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Bennett CerfBennett Cerf
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over Irving Berlin at the piano singing “Alexander's Ragtime Band” in a very bad voice but having the time of his life. And he remembered a song that Irving Berlin had written that Berlin himself had forgotten. O'Neill sang him this song, and Irving then remembered it, and the two of them sang it together. This was a great sight. Carlotta was looking very disapproving. He was having too good a time. She didn't want him to have a good time. She wanted to own him. They loved each other--but what a way they had of showing it! When Gene would go into one of his Irish furies, he would hurl things at Carlotta. He once threw a wall mirror at her. If it had hit her, it could have killed her. Yes, there were two sides to the story--there always are.

The other evening I remember very well was when Carlotta and Gene came to our house for dinner. I had Burl Ives here, too, and Burl brought his guitar. After dinner Burl sang a few songs. You had to warm Gene up. I knew how to do it. After Burl had entertained us for a while, I said, “Gene, Burl can accompany you on anything. Do you remember some of your old sea chanties?”

Gene smiled and said, “I guess I could think of a couple of them.” Then he began singing a sea chanty or two, one or two of which Burl knew, and the others he picked along with him. And as Gene warmed up, Carlotta got angrier and angrier because Gene was remembering dirtier and dirtier songs. After a little while, she said, “I will not be a party to these goings on.” She said, “We're going right home, Gene,” and





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