On June 24, DRG will offer the original soundtracks of "Harlow," "The Buccaneer" and "Baby Doll"; the latter featured an original screenplay by playwright Tennessee Williams.
The 13-track "Harlow" recording — with a score composed, conducted and arranged by Neal Hefti — boasts a previously unreleased version of "Lonely Girl." The film, which concerned the life of legendary screen goddess Jean Harlow, starred Carroll Baker, Broadway favorite Angela Lansbury and Peter Lawford. Composer Hefti is perhaps best known for his Grammy-winning title theme to the 1960's TV series "Batman."
Tony Award winner Yul (The King and I) Brynner co-starred in "The Buccaneer," which featured a score by Elmer Bernstein, a recent Oscar nominee for Far From Heaven. Directed by Anthony Quinn and overseen by the legendary Cecil B. De Mille, "The Buccaneer" also starred Claire Bloom, Charles Boyer and Charlton Heston. The 13-track disc includes "Mutiny," "The Knife," "Valse Tragique" and "Out to Sea."
Produced and directed by Elia Kazan, the 1956 film "Baby Doll" — controversial for its time — featured an original screenplay by Tennessee Williams. It starred Karl Malden and two newcomers, Carroll Baker and Broadway veteran Eli Wallach. The score was composed by Kenyon Hopkins (with Rueben Fisher) and was performed by Ray Heindorf and The Warner Bros. Orchestra. The CD features 12 tracks, including "Baby Doll and Empty House," "Lemonade," "Shame, Shame, Shame!" (vocal by Smiley Lewis) and "The Cradle."
For more information about DRG Records and its recordings, visit www.drgrecords.com.