Horace Heidt

Horace Heidt (May 21, 1901 – December 1, 1986) was an American pianist, big band leader, and radio and television personality. His band, Horace Heidt and his Musical Knights, toured vaudeville and performed on radio and television during the 1930s and 1940s.

Horace Heidt
Heidt in 1937
Background information
Born(1901-05-21)May 21, 1901
Alameda, California, U.S.
DiedDecember 1, 1986(1986-12-01) (aged 85)
Los Angeles
GenresBig band
Occupation(s)Musician, bandleader
InstrumentsPiano
Associated actsHorace Heidt and His Musical Knights

Early years

Born in Alameda, California, Heidt attended Culver Academies. At the University of California, Berkeley, he was a guard on the football team. A broken back suffered in a practice session caused him to give up football, leading him to turn his attention to music. He and some classmates formed a band, The Californians.[1]

Career

From 1932 to 1953, he was one of the more popular radio bandleaders, heard on both NBC and CBS in a variety of different formats over the years. He began on the NBC Blue Network in 1932 with Shell Oil's Ship of Joy and Answers by the Dancers. During the late 1930s on CBS he did Captain Dobbsie's Ship of Joy and Horace Heidt's Alemite Brigadiers before returning to NBC for 1937–39 broadcasts.[2] It was at this time that the band featured guitar legend Alvino Rey and The King Sisters.

In 1936 Horace Heidt conducted an ensemble of eight musicians all of whom played harmonica on Saturday evenings at the Drake Hotel in Chicago.[3]

Singer Matt Dennis got his start with Heidt's band, and Art Carney was the band's singing comedian. The Heidt band's recordings were highly successful, with "Gone with the Wind" going to No. 1 in 1937 and "Ti-Pi-Tin" to No. 1 in 1938. In 1939, "The Man with the Mandolin" ranked No. 2 on the charts.

He and his band played on the NBC Pot o' Gold radio show (1939–41).[4] The 1941 film of the same title, produced by James Roosevelt (son of the U.S. president) and directed by George Marshall, starred James Stewart and Paulette Goddard, and it featured Heidt portraying himself with his band. Carney can be glimpsed in some of the film's musical numbers. The movie gives a fairly accurate depiction of Heidt's radio show but features staged sequences, such as a scene in which a Minnesota farmer (allegedly phoned at random by Heidt during his radio show) is played by well-known character actor John Qualen.[2]

From 1940 to 1944 he did Tums Treasure Chest, followed by 1943–45 shows on the Blue Network. Lucky Strike sponsored The American Way on CBS in 1953.[2]

On December 7, 1947, Heidt shortly came out of his retirement and founded a talent show. The talent show was sponsored by Phillip Morris Cigarettes, and lasted several years.[5]

He died in 1986 and was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles.[6]

Legacy

For his contribution to radio, Heidt has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1631 Vine Street; and a second star for his contribution to television at 6628 Hollywood Boulevard. In 2001, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.[7]

Discography

Billboard hits

The songs are listed with the most widely successful first.[8]

