Comeback for Lanza

Hulking Hollywood Tenor Mario Lanza was a big box-office hit 3½ years ago in The Great Caruso. But when his temperament interfered with his work on The Student Prince, M-G-M canceled his contract (TIME, Sept. 15, 1952). Lanza relaxed in his rented ($2,000 a month) Beverly Hills house, eating well while his already overstuffed bulk swelled to 250 Ibs.

Certain that M-G-M would eventually relent, Mario refused to be downhearted. Born the same year that Enrico Caruso died (1921), Mario feels that nature intended him as Caruso's replacement. To underline the idea, he has faithfully followed Caruso's taste in black Homburgs and spats. The legacy was further ex plained by Mario to Columnist Earl Wilson: "God gave me my voice as a gift— and I am only the keeper of the voice."

When CBS offered him $40,000 to appear on Shower of Stars, Tenor Lanza announced he would make his long-awaited comeback. He dieted furiously and reduced his weight by 40 Ibs. But when it came time to loose the famous voice, he was too weak from dieting. CBS, deciding that Lanza was too big a name to drop from Shower's première, tried a secret expedient. When the monthly show opened last week with Betty Grable and Harry James, Mario merely mouthed the lyrics while some of his three-year-old recordings provided the sound.

Word of the hoax got out. At first CBS denied the story. Lanza himself fumed : "This is the kind of stuff that makes me flip my lid. There is no reason to use old records. My voice is the greatest in the world."

Forty-eight hours later, red-faced CBS officials confessed to the hoax. Mario went back into seclusion.