Terrace Room.
Kay Kyser! So I had seen him-every time I went to the Pennsylvania
Hotel, he was there and I didn't know it! He was very nice, not too heavyabout 180 pounds, five feet eleven inches tall, adorable face, sparkling eyes
that were a purplish color with a navy blue rim around the iris, a great
smile, and a terrific laugh.
Rudy came over and said, "Did you meet one another?"
I said, "Yes, he's from Trenton and my father has a cousin there."
Rudy said, "Want another cup of tea? I know Bobby doesn't drink."
Well, I thought, that's nice. Bobby and I started talking. He'd been in the army about two and a half years and was stationed at Camp Shanks in
upstate New York. He was in the band that played for the boys when they
got shipped overseas, as well as for the groups returning home once their
European duty was over. In addition to the band playing for the boys,
Bobby said they would also do shows when there was a large group of guys
being shipped out.
He asked me if I would come up and do a show sometime: "The
band is the greatest, all top men from the Big Bands."
I said that I would love to, but I didn't know when. He told me that
he had been best man at Mickey Rooney's second wedding (to Betty Jane
Rase, Miss Alabama of 1944). He told me all about Mickey in the army
when they were stationed together at Camp Siebert in Alabama, and how
Mickey would think of wonderful things to do to keep up the spirits of the
guys. We've all heard how much fun boot camp can be, right?
They were great buddies. As a matter of fact, Bobby got the marriage
license, bought the rings and so on, so nobody would think it was Mickey
who was getting married. Bobby spoke with real affection about Mickey
and was very impressed with the fact that Mickey would call his mother
every day from camp.
I asked Bobby what he was doing at the Terrace Room. He told me
that Joe Schribman and Joe Gaukin had an apartment on 57th Street and
that all the guys in the band from Camp Shanks hung out there. It was a
place to meet or stay when they had days off. Schribman had booked Mal
Haller into the Terrace Room. They had two radio shows a night, and
Schribman asked Bobby if he wanted to make seventy-five dollars for the
week. Well, of course he said yes. So he came down to play the two radio
shows as the first trumpet player. First trumpet is usually called the "sergeant" of the orchestra.
We continued talking, and I told him I was opening at the Capitol
Theater in a few weeks and had new gowns and new arrangements. He
told me that he had enjoyed my first show.
Just then Rudy came over and said to Bobby, "The band goes on the
air in ten minutes."
Bobby said, "Thanks, Rudy." Then he turned to me and said, "I'll see
you later."
I sat there and listened to the radio show. He played very well, had a
great sound and played the ballads with a lot of heart. I thought to myself,
he's good-Kay Kyser or not-he's very good.
He came back and sat next to me and I said, "That was great. Now I
have to do my second show."
He said he would watch it again. "Maybe we can have another cup of
tea before you go home."
I smiled and said, "Okay."
I went to my dressing room, changed my clothes, did the second
show and changed into my street clothes. I ran upstairs to see if he had
waited. He was there.
We had a cup of tea and he said, "I'll be here all week to do the radio
shows."
"Wonderful," I said,
"I'll see you tomorrow."
With that I got up and left.
On the way home, all kinds of thoughts came into my mind. He's
awfully great smile and really great to talk to... and a very good musician. He's really adorable. The next night, he did the radio shows and I did
my two shows. In between shows, we talked and talked. He lived in California and was going back after he was discharged. His horns and clothes
were in California. He told me about the movies he had made with Kyser.
He had been with the band since he was seventeen. He
Kay Kyser! So I had seen him-every time I went to the Pennsylvania
Hotel, he was there and I didn't know it! He was very nice, not too heavyabout 180 pounds, five feet eleven inches tall, adorable face, sparkling eyes
that were a purplish color with a navy blue rim around the iris, a great
smile, and a terrific laugh.
Rudy came over and said, "Did you meet one another?"
I said, "Yes, he's from Trenton and my father has a cousin there."
Rudy said, "Want another cup of tea? I know Bobby doesn't drink."
Well, I thought, that's nice. Bobby and I started talking. He'd been in the army about two and a half years and was stationed at Camp Shanks in
upstate New York. He was in the band that played for the boys when they
got shipped overseas, as well as for the groups returning home once their
European duty was over. In addition to the band playing for the boys,
Bobby said they would also do shows when there was a large group of guys
being shipped out.
He asked me if I would come up and do a show sometime: "The
band is the greatest, all top men from the Big Bands."
I said that I would love to, but I didn't know when. He told me that
he had been best man at Mickey Rooney's second wedding (to Betty Jane
Rase, Miss Alabama of 1944). He told me all about Mickey in the army
when they were stationed together at Camp Siebert in Alabama, and how
Mickey would think of wonderful things to do to keep up the spirits of the
guys. We've all heard how much fun boot camp can be, right?
They were great buddies. As a matter of fact, Bobby got the marriage
license, bought the rings and so on, so nobody would think it was Mickey
who was getting married. Bobby spoke with real affection about Mickey
and was very impressed with the fact that Mickey would call his mother
every day from camp.
I asked Bobby what he was doing at the Terrace Room. He told me
that Joe Schribman and Joe Gaukin had an apartment on 57th Street and
that all the guys in the band from Camp Shanks hung out there. It was a
place to meet or stay when they had days off. Schribman had booked Mal
Haller into the Terrace Room. They had two radio shows a night, and
Schribman asked Bobby if he wanted to make seventy-five dollars for the
week. Well, of course he said yes. So he came down to play the two radio
shows as the first trumpet player. First trumpet is usually called the "sergeant" of the orchestra.
We continued talking, and I told him I was opening at the Capitol
Theater in a few weeks and had new gowns and new arrangements. He
told me that he had enjoyed my first show.
Just then Rudy came over and said to Bobby, "The band goes on the
air in ten minutes."
Bobby said, "Thanks, Rudy." Then he turned to me and said, "I'll see
you later."
I sat there and listened to the radio show. He played very well, had a
great sound and played the ballads with a lot of heart. I thought to myself,
he's good-Kay Kyser or not-he's very good.
He came back and sat next to me and I said, "That was great. Now I
have to do my second show."
He said he would watch it again. "Maybe we can have another cup of
tea before you go home."
I smiled and said, "Okay."
I went to my dressing room, changed my clothes, did the second
show and changed into my street clothes. I ran upstairs to see if he had
waited. He was there.
We had a cup of tea and he said, "I'll be here all week to do the radio
shows."
"Wonderful," I said,
"I'll see you tomorrow."
With that I got up and left.
On the way home, all kinds of thoughts came into my mind. He's
awfully great smile and really great to talk to... and a very good musician. He's really adorable. The next night, he did the radio shows and I did
my two shows. In between shows, we talked and talked. He lived in California and was going back after he was discharged. His horns and clothes
were in California. He told me about the movies he had made with Kyser.
He had been with the band since he was seventeen. He
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