Misplaced Pages

#902097

72-611: Lombardo formed the Royal Canadians in 1924 with his brothers Carmen , Lebert and Victor , and other musicians from his hometown. They billed themselves as creating "the sweetest music this side of Heaven". The Lombardos are believed to have sold between 100 and 300 million records during their lifetimes, many featuring the band's lead singer from 1940 onward, Kenny Gardner . Lombardo was born in London , Ontario, Canada. His parents were Italian immigrants: Gaetano Alberto who

144-497: A 25 cent dance ticket. Roseland Ballroom hostesses often visited the Savoy on their night off; this inspired Buchanan to create Monday Ladies-Free Nights. Other special events began during the week, including the giveaway of a new car every Saturday. The floor had to be replaced every three years due to frequent use. During the 1930s, Chick Webb was the bandleader of the Savoy's most popular house band . Ella Fitzgerald , fresh from

216-556: A Shortage of Love " was the first song written in response to American government rationing in World War II. He wrote five songs for the 1934 film Many Happy Returns , in which the orchestra appeared. Lombardo wrote the words and music with John Jacob Loeb for Guy Lombardo's stage productions of Arabian Nights (1954, 1955), Paradise Island (1961, 1962), and Mardi Gras (1965, 1966) at Jones Beach Marine Theater , New York. Savoy Ballroom The Savoy Ballroom

288-478: A beat, they had to swing". Unlike many ballrooms such as the Cotton Club , the Savoy always had a no-discrimination policy. The clientele was 85% black and 15% white, although sometimes there was an even split. Lindy hop dancer Frankie Manning said that patrons were judged on their dancing skills and not on the color of their skin: "One night somebody came over and said, 'Hey man, Clark Gable just walked in

360-607: A collection of Lombardo films. Over the decades, performances and recordings by Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians Orchestra were reviewed by critics in such noted magazines as: The Billboard , the New York Times Theater Reviews. and the New York Herald Tribune Book Reviews. Lombardo was cited for his skillful use of muted drums, trumpets and clarinets, bright tempos and smooth, flowing melodic lines. While emphasizing

432-493: A guest on NBC's Red Network in the weekly broadcast of the "I'm An American" radio show. Presented by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, the program included interviews with prominent naturalized American citizens of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds who made exceptional contributions to American society within literature, politics, the arts and sciences. When asked to reflect upon

504-459: A half-hour syndicated series called The Guy Lombardo Show , and in 1956 Lombardo hosted a show on CBS for three months called Guy Lombardo's Diamond Jubilee . Guy Lombardo played himself in the hit series Route 66 in the 1963 episode “But What Do You Do in March?” In 1975, Lombardo played himself again, in the first regular episode of Ellery Queen , "The Adventure of Auld Lang Syne," which

576-538: A night. The floor was watched inconspicuously by a security force of four men at a time who were headed by Jack La Rue , and no man was allowed in who wasn't dressed in a jacket with a tie. Besides the security staff, the Savoy was populated by "Harlem's most beautiful women": the Savoy Hostesses. They would be fired for consorting with patrons outside the ballroom, but inside the hostesses would teach people to dance and were dance partners for anyone who purchased

648-550: A robust line of fiberglass boats in 1958. Branded as the "Guy Lombardo Royal Fleet", these crafts were both manufactured and marketed by a subsidiary of the U. S. Pools Co. in Newark, New Jersey. in accordance with a license from the Skagit Plastics Co. of La Conner, Washington. Several years later, however, in 1961 the project was abandoned and Skagit Plastics discontinued production. Later in life, Lombardo retired near

720-413: A sedate performance style, Lombardo also discouraged the use of solo improvisations, rifts and driving swing rhythms in his arrangements. He also adopted the use of the tuba instead of the double bass in a harmonic role. In a 1973 interview with CBC radio, Lombardo credited his brother Carmen with utilizing his talents as a self-taught flautist to develop a unique "round" sound for the saxophones as well as

