Rudy Vallée facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rudy Vallée
Vallée c. late 1920s
Background information
Birth name	Hubert Prior Vallée
Born	(1901-07-28)July 28, 1901 Island Pond, Vermont, U.S.
Died	July 3, 1986(1986-07-03) (aged 84) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Traditional pop
Occupation(s)	Singer musician actor radio host
Instruments	Vocals, saxophone
Years active	1924–1984
Labels	Harmony, RCA Victor, Bluebird, Columbia, Hit of the Week, Melotone

Hubert Prior Vallée (born July 28, 1901 – died July 3, 1986), known as Rudy Vallée, was a famous American singer, musician, actor, and radio host. He was one of the very first modern pop stars who became a "teen idol," meaning young people loved him a lot.

Early Life and Start

Hubert Prior Vallée was born in Island Pond, Vermont, on July 28, 1901. His family had roots in Ireland and French-Canada. Rudy grew up in Westbrook, Maine. When he was only 15, he tried to join the Navy to fight in World War I. He lied about his age, saying he was older, but the Navy found out and sent him home after 41 days.

Music Career

Rudy Vallée around 1929

Rudy Vallée started playing drums in his high school band. Later, he played the clarinet and saxophone in bands around New England. He even played in London for a while. When he came back to the United States, he studied at the University of Maine and then earned a degree from Yale University.

After college, he started his own band called Rudy Vallée and the Connecticut Yankees in 1928. He named himself after a famous saxophonist, Rudy Wiedoeft. With his band, he began to sing. He had a soft, gentle voice, which was perfect for singing sweet love songs. His smooth style and good looks quickly made him popular, especially with young women.

Vallée used this megaphone to sing louder at shows in 1929.

Rudy Vallée became one of the first "crooners." Before microphones, singers needed very strong voices to be heard in big theaters. But with radio, microphones allowed singers with softer voices to sound close and personal. Rudy's singing style even inspired later famous singers like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.

Rudy Vallée was one of the first big celebrity pop stars. Young fans, especially girls, would follow him everywhere. His live shows were always sold out. Because his voice was soft, he often had to sing through a megaphone so everyone could hear him in large venues. This megaphone became a famous part of his act.

Many people loved Rudy, but some didn't. A magazine writer in 1929 said he looked very romantic at the microphone, singing softly and seeming to "adore" his unseen audience. One fan wrote that Rudy's success came from how much he truly "loved" his audience and his music.

Rudy Vallée made his first records in 1928. He signed with RCA Records in 1929 and had many hit songs. Some of his most famous recordings with his band, the Connecticut Yankees, include "The Stein Song" from 1929 and "Vieni, Vieni" in the late 1930s.

His last big hit was a re-release of "As Time Goes By," which became famous from the 1942 movie Casablanca. During World War II, Rudy joined the United States Coast Guard and led their band, becoming a Lieutenant. He returned to radio after the war.

Rudy Vallée was also the first person to receive a "singing telegram" on his birthday in 1933. Someone sent him a telegram, and the operator sang "Happy Birthday to You" over the phone!

Radio and Film Career

Rudy Vallée on his radio show The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour in 1933. He always started by saying, "Heigh-ho, everybody!"

In 1929, Rudy Vallée started hosting The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour, a very popular radio show. He had famous guests and performed funny skits. He continued to host many radio shows throughout the 1930s and 1940s.

Rudy Vallée was a pioneer in radio. In 1937, when he took a break from his show, he made sure that Louis Armstrong, a famous African-American musician, took his place as host. This was a very important moment because it was the first time an African-American hosted a national radio program.

Vallée as bandleader Skip Houston in the movie Sweet Music

In 1929, Rudy also made his first movie, The Vagabond Lover. At first, his acting was a bit stiff, but he got much better over time. By the 1940s, he was a successful comedic actor, often playing funny supporting roles. He appeared in films like The Palm Beach Story (1942), I Remember Mama, and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.

In 1955, he was in the movie Gentlemen Marry Brunettes with Jane Russell. This movie was filmed in Paris and was very popular in Europe.

Rudy also performed on Broadway in the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying in 1961. He even played the same role in the movie version in 1967. He appeared on TV shows too, like Batman in the 1960s and Night Gallery in 1971.

Vallee-Video: Early TV Production

From 1948 to 1952, Rudy Vallée owned a company called Vallee-Video. This company made short films for the new world of television. He even appeared in some of his own productions.

In 1949, Vallee-Video created one of the first cartoon shows for TV called Tele-Comics.

In 1952, Vallee-Video was working on a TV show based on the Dick Tracy comic strip. Rudy's friend, Ralph Byrd, who had played Dick Tracy in movies, was going to star in it. Sadly, Ralph Byrd passed away, and the Dick Tracy show stopped, which led to the end of Vallee-Video.

Personal Life

Rudy Vallée was married four times. His last wife, Eleanor, wrote a book about their life together called My Vagabond Lover.

Rudy always loved Yale University, where he went to college, and he never forgot his home state of Maine. He had a home at Kezar Lake in Maine.

Rudy Vallée passed away from cancer on July 3, 1986. He was watching the celebration for the Statue of Liberty on TV. His wife said his last words were, "I wish we could be there; you know how I love a party."

Legacy

In 1995, Rudy Vallée received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars to honor him.

For his important work in radio, Rudy Vallée was added to the Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2011.

Discography

Filmography

Images for kids

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  In the process of being painted by Rolf Armstrong on November 21, 1929

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  Painted by Rolf Armstrong on November 21, 1929

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  1929 caricature from Radio Revue

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  1930 caricature from Photoplay

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  Advertisement for Old Gold Cigarettes with a fabricated biography

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  Caricature in the 1932 Merrie Melodies cartoon Crosby, Columbo, and Vallee; note the megaphone and the curl in his hair

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  Caricature in the 1934 Betty Boop cartoon Poor Cinderella

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  Radio Revue, December 1929

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  Radio Guide, April 16–22, 1933

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  Radio Stars, May 1933

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  Radio Mirror, December 1934

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  Radio Stars, May 1936

See also

In Spanish: Rudy Vallee para niños