Trouble With Harry

The Tony Thomas letter about composer Harry Warren’s anonymity, in spite of the fact that he wrote an unbelievable number of hit songs, reminded me of the many weeks Harry had lunch at the music table in the Paramount commissary and constantly complained about Irving Berlin’s strong public image (Calendar Letters, April 10).

He was particularly galled every time he heard a disc jockey refer to Johnny Mercer’s “Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe” without mentioning who wrote the music.

The problem was that Harry had absolutely no instinct for self-promotion. One day during lunch Harry received a phone call.

When he came back, he was laughing and shaking his head. He said the call was from Peter Potter, who wanted him to go on his popular “Juke Box Jury” radio show. All of us went on that show and others like it to publicize our songs and ourselves.

I said, “What did you tell him?” and he said, scoffingly, “I’d never do a thing like that!” I said, “Harry, that’s why Irving Berlin and Johnny Mercer are famous and you’re not.”

JAY LIVINGSTON

Los Angeles