792-587: A successful agent, and in 1937 the Marx Brothers ' movie A Day at the Races featured the group. Herbert White was a bouncer at the Savoy who was made floor manager in the early 1930s. He was sometimes known as Mac, but with his ambition to scout dancers at the ballroom to form his own group, he became widely known as Whitey for the white streak of hair down the center of his head. He looked for dancers who were "young, stylized, and, most of all, they had to have

SECTION 10

#1732787327903

864-620: A talent show victory at the Apollo Theater in 1934, became its teenage vocalist. Webb also recorded the 1934 big band song and jazz standard " Stompin' at the Savoy ", which is named for the Savoy. The Savoy was the site of many Battle of the Bands or Cutting Contests , which started when the Benny Goodman Orchestra challenged Webb in 1937. Webb and his band were declared the winners of that contest. In 1938, Webb

936-473: A voice imitating (and somewhat exaggerating) Lombardo's style. On one appearance, Lombardo and Randall performed a duet of Lombardo's "Boo Hoo (You've Got Me Crying for You)", which was one of the songs that Randall typically included in his Lombardo routine. Lombardo died of cancer in Miami in 1971, aged 67. Lombardo's popular compositions included: Lombardo and John Jacob Loeb's 1942 song " There Won't Be

1008-540: Is Guy Lombardo Avenue. There is a bridge named after Lombardo in London, Ontario, near Wonderland Gardens, as well as Lombardo Avenue in north London near the University of Western Ontario . The Guy Lombardo Society was created to preserve the music and history of Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians. 42°57′49″N 81°17′36″W  /  42.963674°N 81.293225°W  / 42.963674; -81.293225 From

1080-437: Is estimated that the ballroom generated $ 250,000 in annual profit in its peak years from the late 1920s to the 1940s. Every year the ballroom was visited by almost 700,000 people. The entrance fee was 30 to 85 cents per person, depending on what time a person came. Thirty cents was the base price, but after 6 pm the fee was 60 cents, and then 85 cents after 8 pm. The Savoy made enough money by its peak in 1936 that $ 50,000

1152-480: The Decca, Capitol, London and Pickwick record labels. Decca: Vocalion : Capitol : Carmen Lombardo Carmen Lombardo (July 16, 1903 – April 17, 1971) was lead saxophonist and featured vocalist for his brother Guy Lombardo 's orchestra. He was also a successful composer. In 1927, Carmen Lombardo was the vocalist of the hit record Charmaine , performed by Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians. Lombardo

1224-579: The Gold Cup . For a time, Lombardo even reigned as the U.S. national champion (1946–1949), utilizing a boat designed specifically for him and manufactured by John L. Hacker . He subsequently achieved victory in several other important races including: the Ford Memorial competition (1948), President's Cup (1952) as well as the Silver Cup in 1952. By the late 1950s, Lombardo had won every trophy in

1296-647: The Jones Beach Theater on the south shore of New York's Long Island . Beginning in 1954 with a production of " Arabian Nights " starring the operatic tenor Lauritz Melchior , Lombardo also collaborated with the producer Arnold Spector and choreographer June Taylor in 1964 to produce " Around the World in 80 Days " and continued to create opulent revivals of several Broadway musicals until 1977. He would often commute from his home in Freeport, Long Island to

1368-676: The New York City Ballet . He also enlisted talented actors from the Broadway stage including William Gaxton and Arthur Treacher for his production of "Paradise Island" in 1961 and the film actor Jules Munshin for his 1960 production of " Hit the Deck ". During the early years, members of Lombardo's fifteen original Royal Canadians were augmented by professional musicians recruited from the New York City area to serve within

1440-516: The 1920s and was therefore not suitable for dancing. Nevertheless, even Lombardo's detractors praised his orchestra for the skill and musicianship of its members. In fact, Lombardo's band was highly respected throughout the industry for its professionalism. Milt Gabler of Decca Records praised the band as "the most completely responsible band I ever knew." The legendary Louis Armstrong even singled out Lombardo's band as one of his favorites. While Benny Goodman insisted that sweet music in general

1512-546: The Brunswick label in 1932 which lasted until 1934, when he joined forces with Decca (1934–35). By late 1935 an opportunity with Victor records emerged and Lombardo stayed with the label until the middle of 1938. Subsequently, he returned to Decca until 1957. Total sales from Lombardo's recordings exceeded 300 million copies by the early 1970s and supported his reputation as the leader of the most popular dance band of his era. Between 1941 and 1948, Lombardo's sister Rose Marie,

