Rudy Vallee
Acting
- Born:
- 1901-07-28
- Died:
- 1986-07-06
- Place of birth:
- Island Pond, Vermont, USA
Biography
Rudy Vallee started his career as a saxophone player and singer and later became a band leader. In the 1920s and early 30s he had a hit radio program, The Fleishmann's Yeast Hour (where he was hated by his cast and crew due to his explosive ego-driven personality). In the early 1930's 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 slave driver by his staff. He was known to instigate fist fights with virtually anyone who got on his nerves. During the run of his show he slugged photographers, threw sheet music in the faces of pianists' heads and if provoked, would sock hecklers in the nose. While audiences loved him, he was hated by most of his staff. As a very popular star in night clubs and on records, as well as in movies, he helped other singers like Alice Faye - who was for a while his band singer - and Frances Langford to start their careers. In his early movies he often played the romantic lead, but he switched later to stuffy and comic parts. He also appeared on Broadway. The mid-60's Broadway hit "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" was filmed in 1967 with him in his original Broadway role.
Known For
Filmography
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Going Hollywood: The '30s
The Perfect Woman
Men Who Rate a 10
CHiPs
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Ellery Queen
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Slashed Dreams
The Chicago Teddy Bears
Alias Smith and Jones
Night Gallery
The Phynx
The Night They Raided Minsky's
Live a Little, Love a Little
Here's Lucy
The Name of the Game
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Batman
Petticoat Junction
The Merv Griffin Show
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Mike Douglas Show
Hansel and Gretel
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
The Helen Morgan Story
Jazz Ball
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
Ricochet Romance
December Bride
The Colgate Comedy Hour
The Admiral Was a Lady
The Golden Twenties
Your Show of Shows
What's My Line?
Father Was a Fullback
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
Mother Is a Freshman
Unfaithfully Yours
My Dear Secretary
The Ed Sullivan Show
So This Is New York
I Remember Mama
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
Kraft Television Theatre
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
The Fabulous Suzanne
People Are Funny
Man Alive
It's in the Bag!
11th. Naval District "United States Coast Guard Band"
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
Happy Go Lucky
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
The Palm Beach Story
Too Many Blondes
Time Out for Rhythm
Rodeo Dough
Second Fiddle
Breakdowns of 1938
Gold Diggers in Paris
Things You Never See on the Screen
Sweet Music
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
Hollywood on Parade No. B-9
George White's Scandals
International House
The Musical Doctor
Rudy Vallee Melodies
Kitty from Kansas City
Betty Co-ed
Campus Sweethearts
Glorifying the American Girl
The Vagabond Lover
Radio Rhythm
Lydia