" At a National Press Club meeting in 1966 (broadcast on NBC's Monitor program), Durante finally revealed that it was indeed a tribute to his wife. While driving across the country, they stopped in a small town called Calabash, which name she had loved. "Mrs. Calabash" became his pet name for her, and he signed off his radio program with "Good night, Mrs. Calabash." He added "wherever you are" after the first year.["
Sometimes there are different beliefs and you can choose yours and nobody can prove whose story is true or false. Ask anyone in Calabash, North Carolina and you will get quite another story which I tend to believe. For one thing, when Jimmy Durante visited Lucille Coleman's Diner in 1940, He was not in the company of his wife but with his touring entertainment group. Lucy Coleman was the owner and only 28 years old at the time. Witnesses said that Durante called her over to his table and told her " I'm going to make you famous ".
Lucy's daughter Clarice Holden recalls what Durante said as He exited the Diner " Good Night Mrs. Calabash wherever you are " . Secondly, if you care to believe the 1966 press Club meeting as fact, you have to ask the question of which wife was He referring to. His first wife died in 1943 and in 1966, He was married to Margie Little from 1960 to 1980. It seems to me to be a little weird to close every radio and TV show by saying " Goodnite to his first wife and using a name relating to Calabash, North Carolina.
To me the Diner story makes more sense and seems to follow the historical history of his using the phrase. Either way is fine with me as I just wanted to remember the life of a great American entertainer
