Hi gang, I found a nice bargain DVD this evening at WalMart for $8, James Stewart in "The Spirit of St. Louis" ( 1957 ). I began watching it a little while ago, and started with the Special Features. In addition to a "Joe McDoakes" short and a Speedy Gonzales cartoon, there is about 4 minutes of the premiere of "The Spirit of St. Louis", probably from a Warner Pathe newsreel. The premiere was held ( not in St. Louis? ) at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. As we see lots of famous stars arriving for the event, the cameras turn toward the excited crowd. For just a couple of seconds, a large lit-up sign above a storefront, which says "PHIL HARRIS RECORDS", can be seen over the heads of the gawkers. I still-framed the video, and thought, "Surely that's not for a display of Phil Harris records... that's a sign for a 'Phil Harris Record Shop' - !!" I jumped online and googled "Phil Harris Records" and this 1963 photo came back in the search results:
http://www.shorpy.com/node/3839?size=_original
In the photo's caption, the photographer says he is unaware of any connection between Phil Harris and this "Phil Harris Records" shop.
Does anyone have any information about this place, and if Phil was involved with it? Or perhaps just lent his name? I'm curious. Thanks!
The Joe McDoakes short ( which stars George O'Hanlon - who just 5 years later would become the voice of "George Jetson" on the ABC-TV prime-time color cartoon, THE JETSONS ) is funny, but has a jaw-dropping ending, that must be seen to be believed!
- William Carroll
Denham Springs, Louisiana