Spring 2008 - Art Deco Society of Washington

Trans-Lux
Spring 2008
2000
September
A R T D E C O S O C I E T Y O F W AS H I N G T O N
Volume 26 no. 2
Volume 26 No.2
In This Issue:
News & Notes From the DecoPhiles
Kennedy-Warren Update
Tropical Deco: Images from Hawaii
A Brief Note on Buenos Aires
Washington Modernism Show (Expo)
Movies at the Sumner
Washington’s Hidden Treasures: Library
of American Broadcasting
July Program: Tour the Library of American Broadcasting
Battle of the Youtube® Bands
June Program: Dinner Dance at the Carlyle Club
Centenary Celebration: Entertainers Born in 1908
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ADSW
Board of Directors
President—Dana Ott
Vice President—Jim Linz
Treasurer—Ira Raskin
Secretary—Cathy Willis
At Large Members:
Linda Lyons
Karyn Jarboe
Brian Whaley
Amy McMenamin
Patrick Bayliss
Susan Chaffin
Silver Spring—Richard Striner
Visit us on the web at
www.adsw.org
Webmaster—Joel Shprentz/Brian
Whaley
Wanna Be a Member?
Join online at
Trans-Lux
Trans-Lux is published four times a year
by the Art Deco Society of Washington,
P.O. 42722, Washington, D.C. 200152722. Phone (202) 298-1100.
ADSW is a non-profit organization incorporated to foster public awareness
and appreciation of the Art Deco period
through volunteer actions to preserve the
era’s decorative, industrial, architectural, and cultural arts.
Editor/Publisher—Jim Linz
Book Reviews Editor—Vacant
Calendar
Schmitz Fuhrig
Editor—Lynda
Contributors:
Jim Linz
Lynda Schmitz Fuhrig
Karyn Jarboe
Linda Ingram
Ira Raskin
Trans-Lux is looking for a few good
writers. Please submit manuscripts
and photographs to Jim Linz, PO
Box 221011, Chantilly, VA 20153.
Please enclose a self-addressed
envelope for return of material. Submission of letters/articles implies the
right to edit and publish.
©2008 ADSW
www.adsw.org
Or call 202-298-1100
And request an
application
On the Cover: Cover of Broadcasting
Magazine, 1929 from the collection
of the Library of American Broadcasting.
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News and Notes from the
Deco Philes
Bayliss recalled to Active Duty
ADSW Board Member Patrick Bayliss has been recalled to active duty. He
will be leaving for his new assignment before the end of June. We thank
him for his service to ADSW and to his Country.
Montreal Issues Call for Papers
Art Déco Montréal has issued a call for papers to be presented
at the 10th World Congress on Art Deco, May 24-30, 2009.
Papers will be presented on the 26th-28th with a different subtheme each day. On the first day, speakers will focus on Montreal Art Deco, followed by Canadian and International Art
Deco on the second day, and conservation the third day.
Proposals must be submitted by December 1, 2008. Submitters
will be notified of acceptance January 26, 2009.
Presenters will be required to register for the Congress.
For full details on the Call for Papers and the preliminary Congress program visit http://artdecomontreal.com/congress/en/
Cocktails in New Orleans
Tales of the Cocktail, the first international symposium of cocktail shaker
collectors, will be held in New Orleans July 16-20, 2008. Stephen Visakay,
author of Vintage Bar Ware (Collector Books) will serve as moderator and
discuss the history of the cocktail shaker from the 1800s to the present.
Other topics to be covered include how to find vintage bar ware at bargain prices, the care and cleaning of vintage bar ware, and related collectibles.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own cocktail shakers and accessories for show and tell.
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For further information and reservations contact www.talesofthecocktail.com
Art Deco Programs at the Corcoran & Smithsonian
Two upcoming programs, one at the Corcoran the other at the Smithsonian,
should be of special interest to Decophiles. First, on June 25th, Dino Pampilonia, will present a program on Art Deco Diamonds and Design at the
Corcoran. He will focus on distinctive elements of jewelry design from the
Roaring Twenties and early 1930s. Second, on July 26th, the Smithsonian
will present an all-day seminar entitled ―Art Deco: Vibrant, Eclectic, and
Dynamic.‖ Among the topics to be covered in this all-day seminar are the
origins of Art Deco, French Art Deco, Art Deco in the British empire, including Napier, New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia; and American Art
Deco and Streamline Moderne.
Check the calendar listings for additional information and links to the Corcoran and Smithsonian web sites.
Kennedy-Warren Update
The Board is considering several options for continuing ADSW’s efforts to
preserve the interiors of the Kennedy-Warren apartments but it needs your
help. In you have not already done so, please take a few moments to send
an email message to B.F. Saul voicing your concerns about their renovation
plans. Please cc your message to [email protected]
Email B.F. Saul at http://www.bfsaul.com/contact.html
ADSW also encourages it members and friends to write to the B.F. Saul
Company. Letters should be addressed to
B. Francis Saul II
B. F. Saul Company
7501 Wisconsin Avenue Suite 1500
Bethesda , MD 20814-6522
Send a copy of your letter to ADSW.
Mounting a preservation campaign is labor intensive. Can you spare a few
hours to become actively involved in ADSW’s efforts? To volunteer email
[email protected] or call 202-298-1100 and leave a voice mail
message.
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www.anothertimevintageapparel.com
[email protected]
Important:
Support ADSW and Save a Buck
One important change to this year’s Northern Virginia Antiques & Modernism Show is that both ADSW & customers will benefit from “will call”
admissions.
Proceeds from sale of ―will call‖ tickets will be shared by ADSW and the
Arlington Kiwanis to support their community projects.
In addition, customers save $1 on each ticket ―reserved‖ at
www.ADSW.org. No payment required upfront. Simply collect and pay for
your ticket at the "Will Call" desk at the show.
Please help ADSW by reserving your tickets online at
http://www.adsw.org/event/2008/Expo/index.html
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Help Save the Kennedy-Warren
Reprinted below is the letter Patrick Sheary,
Curator of Furnishings at the DAR Museum, sent
to B.F. Saul to protest their ―renovation‖ plans
For the KennedyWarren.