SECTION 20

#1732787327903

1584-891: The Lombardo's first New Year's TV special aired on the CBS network. The program showcased live segments from New York City's Times Square and continued on New Year's Eve for two decades. CBS continued to broadcast most of Lombardo's New Year's television specials on its national network between 1965 and 1970 and the special was also syndicated live to individual TV stations. By the mid-1970s, however, competition emerged for younger audiences who preferred Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve . Nevertheless, Lombardo remained popular among older viewers. Following Lombardo's death in 1977, his New Year's TV specials continued for an additional two years on CBS. Subsequently, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve came into prominence. The Royal Canadians' recording of

1656-734: The Music Box in Cleveland, Lombardo met Lillibeth Glenn. They married in 1926. On November 5, 1977, Lombardo died of a heart attack . Another source says he died "of a lung ailment" following heart surgery. His wife, who died in 1982, was at his bedside when he died in Houston Methodist Hospital . He is interred at the Pinelawn Memorial Park in East Farmingdale, New York . Included among

1728-862: The Sunset ". The following singles made the "Top Ten" of the American Billboard singles charts from 1927 to 1940: The following appeared on the Columbia Records label: The following appeared on the Brunswick Records label: The following appeared on the Decca Records label: The following singles made the "Top Ten" of the Billboard Singles Charts, 1940–1952. During the 1950s and 1960s Lombardo and his Royal Canadians recorded several albums for

1800-557: The United States after leaving the Roosevelt Hotel in 1962. Yet, despite his success as a recording artist, some jazz critics described Lombardo's "sweet" big-band style as "boring, mainstream pap." The legendary jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong disagreed and often described Lombardo's band as his favorite orchestra. In fact, Lombardo's band enjoyed remarkable broad appeal which crossed racial boundaries. While performing at

1872-529: The advantages of citizenship within America's democracy, Lombardo adeptly replied, "You don't have to be millionaires or even well-to-do to dance to good dance music in America". Also included among the honorees on the program were: Frank Capra , Albert Einstein , Thomas Mann and Kurt Weill . Beginning June 14, 1953, Guy Lombardo and his orchestra had Guy Lombardo Time , the summer replacement for Jack Benny 's radio program. In 1954, Lombardo briefly hosted

1944-668: The ballroom felt this gave the ballroom a classy, upscale feeling, as the hotel is a very elite, upscale hotel. The Savoy was popular from the start. A headline from the New York Age March 20, 1926, reads "Savoy Turns 2,000 Away On Opening Night – Crowds Pack Ball Room All Week". The ballroom remained lit every night of the week. The Savoy had the constant presence of the best Lindy Hoppers , known as "Savoy Lindy Hoppers". Occasionally, groups of dancers such as Whitey's Lindy Hoppers turned professional and performed in Broadway and Hollywood productions. Whitey turned out to be

2016-519: The band ventured outside Canada on tour to Cleveland, Ohio. By 1924, the band was known as Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians and a two-year residency started at the Claremont Tent nightclub in Cleveland. The owner of the club (Louis Bleet) is credited with coaching Lombardo's band and assisting in developing its unique performance style. While in Cleveland, Lombardo arranged to perform on an unsponsored program for WTAM radio, which contributed to

2088-492: The books published about Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians Orchestra are the following: In 1971 the United States Congress honored Guy Lombardo with an official recognition of his humanitarian accomplishments. In the same year he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Western Ontario . The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame inducted Guy Lombardo in 2008. Lombardo

2160-509: The collection, under protest from members of the Lombardo family. Lebert Lombardo's children also have an extensive collection of artifacts, including photographs, record albums, sheet music, awards, and the band's framed first paycheck from 1918 in their homes and storage units in Fort Myers and Sanibel , Florida. They have tried to donate the collection to various universities and museums but have had no takers. The Library of Congress has

