Join the Campaign to get a commemorative stamp for one of
America's finest entertainers, Rudy Vallee. Vallee was one
of the pioneer of popular music in the 1930s as the original
crooners. His popularity came before the most famous in that
genre, Bing Crosby, while also setting the stage for such a
host of popular singers such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como
and many others.
Eleanor Vallee, his widow and author of My Vagabond
Love: An Intimate Biogrpraphy of Rudy Vallee, is now
putting together the formal application for submission to the
Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the U.S. Post
Office in March 2008, this in anticipation of a July 28, 2011
issuance to coincide with Vallee's 110th birthday.
Vallee, famous for singing through his megaphone, his
distinctive singing voice and the saxophone, became popular
in the late 1920s after honing his skills with the Savoy
Havana Band at London's famous Savoy Hotel.
America's finest entertainers, Rudy Vallee. Vallee was one
of the pioneer of popular music in the 1930s as the original
crooners. His popularity came before the most famous in that
genre, Bing Crosby, while also setting the stage for such a
host of popular singers such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como
and many others.
Eleanor Vallee, his widow and author of My Vagabond
Love: An Intimate Biogrpraphy of Rudy Vallee, is now
putting together the formal application for submission to the
Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the U.S. Post
Office in March 2008, this in anticipation of a July 28, 2011
issuance to coincide with Vallee's 110th birthday.
Vallee, famous for singing through his megaphone, his
distinctive singing voice and the saxophone, became popular
in the late 1920s after honing his skills with the Savoy
Havana Band at London's famous Savoy Hotel.
| Join the Rudy Vallee Commemorative Stamp Campaign |
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| On July 15, 2008 the formal application for the Rudy Vallee Commemorative Stamp was accepted for consideration by Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee of the U.S. Post Office. Please send a letter of support to the Committee address at the bottom of the page. |
| The Life and Times of the Original Crooner & Show Biz Legend, Rudy Vallee |
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| The biography of Rudy Vallee written by his wife, Eleanor. |
| Eleanor and Rudy Vallee. This was Rudy's favorite picture of them and one he always carried in his wallet. |
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| Click to Enlarge: L-R: Rudy Vallee, Ellie Vallee and Gary Cooper, Boca Raton Beach Club, Florida, 1965. |
| Rudy Vallee singing and leading a Big Band |
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| Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries and There's A Tavern in the Town is a light hearted yet serious song that represents an era and the style and grace of Rudy Vallee. |
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| Click to Enlarge: Rudy Vallee singing through his trademark megaphone. |
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| Edgar Bergen and his famous sidekick Charlie McCarthy pay a visit to Rudy Vallee and his Fleischmann Yeast Hour, 1939. |
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| The Rudy Vallee Celebrity Gallery |
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Born Hubert Prior Vallee in 1901, he changed his name to Rudy after the
famous saxophonist Rudy Wiedoft. During his college days, Vallee played
Wiedoft's records over and over, earning the 'Rudy' nickname from his
fellow students at the University of Maine. Vallee later met his idol and the
two Rudys developed a friendship that lasted until Wiedoft died. One of
Rudy's saxophones, which once belonged to Wiedoft, was later sold to a
Little Rock Attorney as a gift for then governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton.
When Rudy transferred to Yale, he formed a band called the Yale
Collegians, and made his singing debut at the Heigh Ho Club in New York
City, after hastily volunteering to handle the vocals himself because he was
fearful of losing the engagement. This launched the crooning--a natural,
soft, untrained style amplified by use of a megaphone--that he made
famous before Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. When WABC Radio in
New York broadcast Rudy's shows from the Heigh Ho Club, he began
using the "new" microphone, engaging in a sensuous dance and sliding his
fingers up and down the column.
famous saxophonist Rudy Wiedoft. During his college days, Vallee played
Wiedoft's records over and over, earning the 'Rudy' nickname from his
fellow students at the University of Maine. Vallee later met his idol and the
two Rudys developed a friendship that lasted until Wiedoft died. One of
Rudy's saxophones, which once belonged to Wiedoft, was later sold to a
Little Rock Attorney as a gift for then governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton.
When Rudy transferred to Yale, he formed a band called the Yale
Collegians, and made his singing debut at the Heigh Ho Club in New York
City, after hastily volunteering to handle the vocals himself because he was
fearful of losing the engagement. This launched the crooning--a natural,
soft, untrained style amplified by use of a megaphone--that he made
famous before Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. When WABC Radio in
New York broadcast Rudy's shows from the Heigh Ho Club, he began
using the "new" microphone, engaging in a sensuous dance and sliding his
fingers up and down the column.
