Rudy Vallee

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.

Filmography (78 Appearances)

Lydia

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

My Dear Secretary

Unfaithfully Yours

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

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