April 8, 2008
Mr. B. Francis Saul II
B.F. Saul Company
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1500
Bethesda, MD 20814-6522
Dear Mr. Saul:
I was horrified to learn of the threatened status to the historic wing of the Kennedy-Warren—one of Washington’s most important Art Deco buildings. Destroying the interior by removing all original fittings would not only deprive
the city of an important part of its cultural legacy, it would also render this
esteemed structure nothing more then a mere façade. An historic property is
important not only because of attractive exterior elements but also because of
its interior, where people live. The interior provides the property a period
charm—usually an unspoken aesthetic—but nonetheless appreciated especially
because it cannot be replicated today.
This proposed “renovation” is extremely short-sighted and would result in
banal interiors framed by cheap drywall, laminate floors and faux wood
kitchen cabinets. The current apartment interiors are decorated with a variety
of original fittings including multi-tiered kitchen cabinets, built-in china cupboards, solid wood inlayed doors, and even deco-style latches and nameplates
just to name but a few. Beautiful bathrooms feature basket-weave tile floors
and even original milk delivery cupboards—certainly a rare survival in this
city!
Rendering these elements to the junk pile would be a shame since none of
these items can be fully replicated today. First, the raw materials—beautiful,
resilient, strong old-growth wood—is simply not available at any price. Nor is
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the workmanship (American made!) in many of the fittings. Second, the loss
of such items would equal millions of dollars in today’s market. Certainly the
items proposed for destruction are worth more then the $60 million price tag
of renovation. Did you realize the historic original windows you replaced a
few years ago would cost millions to replicate today? Instead, the copies will
last about 15 years if you’re lucky. They will have to be replaced, whereas
had the originals been (by the way can be made efficient), they would have
lasted forever with proper maintenance.
“Gut job” renovations are also not environmentally sensitive. The waste of
both materials and energy to accomplish the “new” look is incalculable. Did
you know that plaster walls are more environmentally friendly then drywall?
Sensitively easing each original apartment through a careful restoration is by
far the green way to go. There is no need or logical reason to remove what is
usable and not broken. As we awaken to the fact of global warming, gut job
renovations with all their waste will became a thing of the past.
There is a market for historic apartments. Many people prefer apartments of
solidly built plaster over those of cheap drywall. Some would kill for some of
those original fixtures and architectural touches. I live in a historic building
called the Northumberland on New Hampshire Avenue NW. The 70 or so
residents of this cooperative are proud of buying into apartments that are historic and retain original features similar to those you are proposing to remove
from the Kennedy-Warren. No one in my building is living in a museum, but
they appreciate the charm and quality of these older amenities. In fact, we
recently restored our historic windows, a decision that will pay us back many
times over for another century or more to come.
There are ways to work modernity into historic buildings without destroying
the past while doing so. Those of us who respect and appreciate historic preservation are not blind to progress, but we do have our eyes open to those who
dismiss the past by ripping it out for no sound reason other than the “need for
new.”
It is commendable that B.F. Saul Company constructed a beautiful new wing
that nicely compliments the old. However, it is now time to think of the historic interiors as marketable assets that will find a modern tenant population
who will enjoy them. Please don’t destroy our cultural heritage.
Sincerely,
Patrick Sheary
Curator of Furnishings
DAR Museum
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Tropical Deco: Photographs From Hawaii
Life member Linda Ingram recently forwarded a series of photographs she
received from friends vacationing in Hawaii. She also researched the buildings and forwarded her findings.
Hawaii Theatre
The Hawaii Theatre was built in 1922 as the ―New Hawaii.‖ Saved from
the wrecking ball in 1986, the restored theatre is now used for Hawaiian–
and Asian-inspired music, dance, and performances. It is also open Tuesdays for behind-the-scenes tours.
Designed by the architectural firm Emory & Webb in the
Neo-Classical style, the theatre was renovated in the mid1930s, adding Art Deco elements. The Art Deco elements
include the neon marquee, the largest ever built in Hawaii.
When the theatre opened in 1922, it was used for both
live performances and movies. Considered the ―Pride of
the Pacific,‖ the Hawaii Theatre had both air-conditioning
and indirect lighting, novelties at the time. The original
theatre also included wicker seats, but those seats were
removed in the 1950s. The theatre’s interior also features
a double-cantilever balcony, a huge allegorical mural,
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(Continued from page 8)
―Glorification of Diana,‖ painted directly on the proscenium arch by Lionel
Walden, and a mosaic dome created by Gordon Usborne.
After more than two decades of decline, the theatre closed in 1984 and
was slated for demolition. Concerned citizens formed the non-profit Hawaii
Theatre Center to save and restore the theatre. Between 1989 and 1996,
the interior was restored. The theatre reopened in 1996 and exterior renovation commenced.
The restored theatre was named the ―Outstanding Historic Theatre in America‖ by the League of Historic American Theatres in 2005. It also received
the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s highest preservation award in
2006.
Royal Hawaiian Hotel
The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, which opened in 1927, was designed by
famed architects, Whitney Warren and Charles Wetmore. At the time the
hotel was built, Waikiki was largely a sleepy resort with only a handful of
hotels.
Built at a cost of $4 million, the 6-story hotel was built in the Spanish(Continued on page 10)
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(Continued from page 9)
Moorish style and is often called the ―Pink Palace of the Pacific‖
Warren and Wetmore were based in New York City and designed many
of New York’s finest hotels including the Ritz-Carlton, Biltmore, Commodore,
and Ambassador. They also designed the Chelsea docks, the New York
Central Building (now the Helmsly Building), and Aeolian Hall.
Warren and Wetmore also designed Washington, D.C.’s Mayflower Hotel.
-----Editor’s Note: Perhaps the most impressive
Art Deco structure in Oahu is the Tripler
Army Medical Center situated on Moanalua
Ridge overlooking the city. Designed in
1942, and built in 1948, the coral pink
color pays homage to the Royal Hawaiian
Hotel.
