by Cole Porter
On 16 April, Porter visited Bussaco,† from where he wrote some instructions to his secretary Mrs Smith in New York:
17 April 1955: Cole Porter to Madeline Smith29
Dear Mrs S – up here to see some treasures we missed before we went to Lisbon.
Please get book & keep for me, Napoleon III by Albert Guerard, pub. Knopf.‡
Since I hit Milan have had only one-half day of rain & that was on the day I hit Milan.
I can’t tell you how happy I am that you like your new office so much.§
All well – Paul [Sylvain] is a wonderful traveller. He has such fun with my 37 bags.
Best,
C.P
Howard’s diary entries continued to comment on Porter’s personality. For example, on 20 April she noted: ‘Dinner with Cole. He is making an effort to be gay. He’s good at it.’30 She added: ‘I was alone in Madrid. I was waiting for Cole to return so I could tell him that I was thinking of going to Sevilla for a few days of the feria . . . When Cole and Bob [Bray] got back to Madrid, I told Cole that I was going to Sevilla, not knowing that Bob was returning to California to take a part in the movie Bus Stop.¶ When I did tell Cole my plans, he decided to fly to Paris because [Howard] Sturges was there. Cole felt that I had let him down, and I was in a state of confusion. On April 21 Cole left for Paris . . .’
From Paris, Porter wrote more instructions to Mrs Smith (the identities of the people he refers to are unknown):
23 April 1955: Cole Porter to Madeline Smith31
Dear Mrs. Smith,
. . . Please show me the enclosed letter from Lorna McIntosh on my return to New York.
Please send to Miss Margaret Frickelton, 153 Rue Legendre, Paris, 17e, a box of pencils. The make which she wishes is Venus Velvet 3557, No. 2. This is a present.
Best,
[signed:] Cole Porter
Cole Porter.
P.S. Please put in my Wheeldex in my address book, the enclosed card, under Secretary, Paris.
Enclosure
[annotation:] Paul [Sylvain] is suddenly laid up with an infected foot. This delays our departure for Rome.
Porter remained in Paris until 29 April,* where Jean Howard joined him on the 26th. The next day, her diary reads: ‘Lunched with Cole at the Berkeley. He looks very well indeed. Paris has done him a world of good . . . Later dined with Cole, Charlie [Feldman, Howard’s ex-husband], and Christos [Bellos].’ On 28 April, she ‘Lunched with Cole at Coc Hardy – beautiful! Really enjoyed Cole today. He was relaxed and good company.’32
Howard joined Porter in Rome on 30 April: ‘Left Paris for Rome today . . . Dined tonight with Sturges, Cole, and Carla Boncompani. She is charming. [Jean] Cocteau† is here in Rome. Charming as always. After dinner drove to the fountains of Rome – beautiful night. Cole seems to love it.’33 They dined with the Princess Pallavicini* on 3 May and with the Baroness Lo Monaco on 4 May: ‘She has an apartment in some great palace – huge rooms – just beginning to enjoy myself when at 12 o’clock Cole wanted to go. Came back to hotel and talked to Cole until 2 a.m.!’34
On 6 May, Porter sent a postcard of Rome to Sam Stark, reporting his plans to return to California:
6 May 1955: Cole Porter to Sam Stark (postcard from Rome)35
Dear Sam – I don’t see why the Pope doesn’t move here. It’s so bang-up.
Love to you both,
Cole
I hit Hollywood around the 15th of June + stay as long as I can bear Bobbie Raison.
He also wrote that day to Mrs Smith, who had made a blunder with a gift for one of the producers of Silk Stockings:
6 May 1955: Cole Porter to Madeline Smith36
Dear Mrs S–
By your letter of May 3rd I note that you gave Ernie Martin the wrong picture, if you gave him the picture on the north-west wall of 41C. This is a maquette of a ballet, – it shows a girl standing in a doorway (Diaghileff gave it to me). The Utrillo is the picture that was on the West wall south of the air-conditioner. It is a scene of the streets of Paris with the dome of Sacré [sic] Coeur in the background. Give him the Utrillo + get the maquette back quick. Shame!!
Best
C.P.