2232-623: The dance halls and concert halls of America in a manner which remained popular with the public for five decades. Over the decades, Lombardo and his Royal Canadians Orchestra recorded extensively on the Brunswick, Victor, Columbia and Decca record labels. Before the start of Billboard magazine's top 40 charts in 1940, Lombardo had over 140 hits from 1927 to 1940, including twenty-one No. 1 singles. The five biggest being " Charmaine ", "It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane", "Boo-Hoo", "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye", and " Red Sails in

Guy Lombardo - Misplaced Pages Continue

2304-475: The decades, Lombardo also collaborated with leading musical artists in his revivals including: Nancy Dussault in the 1968 production of " South Pacific ", Constance Towers in the 1970 production of " The Sound of Music ". and Norman Atkins in the 1974 production of " Fiddler on the Roof ". From the realm of grand opera, Lombardo recruited such luminaries as: Jerome Hines and James McCracken along with members of

2376-525: The development of a strong following for his appearances in the area. His band's first recording session occurred in Richmond , Indiana, at the Gennett Studios in early 1924. This is also where cornetist Bix Beiderbecke made his recordings in the same year. Subsequently, Lombardo's orchestra recorded twice for Brunswick . The first session took place in Cleveland in late 1926 but the recording

2448-475: The famed Savoy Ballroom in Harlem his band even set a new attendance record in 1930. After Guy Lombardo's death in 1977, his surviving brothers Victor and Lebert took over the Royal Canadians, though Victor left the band early in 1978 over creative differences. From 1980, the name was franchised out to various band leaders. Lebert died in 1993, passing rights to the band name to three of his six children. The band

2520-459: The family's tailor shop. Lombardo's first public appearance with his brother Carmen occurred during an outdoor lawn party at a church in London, Ontario, in 1914. The Lombardo quartet made its first significant debut at an outdoor dance pavilion in Grand Bend, Ontario, during the summer of 1919. By 1920, Lombardo's band showcased the talents of several of his brothers including: Carmen, who led

2592-627: The festivities within the comfort of their own homes. Time magazine even reported that the American public would simply not believe it was New Year's Day until Guy Lombardo heralded its arrival from the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Due to his widespread popularity, Lombardo was nicknamed "Mr. New Year's Eve" and received a citation of recognition from the United States Congress for his musical message of hope, peace and happiness for all mankind. The band's first New Year's Eve radio broadcast

2664-480: The field and retired from active competition. This followed his attempt in 1959 to utilize a jet engine-powered Tempo Alcoa to exceed the absolute water speed record. During a test run, the radio-controlled craft was destroyed while it surpassed a velocity of 250 mph. These numerous achievements led to his induction into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2002. Lombardo also unveiled

2736-471: The floor was long and thin. The Lindy Hop is also known as The Jitterbug and was born out of "mounting exhilaration and the 'hot' interaction of music and dance". Other dances that were conceived at the Savoy are The Flying Charleston, Jive , Snakehips, Rhumboogie, and variations of the Shimmy and Mambo . Capitol Records released at least one album devoted to the club, The Home of Happy Feet , from 1959. It

2808-453: The house.' Somebody else said, 'Oh, yeah, can he dance?' All they wanted to know when you came into the Savoy was, do you dance?". The northeast corner of the dance floor, nicknamed "Cats' Corner," was monopolized by the best and boldest dancers. Some sources claim only Whitey's Lindy Hoppers were permitted to dance there, while others are less specific. Competition for a place in Cats' Corner

2880-410: The influence of Paul Whiteman 's band on his style. His "sweet" jazz style frequently incorporated lilting arrangements, much to the dismay of "serious" jazz devotees who favored "hot" jazz. Ironically, even the executives at Columbia Records were inclined to reject a sample recording submitted by Lombardo's band in 1927 on the grounds that it lacked the fast staccato tempo popularized by dance bands in

2952-524: The lagoon adjacent to the theater on his yacht "The Tempo IV" to conduct his Royal Canadians Orchestra for dances in the Schaeffer Beer Tent after the shows. Lombardo's productions at the seaside theater were noted for their glamorous and realistic waterborne set designs as well as their lush musical scores which were sometimes arranged by his brother Carmen. His early revival of " Song of Norway " in 1958 featured an actual iceberg floating down