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A Brief Note on Buenos Aires
By Ira E. and Miriam Raskin
Miriam and I visited Buenos Aires (BA), Argentina this May 2008. Our trip
was prompted by her birthday wish to visit her hometown of Villas Canas (3
hours west of BA). It was also a result of a recent article in Modernism
magazine (City Report: Buenos Aires, Vol. 10, No. 2, Summer 2007). Our
visit granted her birthday wish and the opportunity to enjoy many examples
of modernism’s architectural details.
We stayed at the Home Hotel featured in the Modernism article
(www.homebuenosaires.com). This very comfortable and affordable boutique hotel is staffed by bilingual professionals and decorated with MidCentury Modern furnishings. It is located in the Hollywood section of Palermo Viejo, a Soho-type community west of downtown BA. Inexpensive and
accessible bus and taxi transport facilitated visits to all the usual tourist sites.
We quickly learned that the Argentine people (Portenos), comprised mainly
of friendly descendants of Europeans, were warm hosts, fond of Italian
food, and eager to practice their English and to ask about the current U.S.
political scene.
Palermo Viejo offered many architectural delights for eyes sensitized to Art
Deco design and related preservation. Older, mainly one- to two-story
stucco buildings often featured step-function or ziggurat friezes, softly
rounded terraces, intricately designed grill work, glass blocks, and a 1950’s
palette of bright colors. Rapidly rising, new apartment houses are intermingled with the older and much smaller houses, but they also try to incorporate a streamlined retro look of curved concrete balconies and modern
black-marbled entrances. The older homes, however, look tired and may
not survive the need of the current BA generation to live and party in more
updated dwellings. The main business in Palermo Viejo appears to be
trendy restaurants, boutique merchandise, and construction. Repair of crumbling sidewalks and picking up after the many canine residents seem to be
low priorities. One must walk carefully while admiring the surrounding architectural eye candy and details.
One of the many highlights of our trip was Las Pulgas flea market, located
about 5 blocks from the Home Hotel. This is a big, partially enclosed market comprised of individual shops. Although open Tuesday-Sunday from
10am-6pm, dealers do not open their shops until 11:30am or so, especially
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if the weather is cold. Many furniture refinishing and upholstering shops
are in the market. The variety of Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern lighting fixtures and furniture is staggering. Prices are very reasonable and
highly negotiable, but end up much higher when resold by other dealers
who set up in the sprawling San Telmo flea market (Saturday and Sunday).
Many dealers observed that the shipment of antiquities to the US market is
prohibitively expensive. High shipping costs and the uncertainty of getting
product safely through the BA postal service account for this. Other dealers complained that the U.S. and European buyers had already cleaned
out the market. This did not seem likely given the variety of medium to
high-level merchandise for sale during our visit. Our recommendation is to
bring a very large spare suitcase to carry your purchases, especially if you
visit the expensive antique shops found in the San Telmo area along Defensa Avenue, south of the downtown area of BA.
Our society members have other sources of Art Deco to visit and admire in
BA. For example, the Museum of Decorative Arts has one marvelous lifesize image of Diana on its second floor. The Museum of Modern Art in San
Telmo is unfortunately closed for reconstruction but this is not noted by tour
books. The Museum of Belles Arts in the Recoleta section of BA is top notch
and has an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures from the 1920s1950s. In this regard, the Malba museum in Palermo (Nuevo) was personally disappointing – its focus was on fairly extreme and recent abstraction.
A final example for your viewing pleasure, albeit morbid, is the Recoleta
Cemetery, where Eva Peron is interred. Many of the mausoleums have
wonderful Art Deco and Art Nouveau metal doors, entrances and structures,
complex identifying plaques, and other recognizable decorative touches of
the 1920s-1940s.
Con abazo…Ira and Miriam
Present This Coupon for
20 percent off
Items from the booths of
Try to Remember and Deco-Rations
Beaver Creek Antique Mall
Hagerstown, Maryland
www.beavercreekantiques.com
Valid only with payment by cash or check
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Washington Modernism Show Aims to be
“Bigger and Better Than Ever”
The Art Deco Society of Washington will mark the 25 th anniversary of its
Modernism show on June 21-22, 2008, promising that the show will, as
Cliff Friend’s 1929 song goes, be ―Bigger and Better Than Ever.‖ Before
joining forces with Pappabello Show Management and the Arlington Kiwanis to launch the first Northern Virginia Antiques & Modernism Show in
2007, the Society ran its own Modernism show—the Exposition of the Decorative Arts--for 23 years. The show is the major source of funding for
ADSW’s preservation and education programs.
In 2007, ADSW’s ―Expo‖ was combined with a long-running general antiques show managed by Pappabello Show Management and benefitting
the Arlington, Virginia Kiwanis. Under the agreement with Pappabello and
the Kiwanis, ADSW’s Modernism show maintained its identity, essentially
forming a show within a show as Modernism dealers were grouped together in the center of the show floor. Attendance at the combined show
more than tripled and many dealers—both Modernism and general antiques--reported strong sales despite the general downturn in antique
shows.
The 2nd Annual Northern Virginia Antiques & Modernism Show will be held
at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center, 3501 2 nd Street South, Arlington, Virginia. Show hours are from 11 AM to 7 PM Saturday and Noon to
5:30 PM Sunday. Ample free parking is available near the Thomas Jefferson Community Center. On Saturday, a free shuttle will operate from the
Virginia Square Metro Station on the Orange line. The shuttle will operate
on the hour from 10AM to 5 PM. For more show information visit
www.adsw.org or phone (202)-298-1100.
We've made a number of improvements this year, for your show-going
pleasure. There will be an experienced caterer, so refreshments will be
plentiful. There will be an onsite ATM machine and credit card processing
for your convenience. A guide to participating Modernism dealers will be
available at the show and posted at www.adsw.org.
The Art Deco Society focused on expanding the number of Modernism
dealers. Art Deco Society members crave period fashions but, in 2007,
only one dealer offered vintage clothing. This year, at least four dealers
will have vintage clothing and accessories. Lisa Victoria Vintage (New
York), GiltyLily by Lori Haddad (Massachusetts), and Kathleen Cassedy
(Virginia) join the show.
