he played for the convicts with ella fitzgerald and count basie. and i'm thinking, 'boy, i fell into something here. this is--this is big stuff. 'here's a kid who i mean, i'm a--you know, i'm in the--in the journalism business, and i'm kind of impressed with ed murrow. but i'm--you know, i'm running around with count basie and ella fitzgerald and frank sinatra. it's one great big--we leave lawton penitentiary to come back to get his plane, and--and on the way he says to me, 'we're--we're not going to be far from arlington cemetery, are we? ' i said, 'no. i guess we go pretty close.' he said, 'do you want to film me at jack kennedy's grave?' i said, 'have you ever been there before?' he said, 'no, this is the first time.' why i said what i said, i don't know, but i said,'you son of a bitch. you've never been to jack kennedy's grave, as close as you were, and now you want aamera to film you there?' and he said, 'you're right. i shouldn't do that, should i?' i was probably stupid because i--it's--been a great scene, but i figured it was a good way of

louis-by the way, he did not like the name louie- it was louis armstrong, d ella fitzgerald, "dream a in your eye", freddy martin. that was a sort of-we used to call him business man bounce band. they were great to dance to. it's a potpourri of everything you you've ever wanted to have if you're a big band aficionado. if you like this music - >>and guess who's got it? this is mine. you've got the dvd; i've got the cd. >it's our show plus 40 minutes of great stuff. >>th's great stuff, and this is 80 songs. this is on the cd. this is $150. that's $120. if you take the two of them together, then what you have is $250, you have it all. and this is going to be one of your last chances to get on that telephone and pledge. you know how much pbs needs your help. you know how much you need this great music. stay with us. >support your pbs station at the $120 level, and you'll receive the dvd of the show, featuring peter marshall's lost big band show. ♪ >>from the world famous hollywood palladium, located at sunset and vine in the very heart of the film capital. peter marshall salutes the big b

i'm running around with count basie and ella fitzgerald. we leave the penitentiary and, back to get his plane. on the way he says to me, "we're not gonna be far from arlington, are we?" i said we would be pretty close. he said, do you want to fill me at jack kennedy's grave? i said, have you ever been there before? he said, no. you son of a bitch. you have never been to jack kennedy's grave, as close as you work, and now you on camera to tell me there? and he said, you are right. i should not do that, should i? i was probably stupid because it was a great scene but i figured it was a good way of getting in better with him. everything is going fine. now we're doing the interview at his house. cronkite asks him about the mafia and the lodge. he goes eight. he says to me, you. we walk into the bedroom. he said, you broke all the rules. i said, what roles? he said, miki's roles. i said, we didn't agree to the rules. he said, i ought to kill you. i said, would you that is probably not a figure of speech. he said, i mean them. i left his house an

ella fitzgerald. nat king cole, sammy davis, tony bennett, perry como.ne day harry belafonte called. he was the biggest entertainer in the world. he said, i like the way you treat your guests on your show. would you like me to come on and sing a couple songs and maybe do something together? i was flabbergasted. and so i said, boy, would die. i went then to announce this great invitation or opportunity to our sponsor, chevrolet and to abc and the ad agency. and they said we can't do this because he is really russling feathers with his civil-rights stand. so we can't have him. and you mean i have to say no to harry belafonte. yes, sadly. and i said, well, it's not the pat boone show. i appreciate the opportunity, but you will have to give someone else to take over from here. you're going to leave your own show for this? i said, you know it's more than this. it is a bigger issue than that i understand it, but i can't be part of it. thank you for the opportunity. well, of course, they relented and said if you will guarantee the about be some embarrassing sta