putting her common sense to work (“you can’t learn personal-managing in school”) and made bookings and deals for Williams that led him to the top. She held conferences with agents and confounded them with her knowledgeable handling of her husband’s career. While their professional partnership flourished, their personal life was blessed with the birth of a son, Hank, Jr., on May 26, 1949. Now a strapping teen-ager, Hank, Jr., sings the ten Williams songs featured in ‘Your Cheatin’ Heart.” The boy is also establishing himself as a concert and MGM Records star, with Mrs, Williams overseeing his activities. When Hank Williams died suddenly and tragically on January 1, 1953, his wife completely withdrew from business life for more than a year. Then the pressure of Williams’ varied projects—his records, song-publishing and myriad other concerns—forced her into the music world again. In 1955, she organized a band and sang with it, a carry-over from her traveling days with Hank and his “Drifting Cowboys.” Today, Mrs. Williams headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, the scene of some of Hank’s greatest triumphs on the Grand Ole Opry show. When she and Hank, Jr., are not on the road, they live in the “mansion on the hill,” a spacious home which inspired one of Williams’ 500 compositions. She spends much of her time developing young artists and introducing entertainers to the Opry. She also has produced her own motion picture, “Country Music on Broadway,” and she and her son have formed a new publishing outlet, the Hank Williams Music Company. Along with giving him her managerial aid, Audrey Williams has passed on a bit of his father’s philosophy. “Hank had a lot of sayings,” she recalled, “but I think this was his best. He believed that phonies don’t last. They may be successful in the beginning, but the veneer soon chips away. First you have to have talent. Then you have to work on it to make it shine.” THE ADDITIONAL SCENE AND PLAYER MATS, SHOWN IN THE COMPLETE CAMPAIGN MAT ON ANOTHER PAGE, MAY BE ORDERED SINGLY. SINGING HANK WILLIAMS ACHIEVED FAME BY TOUCHING HEART OF HIS AUDIENCES Had the life story of country singercomposer Hank Williams appeared on the fiction stands under another guise, many readers would have credited the writer with a more than vivid imagination. That is how dramatic and extraordinary Williams’ passage through life was. Born into humble circumstances, he learned basic country-music chords from a Negro street singer and parlayed his otherwise untutored talent into a major success. Before his untimely death in 1953, at the age of 29, Williams was acknowledged the King of country music, had written more than 500 songs, sold millions of records and was an international favorite. This is the absorbing story that unfolds in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” in which George Hamilton portrays Hank Williams. Susan Oliver, Red Buttons and Arthur O’Connell also are starred in the Sam Katzman production. Williams was an Alabama lad who started early on his musical career. When only twelve, he won an amateur contest and a radio job. At fourteen, he had his own band which played for dances all over the state. His success kept building until he was signed for the Grand Ole Opry in 1949. Even in his lifetime he was a legend. His personal appearances were consistently SRO. Few singers have had his gift for touching the hearts of the people. His songs, whether ballads, novelties or religious compositions, were always received with great enthusiasm. The remunerations his career brought permitted Williams to buy expensive cars, fancy, custom-made clothes and all the glittering trappings of stardom. But he never forgot that he was essentially a country boy, and perhaps it was this disparity that pressured him to the breaking point. Williams left the world a legacy of his records, his songs and his story. However, many of his tunes are lost to posterity because he never bothered —in fact, could not—write them down. A born music-maker, Williams was not able to read or write music. He merely picked out the melodies on his guitar as they came to him and had someone take down the notes. Among his biggest hits are “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Jambalaya,” “Hey, Good Lookin,’ ” “Ramblin? Man,” “Role Um Pete,” “Long Gone Lonesome Blues,” “Just Waitin’” “I Saw the Light” and “Kawliga.” All are spotlighted in “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” with Hank’s son, Hank Williams, Jr., singing on the sound track, For the most part, the lyrics tell of love, both happy and unrequited, simple misfortunes, country-style celebrating and religious faith. All are a reflection of Hank Williams’ own life, a story alternating between joy and tragedy. RING THAT BINDS Are plain, old-fashioned gold wedding rings on the wane? It would seem so from the rings worn by brides in MGM movies. When Debbie Reynolds was married to Harve Presnell in “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” her wedding ring was a cigar band. Now, in “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” the story of Hank Williams, Susan Oliver marries George Hamilton (portraying Williams) and the wedding ring he places on her finger is an iron washer. In “Molly Brown,” when Debbie and Harve become multimillionaires, she finally wears a jeweled version of the cigar band ring. In “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” after Hank Williams becomes a success, he gives his wife a $25,000 diamond ring. This one was for real. It belongs to Audrey Williams, the singer’s widow, who loaned it to Susan Oliver for the picture. ITS ‘TOGETHERNESS’ FOR GEORGE AND SUE After George Hamilton and Susan Oliver had completed their respective roles at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in “Looking For Love,” they had hardly time to remove their make-up when they found themselves cast together again. This time, they co-star in MGM’s “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” the story of Hank Williams. In the previous film, George and Susan actually had no scenes together. Hamilton played a guest-star role in a sequence in which he made a movie test with Connie Francis. In “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” however, they emote together throughout most of the picture—as husband and wife! Also starred in the story of the famed country-western singer are Red Buttons and Arthur O’Connell. Gene Nel son directed the Sam Katzman production. INSPIRATION FOR A NEW LOVE SONG! Convinced of his talent as a composer, Susan Oliver urges George Hamilton to write a new song in this scene from “‘ Your Cheatin’ Heart.’’? The new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture, also starring Red Buttons and Arthur O’ Connell, tetls the dramatic and moving story of the late countrywestern singer Hank Williams, one of the most popular natural entertainers of his time. Filmed in Panavision, it features ten of Williams’ greatest song hits, sung on the sound track by Hank Williams, Jr., himself a popular concert and recording star. still 1827-45 Your Cheatin’ Heart Mat 2-C