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In addition to vintage clothing and accessories, participating Modernism
dealers will offer a wide range of collectibles for every taste and in every
price range--jewelry, watches, World’s Fair, clocks, radios, furniture,
graphic arts, chrome, silver, ceramics, glass, lighting, bronzes and much
more.
Among the Modernism dealers joining the show this year are Deco Haus
(New Jersey), L’Iris Bleu (Paris, France), Skyscraper (New York), Auerbach
& Maffia (Pennsylvania), Metropolitan Interiors (Washington, D.C.),
Spencer Weisz Gallery (Illinois), Just About Modern (Florida), Antique Underground (New York), Modern for All (Virginia), and Charley Harper
Studio (Ohio). Add this to a cadre of returning dealers and the show
promises selection that is bigger and better than ever. Many of the returning dealers, such as Deco Doug (Michigan), John Ribar (New York), Try to
Remember (Maryland), and Past Pleasures (Virginia) have been with the
show for more than 15 years.
For many of the dealers exhibiting at the Northern Virginia Antiques &
Modernism Show, this will be their only show in the mid-Atlantic region.
These include
Charley Harper Studio exhibiting the Modernist Art of the late Charlie
Harper. Known for his wildlife drawings, Harper frequently created cover art for Ford Times magazine.
Spencer Weisz Gallery exhibiting original European posters including
turn-of-the-century stone lithographs.
Antique Undergound exhibiting important works by Waylande Gregory, a sculptor known for works ranging from early designs for
Cowan Pottery to the monumental fountains at the 1939 New
York World’s Fair.
Just About Modern, returning to the Washington area for the first time
in several years. Co-owner Jim Medeiros ran the Art Deco Society
show for several years in the 1990s before moving to Massachusetts and, more recently, to Florida.
L’Iris Bleu exhibiting French Art Deco clocks, cocktail shakers, smoking
accessories, and table accessories.
In addition to Modernism, the Northern Virginia Antiques & Modernism
Show features over 100 general antiques dealers. There’s something for
every taste in this impressive show.
The Reverie Jazz Trio (Amy Kean, Terrance Kean, and Dave Tucker) will set
the mood for Saturday shoppers, playing early jazz standards. To learn
more about the Reverie Jazz Trio and listen to an audio clip click here
http://www.reveriejazz.com/. A group organized by the Kiwanis will play
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Sunday from 12:30-2:30. The group "Attorneys @ Music with
Friends", will feature Arlington's legendary fiddle player Roy "Speedy"
Tolliver. They will play Blue grass, folk-country, popular, and traditional
music.
Admission is $7, $6 with advance reservations. Reserve online at
www.adsw.org and pay for your tickets at the show’s will call desk.
To Be Offered by Just About Modern
Examples of merchandise to be offered by L’Iris Bleu
Charley Harper Studios will offer Modernist wildlife
prints
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Spencer Weisz Galleries will offer ―Maurin
Quina‖ (c. 1906) by French artist L. Cappiello.
To be Offered by Deco Haus
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Movies at the Sumner
Where: Charles Sumner School
1201 Seventeenth St., NW
Washington, DC
Time: 7:00 PM
Cost:
Free. Donation to ADSW’s Vitaphone Restoration Fund Requested
No reservations required
June: Ramblin Round Radio Row
When: Tuesday, June 10, 2008
A variety of musicians, singers, and novelty acts were featured in a series of
Vitaphone Ramblin Round Radio Row shorts. We will view five shorts from
this series featuring stars like Baby Rose Marie, the Lombardo brothers, Tess
Gardell (aka Aunt Jemima), the Boswell Sisters, Paul Whiteman’s Rhythm
Boys, Frances Langford, Morton Downey, the Pickens Sisters, and Arthur
Tracy. You won’t want to miss Washington’s own Kate Smith singing and
dancing.
Completing the program will be an encore presentation of vintage shorts by
Ina Ray Hutton and Her Melodears.
September: Harold Teen
When: Tuesday, September 10, 2008
This 1934 musical comedy based loosely on the comic strip of the same
name stars Hal Leroy, Rochelle Hudson, and Pat Ellis. Harold plays a cub
reporter who will do anything to get the big story. He takes dance lessons
from a correspondence school dance instructor played by Hugh Herbert. In
addition to Hal Leroy’s dancing, the film gives viewers a rare opportunity to
see Chick Chandler sing.
Note: The previously scheduled August film program has been canceled
because of the summer closure of the Sumner School.
October: Program to be Announced
When: Tuesday, October 14, 2008
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Washington’s Hidden Treasures:
Library of American
Broadcasting
Founded in 1967, the Library of American Broadcasting (originally the
Broadcast Pioneers Library) is currently located on the College Park campus
of the University of Maryland. It is operated by the Library of American
Broadcasting Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, in partnership
with the University.
Courtesy Library of American Broadcasting
The Library holds major collections of historic documents, professional papers, oral and video histories, books, scripts, and photographs described as
the nation’s most extensive collection relating to radio and television. Its collections include more than 1,000 oral histories and 200,000 photographs.
(Continued on page 19)
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(Continued from page 18)
The Library, open Monday thru Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, is located in
the University of Maryland’s Hornbake Library. The library welcomes telephone and email research requests.
A quick look through the Library website reveals a number of interesting
collections such as:
—Jerry (Tucker) Schatz collection. Schatz was a child actor in the 1930s
and early 1940s best remembered for the ―Our Gang‖ comedies. The
collection includes scripts, photographs, and other material.
—Jerry Lee On-Line Photo Archive. This collection of 8,000 photos is available on-line in digital form and includes 2,000 photographs from the radio
quiz program taken between 1932 and 1948.
—Don West Broadcasting and Cable Photo Archive. This collection includes
250,000 photographs from Broadcasting Magazine dating from 1931 to
the present.
—St. Louis Post-Dispatch Collection. This collection includes 20,000 publicity
photos originally published in the paper’s radio and television pages from
the late 1940s to the mid-1960s.
