PRIVATE SCREENING AT 20TH CENTURY FOX – MAY 1942
20th Century-Fox Fox Photo
“Orchestra Wives”
In May 1942, Glenn Miller, members of his band, and associates attended a private screening at 20th Century-Fox Studios. They previewed completed parts from the film “Orchestra Wives.” Moreover, the private screening included humorous outtakes. TO celebrate the wrapping of production, a party hosted by the studio followed. Furthermore, a series of candid, infra-red photographs captured the real-time reaction of Miller and others to what they were watching. Among the amused members of the band and associates seen in nine images are Miller, his manager Don Haynes, Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton and Billy May. Likewise, there are glimpses of Jimmy Priddy, Steve Lipkins, several Fox staffers and some of the real “Orchestra Wives.”
In 1954, one of the images appeared in the liner notes for the RCA Victor LPT-6701 “Glenn Miller Limited Edition, vol. 2” 5-LP box set. The others apparently remained unpublished. They were marked in the Miller Business Office files as “not for publication.” Therefore, to celebrate the 2025 release of the new “Glenn Miller Limited Edition, vol. 2” 2-CD package, from the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society, here is the entire set. In conclusion, the candid, infra-red 1942 images are spontaneous, unreheasred and reportedly unobserved. You are viewing a special moment in time.
