From the Lexington, N.C., Dispatch on November 4, 1940:
ARTIE SHAW MELTS HORN MOUTHPIECE
Artie Shaw, who plays such hot music that his famous clarinet figuratively melts made the mistake of putting his instrument near an electrical connection on the set of Paramount's "Second Chorus" and actually melted its composition mouthpiece.
It was after playing a number with Fred Astaire and Burgess Meredith that Shaw accidentally laid the clarinet in his music case with one end touching a "spider" or open electrical switch on the stage. The mouthpiece was melted immediately with a great shower of sparks. Shaw luckily was not harmed.
you can check it out, in vintage context, here: http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=19401104&id=-h0cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FFEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3234,5819556
I hear Shaw did his own stunts in that movie too....
