“Danny Kaye Was So Right; Copenhagen IS Wonderful”
The Sun – Feb. 13, 1960
By: Arnie Myers
Sun reporter Arnie Myers, on assignment in Scandinavia, wired home these impressions when he passed through Copenhagen.
COPENHAGEN (Staff) – Danny Kaye is the best salesman this magical little kingdom ever had.
Ten years or so ago, Danny made a film based loosely – very loosely – on the life of Hans Christian Andersen.
The Danes thought the movie was terrible.
But that song—“Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen.” They would forgive Danny anything for just one chorus.
NEVER HEARD
“Americans had never heard of us until Danny sang that song,” a tourist executive told me. “Now they all want to see Wonderful Copenhagen.”
And the strange thing is that Copenhagen is just as wonderful as Danny made it sound.
The Danes have a massive reputation as the Playboys of Europe, and they work hard at living up to it.
They are friendly, warm, gay, charming, witty, fun-
The Danes don’t talk about it, but I suspect they have special institutions where they lock up all their scrawny, fat, old and ugly females.
Certainly they are not allowed to roam at large to offend the visitor’s eye. Mr. Andersen’s classic about the Ugly Duckling was strictly a fairy story.
Actually, the Danes aren’t always laughing and boisterous. Not quite.
There is one moment of the year—a moment which in other places is the signal for
an outburst of spurious, gin-
This is at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Then, while the church bells ring, the Danes stand reverently at attention while a radio choir sings a hymn to welcome the New Year, the national anthem and other patriotic airs.
TOP FOOD
This is followed by a silent toast. Then, strengthened and refreshed, the Danes plunge into a whole new year of fun and games.
When they’re not playing, the Danes are eating. And do they eat. Like, sensationally.
Copenhagen’s top restaurants—places like the Seven Nations, the Seven Small Homes, Le Coq d’Or—offer an incredible variety of epicurean delights, superbly cooked and served with tender, loving care.
Easy on the traveller’s cheques, too.
At the Seven Nations, for instance, a repast consisting of a platter of assorted hor d’oeuvres or perhaps some snails, lobster bisque, roast pigeon with petits pois and truffle sauche, a spectacular ice cream and chocolate dessert (served with ice sculptures and Roman candles), plus aquavit, wine and cheery cherry herring will set you back 35.75 kroner.
That’s a shade over five bucks.
The best of Danish culture is French. But the Danes claim to do it better than the French.
There is one indigenous specialty, the open-