Image of radio station WCAU, Philadelphia
Courtesy Library of American Broadcasting
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The library also houses scripts for over 1,700 radio and television programs. Listed alphabetically on the website, the collection includes such
intriguing titles as:
Cab Callaway’s Quizzacale, a 1941-42 radio quiz show.
Century of Progress (1934)
Desoto Review (1939)
Kate Smith Show (1938)
To learn more about this amazing resource, sign up for the guided tour
described on the next page.
Cover to WLS Family A|lbum (1936)
Courtesy Library of American Broadcasting
NBC Studios, Hollywood (1938)
Courtesy Library of American Broadcasting
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July Program:
Tour the Library of American Broadcasting
When: Saturday, July 12th 12:30pm to 2:30pm
Where: Library of American Broadcasting
Hornbake Library, University of Maryland
Directions: http://www.lib.umd.edu/LAB/directions.html
Price: $10 ADSW members $15 non-members
Space limited, reservations required. Call (703-864-7070) or email
([email protected]) Karyn Jarboe.
The tour will begin in the reading room, where tour guide Mike Henry will
discuss the history of the library and its resources, displaying some of those
resources, including books, magazines, photographs, pamphlets and other
material from the 1920's, 1930's, 1940's. Included will be resources relating to the New York World's Fair and the design and construction of radio
studios of the period, many of which incorporated designs by John Vassos.
Radio broadcasts and short films from the period will also be played.
A guided tour of the collection will follow the presentation, providing a
glimpse at how the collections are organized and managed.
Do you want to talk about Art Deco or Mid-Century Modern on your way
to the airport (Reagan, Dulles, or BWI)? How about taking an escorted
1-day tour of several antique malls in Hagerstown and Frederick, MD?
Or would you prefer to drive over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to the
enormous Queenstown discount shopping mall?
Raskin Sedan Service
301-802-5745
[email protected]
Ira Raskin’s all-weather and luxury wagon is insured and inspected as
required and certified by the Washington Metropolitan Area Traffic Commission and the Public Service Commission of Maryland.
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Battle of the Youtube™ Bands
Peter Mintun
Although society pianist Peter Mintun moved from San Francisco to New
York many years ago, he returns to San Francisco’s Symphony Hall every
year as his orchestra leads the way to the New Year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzUPuVJtcA
Beau Hunks
Named after the title of a Laurel & Hardy film, this Dutch group first made
a name for itself recreating the snippets of music Leroy Shields wrote for
Laurel & Hardy and Little Rascals films.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9N-StkaCMA
Doc Scantlin & His Imperial Palms Orchestra
A Washington favorite, Doc Scantlin and His Imperial Palms Orchestra will
again play New York’s most prestigious New Years Eve Party—The Rainbow Room—in 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmuCc_99P0U
Don Neely and the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra
A San Francisco favorite, Don Neely has recorded 14 albums. The pianist
on this clip is Frederick Hodges. Frederick occasionally gives concerts in
Washington area at the Northern Virginia Ragtime Society.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwbRctIg6A
Vince Giordano and Hiis Nighthawks
Vince Giordano appears every Monday night at Sofia’s Restaurant in New
York’s Edison Hotel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0_VXeFEFnY
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The Boilermakers
Pittsburgh’s favorite big band, the Boilermakers frequently play at Glen
Echo and other local venues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E42W4-aZGn4
Tom Cunningham
Former ADSW Secretary Robin Cunningham belts out Way Down Yonder in
New Orleans, in of all places, New Orleans. The video clip was made during the Boswell Sisters centennial celebration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyAJKRBm7TI
Michael Arenella And His Dreamland Orchestra
Michael Arenella will be the featured band at the Jazz Age Lawn Party
Weekend on Governors Island, June 7th and 8th.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEovJ8cAj1w
Max Raabe and his palest orchestra
A favorite of former ADSW Board Member Chrissy Hall Reis, Max Raabe
recreates the sounds of German dance bands of the 1920s and 1930s.
Although he has performed in the U.S. in the past, there are no U.S. dates
on his current tour schedule.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAqnAyVpDvg
Gregory Moore and His Cosmopolitan Orchestra
Formed in 2007, Gregory Moore and His Cosmopolitan Orchestra are
New York’s newest big band. In this clip, Moore does his impersonation of
Noel Coward. Moore’s orchestra will make its Carnegie Hall debut in October.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PviaTBqVw4
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T R A N S -L UX
V O LU ME 26 NO . 2
June Program:
Dinner Dance at The Carlyle Club
When: Friday, June 13
Doors open 7:30pm, seated dinner and dancing 8-11pm
Where: The Carlyle Club
411 John Carlyle Street, Alexandria, Va 22314
Cost: Members, $90; Non-members, $100
Tickets are non-refundable
Presenting a classic 1930's dinner dance at the glittering Art Deco
Carlyle Club. The evening features a seated dinner with your choice of
filet mignon, Atlantic salmon or roasted chicken (vegetarian meal on
request), and dessert. There will be a cash bar available throughout
the evening, You'll see special dance performances by world Lindy Hop
champions Ben and Gen, Jean Veloz and her brother Ray Phelps. Music will
be by the City Rhythm Orchestra.
For more information about
http://www.jeanveloz.com/
Jean
Veloz,
For more information about the City
visit their site at http://www.cityrhythm.com/
visit
her
Rhythm
website
at
Orchestra,
Keep checking our website, http://www.adsw.org, as we will post more
information soon, as well as how to reserve your tickets.
Questions? Send an email to Karyn Jarboe, [email protected], or call
703-864-7070.
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V O LU ME 26 NO . 2
Centenary Celebration:
Entertainers Born in 1908
Rowland Bernard “Bunny” Berigan (November 2,
1908-June 2, 1942) was a virtuoso jazz trumpeter
who performed with some of the great sweet and
swing bands of the 1930s .
Berigan was born in Hilbert, Wisconsin and raised in
Fox Lake, Wisconsin. He began playing violin and
trumpet at an early age and was performing in local
bands while still in his teens. His national exposure
began around 1928, when he auditioned for and was
eventually hired by Hal Kemp. Berigan recorded his
first trumpet solo with Kemp’s orchestra in 1930 and
toured Europe with the band later that same year.