Guy Lombardo - Misplaced Pages Continue

3024-479: The lagoon toward the stage along with an authentic Viking ship. His 1961 rendition of the Hawaiian musical fantasy " Paradise Island " featured 32 native Hawaiian dancers diving off towers into the lagoon adjacent to the theater along with a 100 foot high waterfall. The 1965 production of "Mardis Gras" incorporated a floating set which ushered Louis Armstrong onstage for musical performances with his own band. Over

3096-491: The mid-1980s until 2007, there was a museum dedicated to Guy Lombardo in London, Ontario, near the intersection of Wonderland Road and Springbank Drive. In September 2007, lacking visitors and funding, the museum was closed. Although the city owned many of the exhibits, most of the collection can be found at the private home of former part-time curator Douglas Flood. City staff recommended that the museum not be reopened. In early 2015 Flood scheduled an auction of remaining items from

3168-441: The pit orchestra as well as on stage. As a result, the orchestra itself often included between thirty and forty accomplished instrumentalists. Lombardo often faced many challenges in the course of producing extravaganzas in such an outdoor venue during the summer season. The fickle weather conditions which prevailed near the shoreline often featured spontaneous drenching downpours which discouraged concertgoers. Still others balked at

3240-606: The police department and Army". Its license was renewed in mid-October of the same year. The ballroom went out of business in October 1958. Despite efforts to save it by Borough President Hulan Jack , Savoy Ballroom manager and co-owner Charles Buchanan, clubs, and organizations, the Savoy Ballroom was demolished for the construction of the Delano Village housing complex between March and April 1959. The mayor

3312-433: The prospect of making a long road trip from New York City onto Long Island for a show. In addition, complex negotiations with a variety of unions representing the stagehands, carpenters and electricians contributed to mounting production costs. Ultimately, the Lombardo brothers only broke even financially, despite years of dedicated service. Lombardo, however, did not have any regrets. In the final analysis his primary objective

3384-698: The reed section while also composing and arranging, Lebert, who played lead trumpet, and subsequently Victor who played baritone sax. Guy played violin but not with his orchestra. The ensemble spent the winter season during 1922–1923 at the Winter Garden in London and the summer season of 1923 in Port Stanley, Ontario . By 1923 the Lombardo Brothers' Orchestra now included: Archie Cunningham, (saxophone), Jim Dillon (trombone), Eddie "Muff" Mashurette (tuba) and Francis Henry (guitar). In late 1923,

3456-462: The seashore at his home on the south shore of New York's Long Island in Freeport , where he docked his speedboats: Tempo , Tempo VI , and Tempo VII . The home has been designated as a historical landmark. In keeping with his nautical interests, he also invested in a nearby seafood restaurant called "Liota's East Point House" that eventually became "Guy Lombardo's East Point House". While playing at

3528-613: The song Auld Lang Syne as part of the annual New Year's Eve tradition. The broadcasts proved to be immensely popular and continued from this venue until 1959 when they were transferred to the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel where they continued until 1976. These radio and television broadcasts soon played a central role in New Year's celebrations across North America as millions of celebrants enjoyed

3600-555: The sprung layered wood floor. In 1926, the Savoy contained a spacious lobby framing a huge, cut glass chandelier and marble staircase. Leon James is quoted in Jazz Dance as saying, "My first impression was that I had stepped into another world. I had been to other ballrooms, but this was different – much bigger, more glamour, real class ..." The Savoy Ballroom was named after the Savoy Hotel in London as those who named

3672-531: The subsequent development of various musical genres including easy listening . The music critic Winthrop Sargeant brushed aside all doubts about Lombardo's music In his Jazz: Hot and Hybrid (1959:53) by asserting that it was "unquestionably a variety of jazz, a hybrid variety that has come as close as anything does to being the folk-music of the great mass of Americans". In the final analysis, Lombardo's simple direct interpretation of easily understood melodies continued to consistently attract huge audiences both in

SECTION 50

#1732787327903

3744-574: The traditional song " Auld Lang Syne " is also played as the first song of the new year in Times Square followed by " Theme from New York, New York " by Frank Sinatra , " America the Beautiful " by Ray Charles , " What a Wonderful World " by Louis Armstrong , " Over the Rainbow " by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole , and Kenny G 's rendition of "Auld Lang Syne". In the early 1940s Lombardo appeared as

