Rudy Vallee
Actor
Born July 28, 1901 in Island Pond, Vermont, USA
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
Lydia
Barker
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Self (archive footage)
Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons
Self (archive footage)
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Self
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
The Perfect Woman
Tock
Men Who Rate a 10
Self
CHiPs
Arthur Forbinger
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Autograph Hound
Ellery Queen
Alvin Winer
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
Slashed Dreams
Proprietor
Alias Smith and Jones
Night Gallery
Dr. Francis Deeking
The Phynx
Rudy Vallee
The Night They Raided Minsky's
Opening Narrator (voice)
Live a Little, Love a Little
Louis Penlow
Here's Lucy
Rudy Vallee
The Name of the Game
Myron Lesser
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
J. B. Biggley
Batman
Lord Marmaduke Ffogg
Petticoat Junction
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Rudy Vallee
The Helen Morgan Story
Self
Jazz Ball
Self (archive footage)
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
Rudy Vallee
Ricochet Romance
Worthington Higgenmacher
December Bride
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self
The Admiral Was a Lady
Peter Pedigrew
The Golden Twenties
Self (archive footage)
Your Show of Shows
What's My Line?
Self
Father Was a Fullback
Mr. Jessup
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
Charles Hingleman
Mother Is a Freshman
John Heaslip
Unfaithfully Yours
August Henshler
My Dear Secretary
Charles Harris
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
So This Is New York
Herbert Daley
I Remember Mama
Dr. Johnson
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
Tommy
The Unfaithful
Kraft Television Theatre
Bromley
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
Lynn Sargent
The Fabulous Suzanne
Hendrick Courtney Jr.
People Are Funny
Ormsby Jamison
Man Alive
Gordon Tolliver
It's in the Bag!
Rudy Vallee
11th. Naval District "United States Coast Guard Band"
Himself - Bandleader
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
Himself
Happy Go Lucky
Alfred Monroe
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
The Palm Beach Story
John D. Hackensacker III
Time Out for Rhythm
Daniel 'Danny' Collins
Rodeo Dough
Rudy Vallee
Second Fiddle
Roger Maxwell
Breakdowns of 1938
Rudy (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gold Diggers in Paris
Terry Moore
Things You Never See on the Screen
Self
Sweet Music
Skip Houston
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
Himself (uncredited)
Hollywood on Parade No. B-9
Self
George White's Scandals
Jimmy Martin
International House
Himself
Rudy Vallee Melodies
Self
Kitty from Kansas City
Singer with Handlebar Moustache
Betty Co-ed
Himself
Glorifying the American Girl
Self
The Vagabond Lover
Rudy Bronson