The Eddy Duchin Story

Fresh out of pharmacy school, Eddy Duchin travels to New York in the 1920s hoping to join a band led by Leo Reisman. There is no opening, but he jumps on stage and plays so well that the audience is instantly impressed. His natural musicianship and stylish playing win over listeners and key patrons in the club scene.

A wealthy socialite, Marjorie Oelrichs, discovers Eddy’s artistry and becomes captivated by his piano playing. She seeks him out in the New York social scene and takes a personal interest in him. This encounter marks the start of his ascent into high society circles.

Eddy is invited to the Wadsworths' home for a party where his role is to entertain the guests. He performs for the family and guests, winning the favor of the aunt and uncle who host the gathering. The night broadens his exposure to influential society figures.

Impresario Lou Sherwood and bandleader recognize Eddy's mastery and arrange a steady gig at a Manhattan casino. His playing draws crowds and cements him as a rising star in the club circuit. This marks a pivotal shift from uncertain beginnings to professional stability.

Eddy invites his parents to visit New York, where they meet Marjorie and witness the growing romance. The couple falls in love and Marjorie even proposes marriage, with Eddy’s parents giving their blessing. The engagement signals a new, stable chapter for Eddy's life.

Tragedy strikes when Marjorie dies soon after giving birth to their child. Eddy is devastated but channels his grief into music, continuing to tour the world with his band. His impresario becomes his closest friend and confidant through the years of separation and performance.

Eddy leaves his baby Peter in the care of the Wadsworths, with a kind governess to look after him while he tours. Five years later, he returns to New York and prepares to reconnect with his son. The distance and time apart weigh heavily on their budding relationship.

Back in New York, Eddy meets Peter again for the first time since infancy and begins to build a relationship with his son. Peter shows a natural affinity for music, following in his father's footsteps. The reunion rekindles Eddy's love of performing and parenthood.

As the Second World War begins, Eddy joins the U.S. Navy and serves on a warship. He also continues to play piano for his fellow servicemen and even teaches a young boy to play chopsticks. The war years broaden his experience beyond commercial stages to the morale-soothing role of music for troops.

After the war, Eddy is drawn back to civilian life and visits his son and his governess, Chiquita, a British immigrant. Eddy and Chiquita grow closer despite an uneasy start, and their bond deepens as they learn to accept each other. The family grows more rooted as Peter continues to learn the piano.

Eddy earns a contract to perform at the Waldorf-Astoria ballroom, opening with popular hits like Aquarela do Brasil. The show's energy lifts the audience until his left hand freezes on the keyboard, preventing him from finishing the solo. The incident tests his resilience and foreshadows his declining health.

Back at the hospital, doctors diagnose a fatal neurological illness with little more than a year to live. Chiquita stays by his side as he confronts his fate, and they marry. Eddy and Peter cap their story with a two-piano duet, celebrating the boy’s growing mastery of the craft he shares with his father.