Big Shot

This episode of "GE True Theater" stars the pop singer Johnnie Ray as 'Johnny Pulaski'--a talented young singer who is about to give up his old life and turn professional. He's been given a tryout by some big-shot New York producer and he hopes to make it big. However, despite having talent, the business is amazingly fake and they want him to change his name. After all, an ethnic name like 'Pulaski' probably wouldn't sell a lot of records. But he's proud of his name and worries what changing his name would do to his father--who he adores. So, he's stuck--change the name and be a success or return home.

While Ray has a nice voice, he was no actor. A few times his expression was just baffling and the show comes off as a bit cheesy. But, it also is an interesting curio--a chance to see a 50s crooner try his chance at acting.

By the way, Ray really was hard of hearing and did wear a hearing aid--this isn't a microphone to feed him his lines!

The GE Theater which helped launch Ronald Reagan on his path to the White House featured in this episode of the anthology, a story about a young man who refuses to change his ethnic name from Johnny Pulaski if he wants to have a singing career. Singer Johnnie Ray who was cresting in his popularity at the time was the guest star with Nancy Gates as the girl next door.

Seems as though producer Ralph Sanford wants to audition him and after getting used to his sound wants to change his name to something more universally ethnic neuter. Ray won't do it and that's essentially the episode and I won't say what happens.

I will say that two guys who changed their names were the Martins, Dean and Tony. Didn't hurt either of their careers not being called Dino Crocetti and Alfred Morris. And Bobby Vinton did do rather well later on when even with the name change he became unashamedly Polish.

Ray was not any kind of actor, this was the second attempt to make him one after his appearance in There's No Business Like Show Business. I guess the phones weren't ringing off the hook after that film for him. Of course he was deaf and while he could sing and feel a song, dialog was probably a bit much.

Ray introduced one of his song hits Path To Paradise in this TV show, but his vogue would come to an end with rock and roll around the corner.

Reagan hosted the show and occasionally acted in them. It was interesting to see how he hawked the General Electric name and product on the air. Conservative Reagan was certainly right at home in this broadcast trumpeting the virtues of Junior Achievement which he and the company backed.

A well acted episode, no. But an interesting look at the Fifties and one of its icons, singer Johnnie Ray.