Rudy Vallee's first two records were A Dream and Nola, recorded in
1921, and his final recordings were in 1973 narrating Grimm's Fairy
Fales. He was first to record the classic song As Time Goes By, 13 years
before Casablanca was made. The Fleischmann Hour, nationally
known as the Rudy Vallee Hour--the first-ever radio talk show and the
idea of radio pioneer Bertha Brainard--debuted in 1928 with millions of
listeners, made Vallee a superstar and was a staple of radio listerners in
the 1930s. It was a live variety revue and Rudy's guests were a mixture of
the famous and the unknown.
He was the first to invite black musicians to be on his show, and in
appreciation, artists such as Louis Armstrong and Josephine Baker
invited Rudy to their clubs in Harlem. Among his blunders: turning down
The Andrew Sisters and believing that Barbra Streisand had no talent.
During his first nine months in New York, he became a legend. At 28 he
wrote his autobiography, Vagabond Dreams Come True. He saved the
life of the sheet music industry during the Great Depression when sales of
everything but Rudy's music virtually stopped. Vallee's starred in the film
The Vagabond Lover in 1929, the first of 33 he would make.
In 1961 Rudy stared in the smash Broadway hit, How To Succeed In
Business Without Even Trying, making a huge comeback. The show
ran for four years, and Rudy later starred in the movie version.
1921, and his final recordings were in 1973 narrating Grimm's Fairy
Fales. He was first to record the classic song As Time Goes By, 13 years
before Casablanca was made. The Fleischmann Hour, nationally
known as the Rudy Vallee Hour--the first-ever radio talk show and the
idea of radio pioneer Bertha Brainard--debuted in 1928 with millions of
listeners, made Vallee a superstar and was a staple of radio listerners in
the 1930s. It was a live variety revue and Rudy's guests were a mixture of
the famous and the unknown.
He was the first to invite black musicians to be on his show, and in
appreciation, artists such as Louis Armstrong and Josephine Baker
invited Rudy to their clubs in Harlem. Among his blunders: turning down
The Andrew Sisters and believing that Barbra Streisand had no talent.
During his first nine months in New York, he became a legend. At 28 he
wrote his autobiography, Vagabond Dreams Come True. He saved the
life of the sheet music industry during the Great Depression when sales of
everything but Rudy's music virtually stopped. Vallee's starred in the film
The Vagabond Lover in 1929, the first of 33 he would make.
In 1961 Rudy stared in the smash Broadway hit, How To Succeed In
Business Without Even Trying, making a huge comeback. The show
ran for four years, and Rudy later starred in the movie version.
| Queen Elizabeth II meeting Rudy Vallee at Film Festival Command Performance, 1954. Elizabeth II was crowned only the year before. |
| Then California Governor Ronald Reagan and Rudy Vallee. |
| Jane Russell, second from left, with Eleanor and Rudy Vallee, 1960s. |
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| The Palm Beach Story with Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea and Rudy Vallee. Paramount Pictures, 1942) |
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| The Rudy Vallee Portrait Gallery |
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| Left control panel for Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries, Right There's A Tavern in the Town |
| Send letters of support of the Rudy Vallee Commemorative Stamp Campaign address below: Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee c/o Stamp Development U.S. Postal Service 1735 North Lynn St., Suite 5013 Arlington, VA 22209-6432 Or send it to Promotion in Motion 6464 Sunset Blvd., Suite 755 Hollywood, CA 90028 Or you can send a note through email to info@rudyvalleestamp.com |
| Rudy Vallee directing an orchestra in a scene from Second Fiddle with Sonja Henie and Tyrone Power (20th Century Fox, 1939). |
| An autographed picture of a young Rudy Vallee with his saxophone. |
John Bush of the All Music Guide wrote this of Rudy
Vallee's career. "A stint at the exclusive Heigh-Ho Club
in New York gave him his first widespread exposure (and
an introductory catchphrase, Heigh-Ho Everybody).
During the following year, he gained a large audience
through radio, vaudeville appearances, and a feature film,
The Vagabond Lover.
"He'd begun recording that year, and burst out of the gate
with the immensely popular singles Marie, Honey and
Weary River. Also in 1929, he began hosting the radio
show The Fleischmann Hour, a top-rated program for over
a decade that introduced into the radio world stars
including George Burns, Gracie Allen, Edgar Bergen
and Frances Langford.
"One year later, he paid tribute to his alma mater and
gained the biggest hit of his career. Stein Song (The
University of Maine) spent more than two months as the
most popular song in America, and later became the
official theme song for the school. He continued to appear
in films during the 1930s, including the major successes
George White's Scandals and Gold Diggers in Paris.
