Tommy Dorsey So, what's your signature song gonna be?
I don't want a song, I want a sound. You see, TD, if I can do with my voice what you can do with a trombone, I can knock the whole gang right off the charts.
Played by Bob Gunton 
Sinatra (1992) · 34 quotes
Sinatra (1992) · 34 quotes
4th most-quoted character in Sinatra (1992): in 6 of its 34 quotes
Most scenes with: Frank Sinatra (4)
Scenes with Tommy Dorsey
6 scenes Tommy Dorsey Tommy Dorsey When an entertainer is at the birth of his children, it means he's not working. You are!
Tommy Dorsey You know, not everyone thinks you are as talented as you do. Personally? I hope you fall flat on your face.
Hotel Clerk
Uh, excuse me. We have a problem.
Tommy Dorsey We do? What's the problem?
Hotel Clerk
We don't serve coloured's here.
Tommy Dorsey [on Sy Oliver]
He's with the band.
Hotel Clerk
I'm sorry, it's hotel policy.
Serve wasps? Tykes, kraut's, hunky's, mix? That's the whole band. Maybe we should all leave.
Sy Oliver
Hey, Frank, it's okay. I'm used to it.
So am I. It ain't okay. [to the Hotel Clerk] I grew up with bums like this. Now give him the key or I'm gonna wreck this goddamn barn!
Tommy Dorsey Take it easy, Frank.
You don't hang around with the guys much, do you?
Tommy Dorsey Ah, you can't when you run an organisation.
What about me?
Tommy Dorsey Hey, pallie, you and I are a whole other species of human being. So, what's your signature song gonna be?
I don't want a song, I want my own sound. You see, TD, if I can do with my voice what you do with a trombone, I can knock the whole gang right off the charts.
Tommy Dorsey [short pause]
Breath control. [walks]
Breath control?
Tommy! Tommy, c'mon, stop, will ya. I know you got a call.
Tommy Dorsey Yeah, I got a call. So you got yourself a big show business attorney now. And I got a call from Columbia Records, and I got a call from CBS. Oh, and I got a call from your... agent. Congratulations. [bitterly] You got a hell of a back up team all of a sudden.
Tommy, I love ya. You done everything for me. But this just wasn't a fair deal.
Tommy Dorsey Oh, but it's fair for you to break a contract? It's fair that they won't play my records on the radio if I don't let you out?!
It wasn't a contract. It was a life sentence. Now I told you I'd stay for a year, and I will.
Tommy Dorsey Nah, if you're gonna go? Go. [begins walking away]
I'm sorry. But I gotta do this.
Tommy Dorsey [turns]
Not everybody thinks you're gonna be as big as you think. Personally? I hope you fall flat on your ass. [walks away]
