欢乐岁月

And that is Frank Sinatra singing Good Thing Going

from the Broadway and film hit Musical Husbands.

The composers of that show,

Franklin Shepard and Charles Kringas,

are in our studio tonight,

and we will be meeting and talking with them.

But first, the news.

Hal?

The lead-in story from tonight's edition

of "News from New York."

Today our nation is at long last

celebrating a ceasefire in Vietnam,

the tragic death toll there now having cost

nearly 46,000 American lives.

Judy?

On the local front, Mayor Abe Beame...

Well, Mr. Kringas, what do you think?

I think my worst nightmare has come true.

I look like Richard Nixon.

Charley.

Oh, Charley!

No, Mary.

No, do not speak to me.

Oh!

This whole goddamn thing is your fault.

I don't know why, in Christ's name, I let you talk me into this humiliation.

Here is the drink you ordered, Miss Flynn.

Ooh.

Oh, Mary, how thoughtful.

Oh, come on, Charley. I need a drink.

Yeah, one drink. What would you like?

A bottle of vodka and a straw.

Where's Frank?

Frank?

Probably off signing to score another movie

or closing a record deal.

I can only tell you where Frank never is,

and that is with me, working on our show.

All right, well, when I called KT to set up this interview,

I made it very clear

that the only thing you two were here to talk about...

was your next show and how long you both been working on it.

Oh, Mary, since Frank married Gussie,

the only working he knows is working the room.

And just where did he learn that, Charley?

Off on that goddamn yacht is where.

And, wait, who was it who sent him off on that goddamn yacht?

I say to hell with Frank.

Ugh.

Look, I have started a play all on my own.

And if Frank doesn't show up in the next 30 seconds,

me, I am walking right out that door.

Look, Charley, I know Frank.

If you connect with him again,

if you commit the guy today, publicly,

I swear, by tomorrow, you two are gonna be

back together working again.

You got to help save him, Charley.

Hey, old friend

What do you say, old friend?

Make it okay, old friend

Give the old friendship a break

Why so grim?

We're going on forever

You, me, him

Too many lives are at stake

Friends this long

Has to mean something strong

So, if our old friend's wrong

Shouldn't an old friend come through?

It's us, old friend

What's to discuss

Old... ...friend?

Here's to us

Who's like us?

Damn few

Charley

Why can't it be like it was?

I liked it the way that it was

Charley, you and me

We were nicer then

We were nice

Kids and cities and trees were nice

Everything

I don't know who we are any more

And I'm starting not to care

Look at us, Charley

Nothing's the way that it was

I want it the way that it was

Help me stop remembering then

Don't you remember?

It was good

It was really good

Help me out, Charley

Make it like it was

Come on. Ugh.

Look, we both know it was better, Charley, the three of us.

And you, come on. Mary, we are not the three of us anymore.

Now we are one and one and one.

Charley

Nothing's the way that it was

I want it the way that it was

God knows, things were easier then

Trouble is, Charley

That's what everyone does

Blames the way it is

On the way it was

On the way it never

Ever

Was

Jesus, Mary.

After all these years, you're still in love with the guy?

You got to help save me, then, Charley.

Charley, Frank, we are on the commercial break,

and then it's us. Follow me.

Frank isn't here.

He isn't here?

Where the hell is Frank?

Frank is here, and Frank is sorry.

But ever since Gussie and I got married,

life is this series of meetings, meetings, meetings.

Hey, pal!

Hey, pal. Long time no see.

Oh, and I missed you, buddy.

Mm.

And, Mary...

Oh, God, Mary, you look wonderful.

Lost a little weight?

A hundred and eighty pounds.

He still calls, though.

Please, Frank.

Frank, in the chair. Charley, you come with me.

KT, I think...

I think I saw my ex-husband hovering around outside.

Could you see to it that nobody's allowed in?

He's become the eternal sponge.

- Got it. Charley, move, please. - Thank you.

We got to go!

Excuse me.

Mrs. Shepard, I know this is inappropriate,

but I wrote a film script, Darkness Before Dawn,

that is so perfect for you.

It is inappropriate.

Give it to me.

I have accepted that if I don't want people

handing me scripts, then I can never go out.

Frank, did you tell Mary about closing the three-picture deal?

Uh, no.

But please let me be the one to tell Charley.

I am waiting to choose the exact moment.

Oh, God.

I've explained to Frank:

You compose a Broadway show, you're something in New York,

but you produce a movie,

you're something all over the world.

Frank, we're up! We got to move.

Oh.

Gussie.

Hiya, Gus.

Oh, Joe.

You look great.

You've caught me in the middle, Joe.

Yeah, I was hoping, I was, I was...

I was hoping...

I was hoping maybe you could spare me 100 or so.

Joe. Joe, I...

God.

You can't keep doing this to me, Joe.

Now, this...

this is the last time.

I'm lining up backers for my next play.

Oh.

Excuse me, Joe.

They're waiting for me.

Yep.

I'm sorry.

And now our evening's top news story.

Today the Supreme Court made its final ruling

legalizing abortion.

The court stated abortion should be a decision

between a woman and her physician.

A longtime controversy now ended.

Judy?

For those who have tuned in late,

we are hearing Frank Sinatra singing the hit song

by Franklin Shepard and Charles Kringas,

our next guests live from New York.

Oh, and, Frank, I cannot thank you enough for this favor.

"Favor"? After what you did for me during my divorce?

That's why we're here.

Oh, and how's your son?

Want to see a picture?

No, but do that on air, and I'll coo, and I'll tear,

and I'll carry on like a mad thing.

People love cheap sentiment.

And I understand congratulations are in order.

I hear you just signed a three-picture deal

to produce movies.

Where'd you hear that?

Now, don't worry.

I understand I'm not supposed to bring it up on the air.

I think you weren't supposed to bring it up in front of me.

Oh? Oh.

Charley, I was waiting for the exact moment to tell you.

But, see, it doesn't change our plan.

It's only two or three months at a time.

Frank, it is always two or three months at a time.

I haven't even signed the contract yet.

Do you know how long I have sat and waited for you to finish this project?

Hold it for one second, guys, will you? We're just about on.

Charley, I have a son to support.

I have an ex-wife draining me.

What happens if we finish this show, we get it on,

and they say it's no good?

Frank, I have four kids to support.

I don't give a rat's ass what they say.

If I say it's good, if you say it's good...

Okay, fellas, we're just about to start.

He only knows it's good if it makes a fucking fortune.

Hi! We're back.

And welcome to "Today in New York's Celebrity Spot."

Here next to me, we have two brilliantly talented people.

The gentleman on my right is...

Oh, uh, Franklin Shepard.

I almost forgot.

And?

And he is. Why would he lie?

And I have no idea who I am.

This is my great friend and even greater collaborator,

Charley Kringas.

They are the songwriters for Musical Husbands,

both the show and the movie.

They also wrote Sweet Sorrow.

And their newest collaboration will be called Take a Left.

But more about that later.

Apparently much later.

And you recently married the star of those shows,

Gussie Carnegie.

Did you not?

Yes, that's correct.

And I'm married to Evelyn.

Now, all of Broadway says

that you two are the next Rodgers and Hammerstein,

Lerner and Loewe.

Irving and Berlin.

Let's start at the beginning.

You're both from Chicago.

You both went to the same school and the same college?

Uh, nope. Me, Columbia. Him, Juilliard.

So, your entire lives you've been very, very close friends.

Until today.

Like all partners,

we have had fights and other commitments,

but the magic is only there when it's me and Charley.

Charley and me.

I love it.

Now, how do you two work together?

Oh. May I answer that?