
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.
78 acting credits
Acting · 78

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962

The Mike Douglas Show
1961

Batman
1966

Petticoat Junction
1963

The Merv Griffin Show
1962

What's My Line?
1950

Night Gallery
1970

The Name of the Game
1968

CHiPs
1977

Here's Lucy
1968

The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950

Alias Smith and Jones
1971

The Ed Sullivan Show
1948

Kraft Television Theatre
1947

Ellery Queen
1975

Your Show of Shows
1950

December Bride
1954

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
1957

The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
1987
The Chicago Teddy Bears
1971

A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
1935

Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons
1995

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
1967

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
1947

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1976

The Helen Morgan Story
1957

Unfaithfully Yours
1948

Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984

The Palm Beach Story
1942

Live a Little, Love a Little
1968

Sweet Music
1935

International House
1933

I Remember Mama
1948

Breakdowns of 1938
1938

My Dear Secretary
1948

The Night They Raided Minsky's
1968

Father Was a Fullback
1949

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
1947

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
2015

Gold Diggers in Paris
1938

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
1949

Man Alive
1945
Too Many Blondes
1941

Second Fiddle
1939

The Phynx
1970

It's in the Bag!
1945

Glorifying the American Girl
1929

The Admiral Was a Lady
1950

Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
1942

The Golden Twenties
1950

The Fabulous Suzanne
1946
Hansel and Gretel
1958

Things You Never See on the Screen
1935

So This Is New York
1948

Hollywood on Parade No. B-9
1934

Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
1943

Ricochet Romance
1954

11th. Naval District "United States Coast Guard Band"
1944

Mother Is a Freshman
1949

Rodeo Dough
1940

People Are Funny
1946

The Perfect Woman
1981

Men Who Rate a 10
1980

Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
1955

George White's Scandals
1934

Slashed Dreams
1975

Jazz Ball
1956

Happy Go Lucky
1943

Kitty from Kansas City
1931

The Vagabond Lover
1929

Time Out for Rhythm
1941
The Musical Doctor
1932
Campus Sweethearts
1930

Rudy Vallee Melodies
1932
Radio Rhythm
1929

Betty Co-ed
1931

Lydia
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