Harry Akst, who'd written "Dinah," came to my dressing room while I was playing the Orpheum in Los Angeles. Harry said he was working on the score for a new musical Warner Brothers wanted to make. They needed a song hit, and Harry thought he had it. He had brought the lead sheet to me so I could work on it with Pearl. So we worked on it, and the song was "Am I Blue?" When we were ready Harry brought me to the studio and introduced me to Darryl F. Zanuck, who was production chief, spark plug, and the all-around hot young man at Warner Brothers. Mr. Zanuck listened to my interpretation of "Am I Blue?" said "This is it," and asked what would I nick him for two weeks' work on his spacious and sunny movie lot. "Well, Mr. Zanuck," I said, "I have commitments on the Orpheum time, but I will see if I can postpone them." << less