Rudy Vallee Orchestra Leader At College

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 50, 22 November 1941, Page 5

Rudy Vallee Orchestra Leader At College

TJUDY VALEE was born on July 28, 1901, in Islaml Pond, Vt„ where his father ran a drug store. His real name is Hubert Prior ■ Valee, but he adopted the Rudy because of his great admiration for the late Ru’dy Wiedoett, the celebrated saxophonist. As a boy be taught himself to play the saxophone by listening to Wiedoefts iecords, and at high school he organized his own orchestra. _ At the University of Maine, he became so popular as an orchestra leader that his studies suffered. So he decided to transfer to Yale, where his musicianship won him even greater success. He gra’duated with a fortune of several thousand dollars. Rudy Valee ami his baud, The Connecticut Yankees, appeared later at a New York night, club. In 1928 lie made his radio debut on a small station, but soon branched into bigger programme.'’, and by the time he went: on a vaudeville tour, he bird built up an audience of millions. . , , Such success could not. he ignored by Hollywood, and in 1929 he made ais movie debut in “Vagabond Lover, which ho now describes as ''Hint picture of unhappy memory.” The picture prejudiced him against Hollywood, but a few vears later he was persuaded to return‘for “George Washington Scandals,” this time with more success. Rudy Valee has continued to appear in movies from time to time, whenever he finds a vehicle that suits him.

T>ETTY GRABLE’S next picture for Twentieth Century-Fox will be ‘‘Song of (lie Islands, ’ a musical in technicolour.