Berigan made enough of a name for himself with
Kemp’s Orchestra that he became a sought-after studio musician. Between
1931 and 1935 he recorded with the Fred Rich, Freddie Martin, Ben Selvin,
Paul Whiteman, Abe Lyman, Dorsey Brothers, and Glenn Miller orchestras.
When Benny Goodman put together a new band, he hired Berigan. Berigan
was able to convince Gene Krupa to forget past differences and return to
Goodman’s employ. Berigan was with Goodman’s orchestra at Los Angeles’
Palomar Ballroom in what is often referred to as the start of the swing era.
After a short stint with Tommy Dorsey’s orchestra, Berigan, in 1937, formed
his own band. The band’s first recording ―I Cant Get Started‖ became Berigan’s signature tune. Berigan’s band lasted about 3 years. Although musically successful, the band, and Berigan, struggled financially.
TRY TO REMEMBER
Art Deco & Mid-Century merchandise for sale at:
Beaver Creek Antique Market - Hagerstown, MD (301-739-8075)
Valley Antiques - Funkstown, MD (301-739-5070)
Antique Alley - Millsboro, DE (302-934-9841)
Ecker’s Watch and Clock Shop - Bethesda, MD (8010 Norfolk Ave)
We also arrange and manage estate sales.
For further information or that special item, contact Miriam or Ira Raskin at
301-652-1695, [email protected], or at 301-802-5745
(cell).
(Continued on page
26)
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T R A N S -L UX
V O LU ME 26 NO . 2
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Berigan filed for bankruptcy in 1940, and re-joined Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra. He soon left Dorsey a second time to form his own group. The
stress from his financial woes and one-night stands with his small group took
its toll on Berigan. Already a heavy drinker, Berigan’s health began to fail
and he was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Although told to stop
drinking and to stop playing the trumpet, he did neither.
On May 30, 1942, at the age of 34, Bunny Berigan suffered a massive
hemorrhage and died 2 days later.
To see a clip of Bunny Berigan singing and playing with the Fred Rich Orchestra go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDIY7wp7CBQ
Lew Ayres (December 28, 1908-December 30, 1996) was a musician and
actor best remembered for his performances in All Quiet on the Western
Front (1930) and a series of Dr. Kildare movies.
Although born in Minneapolis, Ayres grew
up in San Diego. His film and music career
began at age 19 as he landed bit parts
in films while playing banjo and guitar
with Henry Halstead’s Orchestra in San
Diego. The group appeared in one of the
earliest Vitaphone shorts, Carnival Night in
Paris (1927).
Ayres later rejoined Halstead and played
at the New Year’s Eve opening of the Beverly Wilshire hotel. Phil Harris
also performed with Halstead’s orchestra that night.
Lew Ayres’ first starring role in a film was opposite Greta Garbo in The
Kiss (1929), but it was his role as Paul Baumer in All Quiet on the Western
Front that made him a star. Among his other notable early performances as
a leading man was in the 1934 Servant’s Entrance with Janet Gaynor. The
film featured a musical dream sequence combining live action and Disney
animation.
Between 1938 and 1942 Ayres starred in eight Dr. Kildare films, becoming a matinee idol. That all came to a screeching halt when Ayres filed as a
conscientious objector when served with a draft notice. Theatres vowed to
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V O LU ME 26 NO . 2
(Continued from page 26)
never show another Ayres film. Although Ayres filed as a conscientious objector, he sought, and eventually was given, a position in the Medical
Corps. He served as a medic under fire in the South Pacific.
Although Ayres returned to film after the war, roles were hard to find. He
won an Oscar nomination for his role in the 1948 film Johnny Belinda. Although he did not win the Oscar, he did win the affection of his co-star,
Jane Wyman. Wyman divorced Ronald Reagan to pursue Ayres, but they
never married. He was married three times—to Lola Lane (1931-1933),
Ginger Rogers (1934-1940), and Diane Hall (1964-1996).
Ayres’ was given the opportunity to revive his role as Dr. Kildare in the
1961 television series, but lost the role when he demanded that the series
have no cigarette advertising. The role went instead to Richard Chamberlain.
Ayres continued to play guest roles in a number of television series including the Mary Taylor Moore Show, Hawaii Five-O, and Little House on the
Prairie.
To see a clip of Lew Ayres in the 1934 film She Learned About Sailors go
to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDU7KgX1RP0. Of course, the real
star of the clip is the incomparable Alice Faye.
www.adsw.org
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V O LU ME 26 NO . 2
Maria Guadalupe Villalobos “Lupe” Vélez (July 18, 1908-December
13, 1944) , along with Doleres del Rio and Ramon Novarro, was one of
the first Mexican-born actors to find success in Hollywood.
Born in San Luis de Potosi, Mexico, Lupe
took dancing lessons in her teens and made
her debut on the Mexican stage in 1924 at the
age of 16. Three years later, she emigrated to
the United States.
Although her first American role was in a
Laurel & Hardy comedy, Lupe was cast primarily in dramatic roles during her first 5
years in Hollywood.
That changed in 1933 when she was given the
starring role in Hot Pepper. Lupe followed
that role with three more comedies in 1934—Strictly Dynamite, Palooka,
and Laughing Boy. Her comedic talents now well established, a series of
Mexican Spitfire films were created to showcase those talents.
Although Lupe found success in Hollywood, her private life was not as
happy. She fell in love with Gary Cooper, but he did not want to marry
her. She married Johnny Weissmuller, but the marriage lasted only 5
years. After turning to drugs and alcohol, Lupe committed suicide at age
34. She was pregnant at the time of her death.
See Lupe Velez sing “Oh Me Oh My” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=MPOWRwNR4Xc
Ethel Merman (January 18, 1908-February 15, 1984) was a star of stage
and film musicals often referred to as “The Grande Dame of the Broadway
Stage.”
Born Ethel Agnes Zimmerman in Queens, New York, Ethel had an early
fascination with the stage, often hanging around the Famous-PlayersLasky Studios to catch a glimpse of Broadway star Alice Brady.
