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 Rudy Vallee started his career as a saxophone player and singer and later became a bandleader. In the 1920s and early '30s he had a hit radio program, The Fleishmann's Yeast Hour (although his explosive, ego-driven personality made his cast and crew hate him). In the early 1930s he was ranked with the likes of Bing Crosby and the tragic Russ Columbo in the Hit Parade. A huge hit on radio in 1933 with his program, initially known as 'The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour,' Vallee was considered a slavedriver by his staff. He was known to instigate fist fights with virtually anyone who got on his nerves. During his show's run he slugged photographers, threw sheet music at pianists' heads, and socked hecklers in their noses. While audiences loved him, most of his staff hated him. As a very popular star in nightclubs, on records, and in movies, he helped other singers, such as Alice Faye--who was his band singer for a while--and Frances Langford to start their careers. In his early movies he often played the romantic lead, but later he switched to stuffy and comic parts. He also appeared on Broadway. The mid-'60s Broadway hit "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" was filmed in 1967 with him in his original Broadway role.
Bio:
Rudy Vallee started his career as a saxophone player and singer and later became a bandleader. In the 1920s and early '30s he had a hit radio program, The Fleishmann's Yeast Hour (although his explosive, ego-driven personality made his cast and crew hate him). In the early 1930s he was ranked with the likes of Bing Crosby and the tragic Russ Columbo in the Hit Parade. A huge hit on radio in 1933 with his program, initially known as 'The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour,' Vallee was considered a slavedriver by his staff. He was known to instigate fist fights with virtually anyone who got on his nerves. During his show's run he slugged photographers, threw sheet music at pianists' heads, and socked hecklers in their noses. While audiences loved him, most of his staff hated him. As a very popular star in nightclubs, on records, and in movies, he helped other singers, such as Alice Faye--who was his band singer for a while--and Frances Langford to start their careers. In his early movies he often played the romantic lead, but later he switched to stuffy and comic parts. He also appeared on Broadway. The mid-'60s Broadway hit "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" was filmed in 1967 with him in his original Broadway role.
Tivia:
Died while watching the Statue of Liberty Centennial celebrations on television, his reported last words being, "I wish I could be there. You know how I've always loved a party.".As a singing bandleader in the 1920s and 1930s, he introduced many songs that would ultimately become pop standards, among them "Goodnight, Sweetheart", "The Maine Stein Song", "As Time Goes By", "Would You Like to Take a Walk?", "Betty Co-Ed" and his two theme songs, "Heigh-Ho, Everybody" and "I'm Just a Vagabond Lover". He never did introduce the 1967 hit that parodied his style, "Winchester Cathedral", although he sang it frequently afterwards.Sang "Empty Saddles" at the funeral of film actor Tom Mix.Caricatured in the Porky Pig cartoon Wholly Smoke (1938). A cigarette box called "Crooner Crooner" (a parody of Corona-Corona) spouts likenesses of Vallee and Bing Crosby, both warning Porky about smoking.The headstones for both him and his brother were stolen; only the family plot marker remains at Saint Hyacinth's.His remains were interred at Saint Hyacinth's Cemetery in Westbrook, Maine. Second row in from Stroud Water Street.Posthumously inducted into the Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2011.In late 1939 Rudy Vallee was signed by Republic Pictures as a producer, to supervise two movies. The movies were ultimately never made.Co-wrote his long-time theme song, "Vagabond Lover", which was also the title of his first movie (The Vagabond Lover (1929)).He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 1632 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.He was posthumously awarded a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars on January 13, 1995.His older sister Kathleen spent her life as a music teacher in their native state of Maine.Graduated from the University of Maine and popularized its fight song "The Maine Stein Song" in the 1920s.Profiled in "Old Time Radio Memories" by Mel Simons (BearManor Media).Parents are Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallee.Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 846-849. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999. |
| Name: |
Rudy Vallee |
Type: |
Actor,Producer,Soundtrack (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
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Business scope: |
Actor,Producer,Soundtrack |
| Products for sale: |
Actor,Producer,Soundtrack |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 03:59:35 |
| Height: |
5' 10' (1.78 m) |
| Biography: |
Rudy Vallee started his career as a saxophone player and singer and later became a bandleader. In the 1920s and early \'30s he had a hit radio program, The Fleishmann\'s Yeast Hour (although his explosive, ego-driven personality made his cast and cre |
| Trivia: |
Died while watching the Statue of Liberty Centennial celebrations on television, his reported last words being, "I wish I could be there. You know how I've always loved a party.".As a singing bandleader in the 1920s and 1930s, he introduced many songs that would ultimately become pop standards, among them "Goodnight, Sweetheart", "The Maine Stein Song", "As Time Goes By", "Would You Like to Take a Walk?", "Betty Co-Ed" and his two theme songs, "Heigh-Ho, Everybody" and "I'm Just a Vagabond Lover". He never did introduce the 1967 hit that parodied his style, "Winchester Cathedral", although he sang it frequently afterwards.Sang "Empty Saddles" at the funeral of film actor Tom Mix.Caricatured in the Porky Pig cartoon Wholly Smoke (1938). A cigarette box called "Crooner Crooner" (a parody of Corona-Corona) spouts likenesses of Vallee and Bing Crosby, both warning Porky about smoking.The headstones for both him and his brother were stolen; only the family plot marker remains at Saint Hyacinth's.His remains were interred at Saint Hyacinth's Cemetery in Westbrook, Maine. Second row in from Stroud Water Street.Posthumously inducted into the Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2011.In late 1939 Rudy Vallee was signed by Republic Pictures as a producer, to supervise two movies. The movies were ultimately never made.Co-wrote his long-time theme song, "Vagabond Lover", which was also the title of his first movie (The Vagabond Lover (1929)).He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 1632 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.He was posthumously awarded a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars on January 13, 1995.His older sister Kathleen spent her life as a music teacher in their native state of Maine.Graduated from the University of Maine and popularized its fight song "The Maine Stein Song" in the 1920s.Profiled in "Old Time Radio Memories" by Mel Simons (BearManor Media).Parents are Charles Alphonse and Catherine Lynch Vallee.Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 846-849. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999. |
| Trademarks: |
Singing through a megaphone |
| Quotes: |
People called me the guy with the cock in his voice. Maybe that's why in 84 years of life I've been with over 145 women and girls.
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It always seems foolish to me to try to criticize the public for liking a thing. We of the soft-crooning radio type of singer are giving the people what they want. The American public as a whole does not care for full-throated operatic singing. And why should it? Down through the ages it has been the simple song which has lived and continues to touch the heart of humanity. And so it is with singing. |
| Salaries: |
On Broadway Tonight (1964) - $20,000 /episode |
| Job title: |
Actor,Producer,Soundtrack |
| Others works: |
(1933) Print ad: Philco radios
Appeared on the first The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962).
(1928-55) Radio: Starred in "The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour".
(1956) Stage: Appeared in "Jenny Kissed Me", Los Angeles, CA
(195 |
| Spouse: |
Eleanor Norris (September 3, 1949 - July 3, 1986) (his death)Jane Greer (December 2, 1943 - July 27, 1944) (divorced)Fay Webb (July 6, 1931 - May 20, 1936) (divorced)Leonie Cauchois (May 11, 1928 - Augu |
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