JONI JAMES - DOCUMENT SIGNED 10/12/1960 - HFSID 272759

 JONI JAMES Partly Printed Contract signed:  Joni James, 4p, front and verso.  New York, New York, 1960 December 20.      Standard AFTRA Engagement Contract - Television.  James contracts with the National Broadcasting Company, Inc. to appear on Saturday Prom, sponsored by Beech-Nut, on December 24, 1960. James, who will appear as a singer, was to be paid $1,000 for her appearance, which was to be taped on December 18, 1960 at Brooklyn Studios. Also signed by a representative of the National Broadcasting Company, Inc. With Typed Rider initialed J.J. by James and initialed by a representative of NBC.  Saturday Prom, which aired from 1960-1961, was hosted by a young Merv Griffin, who also directed and produced the show, which featured popular performers of the day (no lip synching was allowed - performers were backed by a full NBC Orchestra). Shortly before this program began airing on NBC, The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show, which ran on ABC, had been cancelled. Singer Joni James, born Joan Carmello Babbo in 1930, sold over 100 million records while recording for MGM Records, and she had \b 15 recordings in the Top 40. Her biggest hit, Why Don't You Believe Me, spent six weeks at the top of the charts in 1952, and James had No. 2 hits with Your Cheatin' Heart in 1953 and How Important Can It Be  in 1955. In addition to Saturday Prom, James was  seen on several other TV shows, including Toast of the Town, which was later called The Ed Sullivan Show, (1953, 1954, 1957, 1959).