On 9 May, the party left for Athens. ‘Cole and Sturges on tenterhooks with each other,’ notes Howard. ‘Funny to see Sturges dump a whole tomato and cucumber salad almost into Cole’s lap.’37 Porter wrote twice to his increasingly close friend George Eells from Athens:
11 May 1955: Cole Porter to George Eells38
Dear George –
We spent ten days in Rome & all my pet princesses were most angry about an article which appeared in Look* saying that all Italians had negro blood in them. One of them showed me a Rome newspaper headline “So the U.S.A. calls us “Niggers.” Tell Fleur [Cowles], & I’m sure you will do it gracefully, that if she wants to get Clare’s (or is it Claire’s?)† job, this is an ineffective bit of propoganda [sic] for Fleur.
I may have told you before that [Howard] Sturges & I hit N.Y. on June 7th. Please call me up. I pine for the prose that emanates from your entrails.
Love & Kisses
ΚΩΛΗ ← fuck it, it’s
Cole
14 May 1955: Cole Porter to George Eells39
Dear George –
I have no idea if you are in London or Timbucktoo but I enclose a new letter from our problem child, Richard.‡ I’m constantly delighted by the fact that he + his family never make sense yet they seem to be so much more benign than you + I who do make sense.
We sail tonight, after a too-big dinner, on our beautiful Eros.§
All my best
Cole
Porter started his own diary in Greece, outlining the major stopping points and activities:40
14 May 1955
Dinner at our pet taverna, ‘The Old Phoenix’; then the Eros. At once a feeling of comfort and great taste.
15 May 1955
At dawn, terrific noise. Then, for breakfast, to sit on this pretty craft and look up at the Temple of Poseidon, Sunion [Cape Sounion].
16 May 1955
Nauplia – automobiles to Tiryns, Argos (theatre built out of solid rock), Mycenae (Lion’s Gate), graveyards where gold masks and jewels were found, the prize of the Athens Museum, Tomb of Agamemnon (bee-hive). We set for Mykonos. Rough weather.
17 May 1955
Mykonos, a town entirely whitewashed. A donkey. I sit side-saddle and wander through enchanting streets, 360 churches here, each offered by a sailor to his saint if he would return safe from the sea, the big shock, no noise because no cars, no telephone, the ladies all weave, the gentlemen all fish, a former top whore who is now a top bootblack, bang-up lunch at a bang-up ‘moderne’ hotel, the local museum with our delightful guide who suddenly made Greek vases interesting by explaining the profess of their decoration, the village idiot on the quai, the boat that moved in and killed our view, the constant joy of this incredible gift from Stavros [Niarchos, Porter’s host].
18 May 1955
Delos. Again on a donkey, vast ruins covering acres, first the sacred part with its temples and statues, seven beautiful lions looking Syrian, phallic symbols for the Temple of Dionysus, the museum with some local archaic statues, then the actual city, floors in mosaic, better mosaic than in Pompeii, a theatre holding 4,000 people. In the afternoon, Tenos with its church containing a miracle-working ikon and many gold and silver votive offerings.
19 May 1955
Santorini (Venetian name), Thira (Greek name). In port beside an unreachable cliff. Then all of us on donkeys by triangular zig-zag pavements to the summit to find not only a fairy-tale town with fascinating vistas in every street but also a view down to the sea on the other side, everything green and accessible and, as against the cliffside, strangely uninhabited. The museum with two Egyptian torsos and a lovely fresco from Crete. Then a visit to the Vulcan hotel to meet the proprietress, who gave us local wine and cakes and exhausting French truisms. Down by donkey to harbor to board the Chri
s Craft to examine a nearby volcanic island, which rose from the sea only in the early 1920s. As we skirted the shores of this already cool mass of land, I felt the beginnings of the earth and the terrors of hell.
20 May 1955
A shock to wake up in the harbor of Rhodes to see on the left a big medieval chateau fort, on the right a church that recalled the church in Verona and a campanile, in front of us a Turkish-looking building and in the background, infinite greenery. Later, in motors, first to the Hospital of the Knights of St. John and its museums, then through the Street of the Knights to the Palace of the Greet Masters (mosaics from island of Kos), surrounded by three rows of outer walls with two moats. In the evening, folk dances in the public square. Greek airmen in uniform suddenly joined the girl dancers in their traditional costumes and the contrast of today and long-ago was touching.