3816-592: The youngest of all seven Lombardo siblings, also joined the band as its first female vocalist. In 1929, Lombardo began a series of appearances at the Roosevelt Grill in the Roosevelt Hotel which lasted for over three decades. He also performed in Los Angeles during the 1930s, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1938. He continued to tour in major cities within both Canada and

3888-622: Was "a weak sister incapable of holding its own in any artistic encounter with the real music of America", Lombardo's style continued to reign as the dominant influence among dance bands from the late 1920s until the arrival of the Swing Era in the mid-1930s and served as the foundation for the styles developed by Hal Kemp , Kay Kyser , Freddie Martin (who studied technique on the saxophone with Carmen Lombardo) and Sammy Kaye . In fact, Lombardo's smooth, mellow, lyrical style never quite disappeared even after World War II ended and helped to influence

3960-520: Was a large ballroom for music and public dancing located at 596 Lenox Avenue , between 140th and 141st Streets in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan , New York City . Lenox Avenue was the main thoroughfare through upper Harlem. Poet Langston Hughes calls it the "Heartbeat of Harlem" in Juke Box Love Song, and he set his work "Lenox Avenue: Midnight" on the legendary street. The Savoy

4032-435: Was a mostly European American swing dance club. With swing's rise to popularity and Harlem becoming a connected black community, The Savoy gave the rising talented and passionate black dancers an equally beautiful venue. The ballroom, which was 10,000 square feet in size, was on the second floor and a block long. It could hold up to 4,000 people. The interior was painted pink and the walls were mirrored. Colored lights danced on

4104-464: Was born in Lipari , Italy (1873–1954), and Angelina Lombardo. Gaetano Sr. was employed as a tailor but was also an amateur baritone singer. He encouraged four of his five young sons to study musical instruments so that they could serve as his accompanists. Consequently, even as a young student in grammar school, Lombardo joined with his brothers to form their first orchestra. Rehearsals took place behind

4176-633: Was born in London, Ontario , Canada. As a child, he took flute lessons, and later learned to play saxophone . He had three brothers who also became musicians: Guy , Lebert , and Victor . As a young man played in the Lombardo Brothers Concert Company with Guy on violin and another brother, Lebert, on trumpet or piano. As the band grew, Guy became conductor, and the band developed into The Royal Canadians in 1923, in which Carmen both sang and wrote music. He frequently collaborated with American composers and his music

4248-518: Was challenged by the Count Basie Band. While Webb was declared the winner again, there was a lack of consensus on who won. Earle Warren , alto saxophonist for Basie, reported that they had worked on the song "Swingin' the Blues" for competing and says, "When we unloaded our cannons, that was the end". Floating World Pictures made a documentary called The Savoy King about the ballroom. It

4320-600: Was featured on a postage stamp issued on December 17, 1999, as part of Canada Post 's Millennium Collection. Guy Lombardo has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. In 2002, he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame and had a star on its Walk of Fame in Toronto. In 1978, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame also inducted Guy Lombardo. In his later home of Freeport, New York, there

4392-565: Was fierce, and every serious hopper awaited the nightly "showtime". Other dancers would create a horseshoe around the band and "only the greatest Lindy-hoppers would stay on the floor, to try to eliminate each other". Many dances such as the Lindy Hop (which was named after Charles Lindbergh and originated in 1927) were developed and became famous there. It was known downtown as the "Home of Happy Feet" but uptown, in Harlem, as "the Track" because

SECTION 60

#1732787327903

4464-860: Was in 1929; within a few years, they were heard live on the CBS Radio Network before midnight Eastern Time, then on the NBC Radio Network after midnight. As a result, by 1954 Lombardo's popularity soared and sales of his recordings with the Royal Canadians Orchestra soon exceeded 100 million copies. He had already played in Washington D.C. at the inaugural balls for every U.S. president from Franklin Roosevelt to Dwight Eisenhower and would later play at Ronald Reagan's inaugural ball in 1985. On December 31, 1956,

