In November, The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC. An ecumenical mix of black and white, hep and hokey, the musical variety program’s strong ratings would prove unequal to the task of attracting Negro-wary national sponsors.
Shot that winter in Los Angeles, China Gate, written and directed by Samuel Fuller, was another career landmark: Cole’s first dramatic acting role, which he accepted for a minimum fee. Set in 1954 during the French-Indochina War, Fuller’s Angie Dickinson-led, anti-imperialist, anti-communist, anti-bigotry combat picture was bursting with differences, Cole’s character “Goldie” — a World War II and Korean War GI turned mercenary — included.
Happy Birthday, Nat King Cole