After graduating from high school, Merman found employment as a stenographer at a local factory, largely because her parents wanted her to
have skills to fall back on in case she did not succeed on the stage. While
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V O LU ME 26 NO . 2
(Continued from page 28)
working full time as a stenographer,
Merman worked evenings and
weekends singing at private parties
and nightclubs.
As her singing jobs grew, her parents gave Ethel permission to give
up her day job and pursue her
dream. Merman got her big break in
1930 when she auditioned for
George and Ira Gershwin’s new
musical “Girl Crazy.” When Merman introduced “I Got Rhythm” at the
premiere, the audience went wild, leading to multiple encores.
After stellar performances in two so-so Broadway shows, George White
Scandals (1931) and Take a Chance (1932), Merman made her first film
appearances in We’re Not Dressing (1934) and Kid Millions (1934).
Returning to Broadway, Merman starred in the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes, introducing two songs that would forever be among her standards—”I Get a Kick Out of You” and “You’re the Top.” In 1936, she
starred in the film version.
After one more movie role, in Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Merman again
returned to Broadway where she remained for most of her remaining career. In addition to Anything Goes, Merman starred in five other Cole Porter musicals including Red, Hot and Blue, Dubarry Was a Lady, and Panama Hattie. Her other starring roles on Broadway included Call Me
Madam, Gypsy, and Annie Get Your Gun. Her last Broadway performance
was in 1970 when she appeared as Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly! Ironically,
the role was originally written for Merman.
Merman continued to perform in television specials and in the movies
after her retirement from Broadway. Her final movie role was in Airplane.
She played a soldier suffering from shell-shock who thinks he is Ethel
Merman.
Merman was married and divorced four times.
See Ethel Merman sing “You’re the Top” at http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=k7cpPVmJifc&feature=related
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Born Merwyn Boque, Ish Kabibble (January 19,
1908-June 5, 1994) is best remembered as the comedic foil on Kay Kyser’s College of Musical
Knowledge in the 1940s.
Bogue joined Kyser’s band in 1931 as a trumpeter
and occasional singer of novelty songs. It is said
that his performance of a Yiddish song “Isch Ka
Bibble” was so popular that the audience began to
call Bogue by the song title and soon he changed his
stage name to Ish Kabibble.
Ish Kabibble’s dim-witted character was a hit and he stayed with Kyser’s
band until Kyser’s retirement in 1950. Kabibble started a solo act, backed
by his own Dixieland band, the Shy Guys, but when it failed, Kabibble left
show business and became a real estate agent.
Ish Kabibble’s distinctive bowl cut is often suggested as the inspiration for
Jim Carrey’s role in Dumb and Dumber and even for Jerry Lewis’ look
and persona.Far from being the dimwit he portrayed, Ish Kabibble was
actually the manager of Kyser’s orchestra for nearly 20 years.
I didn’t find Ish Kabibble on youtube other than this Kay Kyser clips with
Kabibble sitting in the orchestra.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=kz3_V5Vx4EQ
Advertising Rates and Deadlines
Business Card—$30
1/3 page—$45
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Full page—$100
Trans-Lux is published quarterly in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Deadlines for receipt of camera-ready ad copy are:
Issue
Deadline
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Summer 2008
Fall 2008
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May 1, 2008
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Mail advertising materials to :Trans-Lux, Attention Jim Linz, PO Box 221011, Chantilly, VA
20153-1011 or send via e-mail to [email protected]. Make checks payable to ADSW.
Prepay for four consecutive issues and receive a 20
percent discount.
Coming Attractions
ADSW Events
June 8, 2008—Preserve and Repair Treasures
June 10, 2008—Film Night—Ramblin Round Radio Row (See p. 17)
June 13, 2008—Dinner Dance at the Carlyle Club (See p. 24)
June 21-22, 2008—Northern Virginia Antiques & Modernism Show (See p. 27)
July 12, 2008—Tour the National Library of Broadcasting (See. P. 21.)
September 12, 2008—Film Night—Harold Teen (See p. 17)
Check the ADSW website or sign up for email notification of upcoming events
Other Events in the Washington, D.C. Area
June 10, 2008 – The Hillwood Museum will present ―A Dazzling Affair: Mrs. Post’s Extraordinary Jewelry Collection.‖ This
illustrated lecture by senior curator Liana Paredes will explore how Mrs. Post put together her legendary collection. Jewelers included Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Harry Winston, and Verdura.
http://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/programs.html
June 25, 2008--The Corcoran will offer a program on Art Deco jewelry. In ―ICED: Art Deco Diamonds and Design,‖ fifthgeneration jeweler Dino Pampillonia will present estate jewelry market information about the distinctive elements of
jewelry design from the Roaring Twenties and early 1930s.
http://www.corcoran.org/programs/dspProgramSearch.asp?event_id=1818
June 28, 2008 – ―Dark Tower Revisited: Music and Dramatic Readings of the Harlem Renaissance‖ will feature classics by
Fats Waller and Bessie Smith, and present vignettes of plays and poetry by Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.
Morgan State University Theater and Music Departments will perform at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. See website for other related programs.
http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/aam_freepublicprograms.htm
July 5, 2008 – Silver Spring's Original "Main Street," Georgia Avenue will be featured in this historical walking tour with
Jerry A. McCoy. For additional information, email [email protected] or call 301.537.1253. Saturdays through September 6, 2008
July 17-July 20, 2008 – The annual SLAPSTICON 2008 is an international film festival dedicated to classic motion picture
comedy. Screenings will feature rare shorts and selected feature-length comedies, including ―Trimmed in Gold‖ from 1925
with Billy Bevan, ―A Rainy Knight from 1925 with Raymond Mckee and Eugenia Gilbert, and ―Taxi Dolls‖ from 1929 with
Jack Cooper. Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre in Arlington, Virginia.
http://www.slapsticon.org
July 23, 2008 – ―The World of Louis Comfort Tiffany‖ will be a lecture about the life and accomplishments of the artist
and designer. Attendees will learn about his achievements in blown-glass vessels, mosaics, and his vibrantly colored
leaded-glass windows and lamps. This event will be at the American Red Cross, which has three Tiffany studio windows.