4536-451: Was managed by African-American businessman and civic leader Charles Buchanan. Buchanan, who was born in the British West Indies , sought to run a "luxury ballroom to accommodate the many thousands who wished to dance in an atmosphere of tasteful refinement, rather than in the small stuffy halls and the foul smelling, smoke laden cellar nightclubs ..." The Savoy was modeled after Faggen's downtown venue, Roseland Ballroom . The Roseland

4608-428: Was one of many Harlem hot spots along Lenox, but it was the one to be called the "World's Finest Ballroom". It was in operation from March 12, 1926, to July 10, 1958, and as Barbara Englebrecht writes in her article "Swinging at the Savoy", it was "a building, a geographic place, a ballroom, and the 'soul' of a neighborhood". It was opened and owned by white entrepreneur Jay Faggen and Jewish businessman Moe Gale. It

4680-506: Was recorded by Louis Armstrong , Bing Crosby , and others. Many of his compositions have also been used in Woody Allen films. When singing songs like "Alone at a Table for Two" he would allow his voice to tremble, and seem nearly to break into tears- he was caricatured in Warner Brothers cartoons as "Cryman" Lombardo. In the late 1960s, actor- raconteur Tony Randall made several TV appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in which he sang songs written by Carmen Lombardo in

4752-462: Was rejected. The second recording was accepted for the Vocalion label in early 1927. Lombardo's ensemble left the Cleveland area in 1927 for Chicago , where it appeared at the Granada Cafe and broadcast on the radio station WBBM . Soon thereafter, several lucrative recording contracts emerged. Between 1927 and 1931 Lombardo made forty five recordings on 78's for the Columbia label. These were followed by forty additional recordings upon his return to

4824-483: Was revived in 1989 by Al Pierson and remained active as of 2021. Lombardo is perhaps best remembered for his big band remote broadcasts which were carried on several national radio and television networks for nearly fifty years. Starting in 1929, the Royal Canadians began broadcasting live from the Roosevelt Grill in the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City as "radio's first nationwide New Year's Eve broadcast". Invariably, each broadcast closed with Lombardo's rendition of

4896-480: Was set at a Dec. 31, 1946 New Year's Eve gathering. As early as 1933, Lombardo appeared with his brothers Carmen, Lebert and Victor performing in the film Rambling 'Round Radio Row for Warner Brothers ' Vitaphone division. Lombardo and his orchestra were also part of the 1934 film Many Happy Returns . At the express invitation of Robert Moses , Lombardo served for two decades, as the impresario for numerous summer stock revivals of leading Broadway musicals at

4968-412: Was shown at the 50th New York Film Festival . Other prominent Savoy house bandleaders included Al Cooper , Erskine Hawkins , Lucky Millinder (with Wynonie Harris on vocals), Buddy Johnson , and Cootie Williams . The Savoy participated in the 1939 New York World's Fair , presenting "The Evolution of Negro Dance". The ballroom was shut down in April 1943 as a result of "charges of vice filed by

5040-399: Was spent on remodeling. The ballroom had a double bandstand that held one large and one medium-sized band running against its east wall. Music was continuous as the alternative band was always in position and ready to pick up the beat when the previous one had completed its set. The bouncers, who had previously worked as boxers, basketball players, and the like, wore tuxedos and made $ 100

5112-464: Was the target of protest by clubs and organizations. The fixtures of the ballroom were auctioned for a " slum clearance housing project". Count Basie was quoted in the paper saying, "With the passing of the Savoy Ballroom, a part of show business is gone. I feel about the same way I did when someone told me the news that Bill (Bojangles) Robinson was dead". On May 26, 2002, Frankie Manning and Norma Miller , members of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, unveiled

5184-466: Was to provide ordinary members of the general public with musical entertainment of the highest possible caliber, while also ensuring memorable nights of dancing pleasure to the strains of "the sweetest music this side of heaven". Lombardo's talents also extended beyond the realm of jazz music. He was also an active nautical enthusiast and participated in the sport of Step Boat speedboat racing. In 1946, he piloted his speedboat "Tempo VI" to victory, winning

#902097