21 May 1955
Rhodes. By car to the top of Mount Philerimos, next to ruins at Kamiros (2nd century B.C.), then to Valley of Butterflies for a big lunch by a brook. Afterwards, nap and tea at Hotel des Roses.
22 May 1955
Motored to Lindos. Arrived to find remnants of the fourth century B.C. and a vast medieval castle on top of a great hill by the sea. Terrific heat so we all decide not to make the trip. Good lunch in a cool restaurant. Nearby a table of Americans, the men drinking quantities of martinis and straight whiskeys. They decided not to make the climb either. The blessed [yacht] Eros rounded the point and we boarded her to find a cool breeze.
23 May 1955
A glorious morning, whitecaps and the Eros under full sail. Heraclion, Crete. Left late afternoon, motored to Phaestos, countryside very hilly and fertile. Ruins at Phaestos disappointing what with only the foundations left to see.
24 May 1955
Heraclion, Crete. Motored to Knossos. Great ruins of palace partially and excellently restored. Then to museum at Heraclion; fascinating treasures, golden and precious stone jewels, jar sculptures and frescoes in many colors. The high spots – a sculptured bull’s head and a profile fresco of a very dressy lady with painted lips known as “La Parisienne.”
25 May 1955
En route to Katacolon, port near Olympia. A wonderful day, brisk day, jib and foresail up. In late A.M. passed Cythera where Aphrodite was born, then up west coast of Peloponnesus.
26 May 1955
Katacolon. Short drive to Olympia. We went all over the ruins, the most notable feature, the great size of the sections of the columns of the Temple of Zeus. In the museum, the east and west pediments of this temple and the Hermes of Praxiteles in Parian marble.
27 May 1955
Itea (port near Delphi). Cars up into the hills passing through groves of olive trees. The museum with friezes from Temple of Apollo and bronze charioteer. Then a hard donkey ride to site of the oracle and the surrounding ruins, a wonderful view, very melodramatic.
Off across the gulf, arriving evening at port of Corinth.
28 May 1955
By car to museum. Corinthian vases whose decoration shows strong oriental influence. Temple of Zeus [Apollo], 700 B.C., a few columns standing, then the ruins of a big agora. Far above us, on a great hill, the Acrocorinth, where the prostitutes lived in the days of Corinth’s glory. In the afternoon, through the Corinth Canal, arriving in the evening at Epidaurus.
From Epidaurus, with the trip coming to a close, Porter wrote to Robert Montgomery, asking for advice on how to repay his friend Stavros Niarchos, who had loaned the party his yacht Eros for the cruise:
29 May 1955: Cole Porter to Robert Montgomery
Dear Bob – Please begin looking up some charity organization which would help Greece and which the U.S. government would recognize as deductible. I figure that this cruise would have cost me about $10,000 if it hadn’t been a present from Stavros Niarchos + the only way I can repay him is by a gift which would benefit his people as he is a great patriot. And the sooner I give this present, the better.
Can you + John [Wharton] lunch with me, 1.00 P.M. Thursday, June 9th? Please leave word with Mrs. Smith.
Best –
Cole
The matter was still lingering in late July:
31 July 1955: Cole Porter to Robert Montgomery41
Dear Bob:
Whatever happened to the $10,000.00 charity I was going to give for Greece?
Sincerely,
[signed:] Cole
The matter was resolved when Niarchos himself suggested that Porter donate the money to the charity branch of the Greek Merchant Navy Schools.42
Porter’s diary in Greece continues:
29 May 1955
Drove to theatre, 350 B.C., holding 15.000 people.
30 May 1955
Aegina. A car to the temple of Aphaea on the top of the island in its very center, looking over the sea on every side. To Piraeus after lunch aboard with toasts from + to the crew. The dream is over.