By the time of 1942's The Palm Beach Story though,
Vallée had moved from romantic lead to a talented
eccentric character actor."
"He led a Coast Guard orchestra during World War II, and
found his last big hit, thanks to the film Casablanca, with
1946's As Time Goes By, a song recorded more than
fifteen years earlier.
"After the war, Vallée returned to Hollywood for work in
film, radio, performance and later television. The biggest
acting part of his career came in 1961, when he portrayed
a bombastic company president in the Broadway hit How
to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
"Without Really Trying (he reprised his role for the 1967
film as well). Vallée continued to appear in films until the
mid-'70s, and performed around the country up to his
death ten years later."
Vallee's career. "A stint at the exclusive Heigh-Ho Club
in New York gave him his first widespread exposure (and
an introductory catchphrase, Heigh-Ho Everybody).
During the following year, he gained a large audience
through radio, vaudeville appearances, and a feature film,
The Vagabond Lover.
"He'd begun recording that year, and burst out of the gate
with the immensely popular singles Marie, Honey and
Weary River. Also in 1929, he began hosting the radio
show The Fleischmann Hour, a top-rated program for over
a decade that introduced into the radio world stars
including George Burns, Gracie Allen, Edgar Bergen
and Frances Langford.
"One year later, he paid tribute to his alma mater and
gained the biggest hit of his career. Stein Song (The
University of Maine) spent more than two months as the
most popular song in America, and later became the
official theme song for the school. He continued to appear
in films during the 1930s, including the major successes
George White's Scandals and Gold Diggers in Paris.
By the time of 1942's The Palm Beach Story though,
Vallée had moved from romantic lead to a talented
eccentric character actor."
"He led a Coast Guard orchestra during World War II, and
found his last big hit, thanks to the film Casablanca, with
1946's As Time Goes By, a song recorded more than
fifteen years earlier.
"After the war, Vallée returned to Hollywood for work in
film, radio, performance and later television. The biggest
acting part of his career came in 1961, when he portrayed
a bombastic company president in the Broadway hit How
to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
"Without Really Trying (he reprised his role for the 1967
film as well). Vallée continued to appear in films until the
mid-'70s, and performed around the country up to his
death ten years later."
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1983 Reunion,
Paramount Pictures:
Los Angeles PR Executive
Edward Lozzi, middle,
heard that Cary Grant was
visiting the Paramount
Pictures lot when Rudy
Vallee, his client from 1982
to '85, was filming a
commercial for the movie,
Airplane. He went and
invited Grant to visit the
set, it was the first time
they had seen each since
working on The Bachelor
and the Bobby Soxer,
also starting Myrna Loy
and Shirley Temple, 35
years earlier.
Paramount Pictures:
Los Angeles PR Executive
Edward Lozzi, middle,
heard that Cary Grant was
visiting the Paramount
Pictures lot when Rudy
Vallee, his client from 1982
to '85, was filming a
commercial for the movie,
Airplane. He went and
invited Grant to visit the
set, it was the first time
they had seen each since
working on The Bachelor
and the Bobby Soxer,
also starting Myrna Loy
and Shirley Temple, 35
years earlier.
| Coast Guard Lt. Rudy Vallee doing radio show for NBC Radio Show during World War II. |
| Vintage Rudy Vallee Piano Sheet Music from movie Sweet Music, (Warner Bros. 1935). |
| Unfaithfully Yours with Rex Harrison, Linda Darnell and Rudy Vallee , (20th Century Fox, 1948). |
| Rudy Vallee's first big movie, My Vagabond Lover (RKO Radio Pictures, 1929). |
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| December, 1929: Rudy Vallee, in between performances at the Paramount Theatre in Brooklyn, found time to visit with Postmaster Albert Firmin and veteran letter carrier William F. Kenny at the Brooklyn Post Office as part of a holiday send mail early campaign.* |
| Rudy Vallee Assists U.S. Post Office Brooklyn, 1929 |
| Click to Enlarge News Stories & Letters from the Post Office Top Left: 12/29 Brooklyn Newspaper Accounts of Rudy Vallee Assisting Post Office; Top Right: 12/4/29 Post Office Press Release; Bot Left: 12/9/29 Letter from Postmaster Albert Firmin; Bot Right: 12/28/29 Letter from Nat. Fed of Post Office Clerks |
| *Post Office Materials Courtesy of Thousand Oaks Public Library Special Collections |
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| Eleanor Vallee, Jack Lemmon and dapper Rudy Vallee sporting a straw hat, 1964. |
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