Sponsored by the Smithsonian Resident Associates and the American Red Cross.
http://residentassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/search.aspx?keyword=C-Art_Architecture
July 26, 2008 – ―Art Deco: Vibrant, Eclectic, and Dynamic‖ will be an all-day seminar featuring art historian Bonita Billman discussing Deco’s origins at The International Exposition of Decorative Arts in Paris and its influence in France, England,
New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Sponsored by the Smithsonian Resident Associates.
http://residentassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/search.aspx?keyword=C-Art_Architecture
July 31, 2008 – The National Gallery of Art will offer a talk by Diane Arkin about ―The Cubists.‖ It also will be held Aug.
4–7, 18, 19
http://www.nga.gov/programs/galtalks/index.shtm#cubists
Events Outside the Washington, D.C. Area
Now Showing—Washington Area
Cityscapes Revealed: Highlights from the Collection at the National Building Museum.-- This first-time survey of the
National Building Museum’s collection will offer detailed drawings, rare, early-20th-century photos, and original building
fragments from national historic landmarks. http://www.nbm.org/Exhibits/upcoming.html
“Building the Pentagon, 1941-1943.” Arlington Historical Museum. Ongoing. The museum, located at 1805 S. Arlington
Ridge Road, is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 P.M.
“Here to Stay” Library of Congress. Features sound recordings, sheet music, and memorabilia from the Gershwin collec-
(Continued on back cover)
(Continued from inside cover)
tion.
“Washington Symbol and City” National Building Museum. Offers stories about the city’s early plans, its development, and growth of its neighborhoods; ongoing (www.nbm.org)
“Silver Mysteries: Black & White Photographs of 1930s Washington by Volkmar Wentzel.” Decatur House. Phone
202-842-0920.
“Cartoon American: Highlights From the Art Wood Collection of Cartoon & Caricature.” Library of Congress.
Includes works by Thomas Nast, Winsor McCay, Chic Young, and Lynn Johnson. Call 202-707-4604.
Amelia Earhart’s Personal Collection. The National Postal Museum features pieces from Earhart’s stamp collection,
including photographs and stamps commemorating her flights. She often flew signed pieces of mail that were then
sold to philatelists to support her endeavors. Now through Nov. 11, 2008. http://www.si.edu/visit/whatsnew/
NPM.ASP
Victory Mail. Another National Postal Museum exhibition that features a collection of World War II V-mail correspondence. Items include a rare strip of 16mm V-mail microfilm, which were usually destroyed after the contents
were printed, and various letters that reveal military life in the Pacific and European Theaters. Indefinitely.
www.postalmuseum.si.edu/victorymail
Ornament as Art: Avant-Garde Jewelry from the Helen Williams Drutt Collection.
This exhibition at the Renwick Gallery features 275 pieces of avant-garde jewelry by contemporary artists from
around the world and explores the history of the craft. Now through July 6, 2008.
http://americanart.si.edu/collections/exhibitions.cfml
Tour Glen Echo Park. The National Park Service offers walking tours of the park on Saturdays and Sundays. Focus
is on the park’s history and its programs in arts, dance, and other activities. Also check out the dances at the famous
Art Deco Spanish Ballroom at http://www.glenechopark.org/calIndex.aspx?id=2
“Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist.” The Smithsonian American Art Museum presents one of the most
influential visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance. More than 80 rarely seen works include paintings, prints, drawings, and illustrations. Now through Aug. 3
http://americanart.si.edu/collections/index.cfm
“All About Bette: The Films of Bette Davis.” The National Theatre shows films of the legendary actress on Mondays. Movies include ―The Little Foxes,‖ ―Marked Woman,‖ ―Jezebel,‖ and ―Dark Victory.‖ Free admission but
tickets required. Now through Aug. 11.
http://nationaltheatre.org/cinema/cinema.htm
“Steichen: Portraits.” The National Portrait Gallery will present photographs from the chief photographer for
Condé Nast’s Vanity Fair from 1923 to1936. Edward Steichen created compelling portraits of many of that era’s
personalities, from Charlie Chaplin to Franklin D. Roosevelt to Fred Astaire. April 11-Sept. 1, 2008. http://
www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/curex30.htm
“Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist.” This exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum will offer
more than 80 rarely seen works by the Harlem Renaissance artist, including paintings, prints, drawings and illustrations, in addition to works by several of his contemporaries. Cubist, Art Deco, and traditional African and AfricanAmerican imagery are evident in his work. May 9-Aug. 3, 2008. http://americanart.si.edu/collections/index.cfm
Now Showing—Outside Washington, DC
Ateliers Jean Prouvé. The Museum of Modern Art in New York features an exhibit about the French architect and
designer. The exhibition focuses on Prouvé's design and development of his "Standard" Chair, first designed in
1935. Approximately 20 pieces are featured. Now through March 30, 2009. http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/
exhibitions.php?id=8650
The Kelly Art Deco Light Museum. This establishment claims more than 400 light fixtures including wall sconces,
chandeliers, and table lights, from 1928-1938. Permanent.
http://www.thedecomuseum.com/
“Fashioning Kimono: Art Deco and Modernism in Japan.” This exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art will
feature 100 kimonos created in the late nineteenth and early-to-mid twentieth centuries. Some reflect historical
continuity in designs and techniques, while others are clearly influenced by Western art. April 26, 2008 - July 20,
2008.
http://www.philamuseum.org/press/releases/2007/646.html
Upcoming Exhibits
“Paris/New York: Design Fashion Culture 1925-1940.” This exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York will
explore architecture, design, film, fashion, and the performing arts during this15-year period. Styles from Art Deco
to neo-romanticism will be examined along with the work of Helena Rubinstein, Coco Chanel, Salvador Dali, and
Josephine Baker, and lesser-known figures such as costume and set designer Pavel Tchelitchew.
Oct 3, 2008-Feb. 22, 2009
http://www.mcny.org/exhibitions/future/715.html