Jean Howard’s diaries on the trip conclude: ‘After the cruise we returned to Athens, where we stayed two or three days. Cole and [Howard] Sturge then left for Switzerland and I left for Rome . . .’43
Back in America, Porter made plans to have a rose named in Linda’s memory. John Wharton managed the affair through the famous Bobbink and Atkins plant nursery, who replied: ‘. . . One thought occurs to us, and it is this, that, perhaps, the rose should not be called THE LINDA PORTER ROSE (MRS. COLE PORTER). In alphabetical listing of roses, this rose will then appear under the letter “T”. We would therefore suggest that we amend this just slightly and say, “LINDA PORTER” and then underneath it, (MRS COLE PORTER). It will then appear in all catalogues in this style, and under the letter “L” instead of under the letter “T”. We trust that Mr. Porter and your good self will see the wisdom of doing this . . . Inasmuch as there will be good rose flowers in September from original stock plants, and the finest June blooms are now already gone, we plan to have a number of photographs taken in bloom in September, and Mr. Cole Porter will probably be very interested in picking out the one he likes best to have color plates made in ample time for use in Fall of 1956 and Spring of 1957.’44 Later in June, Porter wrote to Robert Montgomery to ask for his advice on a proposed television show:
25 June 1955: Cole Porter to Robert Montgomery45
Dear Bob:
I enclose a suggestion for a TV program based upon my music. I know nothing whatever about Mary Markham but you may find it interesting. It looks to me like an impossible program to arrange, as I don’t believe any of these artists mentioned would consider being on it for less than formidable money.
As you will see by my letter to Stanley Musgrove, who deals in publicity out here and who is an old friend of mine, I say that either you or John [Wharton] will take care of the whole matter. I do not want Bob Raison, who is mentioned in the Musgrove letter, to have anything to do with this, in spite of the fact that he is a good friend of mine. I would rather have the whole thing done by you or John.
Sincerely,
[signed:] Cole
Also in June, Porter turned down the opportunity to work again with the Spewacks, perhaps because of the tensions over the publication of the script for Kiss Me, Kate (though he was also preparing to work on High Society):
25 June 1955: Cole Porter to Bella Spewack46
Dear Bella:
I hope this letter will be forwarded to you abroad.
I don’t feel like working at the present moment, on a show, but maybe later we could get together.
I hope you both have a wonderful trip.
All my best,
[signed:] Cole
Jean Howard’s diary notes that by July, Porter was back in California writing the score for High Society, though news of his participation in this musical adaptation of The Philadelphia Story only appeared in the press in late August.47 According to Howard, ‘Cole was happy and feeling well, as indeed was I – of course our recent travels were a topic of conversation . . . Just as I had suggested the first journey, Cole sudde
nly said, “Let’s do it again!” I laughed and replied, “Why not!” ’48
On 21 August, Porter wrote to Sam Stark about a recent gift of a washing machine:
21 August 1955: Cole Porter to Sam Stark49
Dear Sam:
The Wash and Dry arrived and it is sensational! Last Tuesday night I had people for dinner and everybody who hadn’t heard of it proceeded to experiment, with the greatest enthusiasm. It was most thoughtful of you to send it to me.
Thank you also for the clipping about my song being sung in the Kansas City Starlight.
Love to you and Harriette.
[signed:] Cole
A telegram to Katharine Hepburn, by now a good friend, expressed appreciation for her recent film appearance:
28 August 1955: Cole Porter to Katharine Hepburn50
KATHERINE [sic] HEPBURN
HER MAJESTY THEATRE MELBOURNE
DEAR KATE[,] I JUST SAW YOUR MOST MAGNIFICENT PERFORMANCE IN SUMMERTIME[.]* ALL MY CONGRATULATIONS AND LOVE + COLE PORTER +
The next letter is significant only for its mention of one of Porter’s favourite hobbies – listening to the radio show Stella Dallas, which ran from October 1937 to December 1955:
10 September 1955: Cole Porter to George Eells51
Dear George:
Thank you very much for your letter, part of which I have already answered.
Thank you also for the story on Stella. I am in despair about Stella, as I have been told that NBC is cutting out all its soap operas. What does the future hold for me?
I am delighted you are coming out. It will be a joy to see you.
All my best,
[signed:] Cole
