I want to know much, much more about this working with him.
Well, there isn't much to tell. I was the librarian/music supervisor for Michael Tilson Thomas on the Emmy winning Gershwin celebration at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Johnny, because of his Fred Astaire arrangements from the 1930s, was a guest star. He conducted a set of his Astaire Gershwin arrangements with Maureen McGovern, Christopher Walken and others. He was grumpy, could be very curt with fools, and he liked me because I was at rehearsals to work and I had a ton to do. After a couple of days, he became very friendly and I had a great time with him, asking questions about his career and his family. He had been Richard Rodgers' musical director for BY JUPITER. which led to Hollywood, he had done Broadway, radio, and recordings with his band in the 1930s, and he knew everyone. I do remember telling him I thought RAINTREE COUNTY was a weird film and he agreed. We talked about how expensive the album was, which amazed him, and how hard it was to find. I don't remember talking about other films, I was mostly interested in his Broadway career.
I don't remember much more from 20 years ago, except that he liked me and was very kind. I loved him dearly. He was sort of the curmudgeonly grandfather with me. When I went backstage after the performance, he told me we'd be working again, which thrilled me no end. The next year his health rapidly declined and he was dead not long after. Cancer, I recall. I still listen to those arrangements for Astaire and marvel at how wonderful they are.