SongYearChart position
I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire1941US Billboard 1 – 1941 (13 weeks), Australia 1 for 2 months – Oct 1942,
US 1940s 2 – Sep 1941 (11 weeks), DDD 10 of 1941, US invalid BB 17 of 1941
Deep in the Heart of Texas1942Australia 1 for 2 months – Dec 1943, US Billboard 7 – 1942 (6 weeks),
US 1940s 7 – Mar 1942 (4 weeks)
Ti–Pi–Tin1938US Billboard 01 – 1938 (13 weeks)
Your Hit Parade 9 of 1938
The Hut Sut Song (A Swedish Serenade)1941US Billboard 03 – 1941 (13 weeks),
US 1940s 3 – Jun 1941 (6 weeks), DDD 46 of 1941
G'bye Now1941US Billboard 02 – 1941 (12 weeks),
US 1940s 2 – May 1941 (7 weeks)
Gone with the Wind1937US Billboard 01 – 1937 (9 weeks)
This Can't Be Love1938US Billboard 06 – 1938 (5 weeks), Jazz Standard 123
Goodbye Dear, I'll Be Back in a Year1941US Billboard 03 – 1941 (14 weeks),
US 1940s 8 – Jul 1941 (2 weeks)
The Man with the Mandolin1939US Billboard 02 – 1939 (10 weeks)
Don't Fence Me In1945US Billboard 10 – Feb 1945 (2 weeks),
US 1940s 10 – Feb 1945 (2 weeks)
Shepherd's Serenade1941US Billboard 07 – 1941 (8 weeks),
US 1940s 7 – Dec 1941 (5 weeks)
Once in a While1937US Billboard 02 – 1937 (7 weeks)
Lovelight in the Starlight1938US Billboard 03 – 1938 (14 weeks)
Sweet as a Song1938US Billboard 03 – 1938 (9 weeks)
Little Heaven of the Seven Seas1937US Billboard 03 – 1937 (5 weeks)
Vieni Vieni1937US Billboard 04 – 1937 (4 weeks)
This Time It's Real1938US Billboard 06 – 1938 (10 weeks)
Rosalie1938US Billboard 06 – 1938 (4 weeks)
There's a Goldmine in the Sky1937US Billboard 05 – Dec 1937 (4 weeks)
Hot Lips1937US Billboard 05 – 1937 (4 weeks)
It's the Natural Thing to Do1937US Billboard 05 – 1937 (5 weeks)
Little Sir Echo1939US Billboard 07 – 1939 (5 weeks)
Tu–Li Tulip Time1938US Billboard 07 – 1938 (3 weeks)
Penny Serenade1939US Billboard 08 – 1939 (7 weeks)
Shabby Old Cabby1939US Billboard 09 – 1939 (3 weeks)
My Marguerita1938US Billboard 08 – 1938 (4 weeks)
I Long to Belong to You1939US Billboard 12 – 1939 (7 weeks)
Heigh-Ho1938US Billboard 12 – 1938 (2 weeks)
Sweet Someone1937US Billboard 09 – Dec 1937 (9 weeks)
Tomorrow Night1939US Billboard 16 – 1939 (1 week)
Dawn of a New Day1939US Billboard 17 – 1939 (2 weeks)
When They Played the Polka1938US Billboard 14 – 1938 (2 weeks)
That Old Black Magic1943US Billboard 11 – 1943 (3 weeks)
The Girl in the Bonnet of Blue1938US Billboard 15 – 1938 (4 weeks)
Let's Stop the Clock1939US Billboard 20 – 1939 (1 week)
Oh Marie Oh Marie1937US Billboard 12 – 1937 (2 weeks)
Lovely One1937US Billboard 12 – 1937 (2 weeks)
This is the Army, Mr Jones1943US Billboard 20 – 1943 (1 week)
The Miller's Daughter Marianne1937US Billboard 17 – 1937 (2 weeks)
in the Mission by the Sea1937US Billboard 17 – Dec 1937 (2 weeks)
Friendly Tavern Polka1941US Billboard 08 – 1941 (15 weeks)
Three Little Sisters1942US Billboard 18 – 1942 (1 week)
Little Bo Peep Has Lost Her Jeep1942US Billboard 19 – 1942 (2 weeks)
Pennsylvania Polka1942US Billboard 21 – 1942 (1 week)
When You Wish upon a Star1940US Billboard 12 – 1940 (5 weeks)
Carle Meets Mozart (Turkish March)1942US Billboard 22 – 1942 (1 week)
B–I–Bi1941US Billboard 10 – 1941 (10 weeks)
Make Love with a Guitar1940US Billboard 18 – 1940 (2 weeks)
Mamma1941US Billboard 14 – 1941 (6 weeks)
The Stars and Stripes Forever1940US Billboard 26 – 1940 (1 week)

Friendly Tavern Polka" was re-released on 3-25-44. It was US Billboard 24-1944 (1 week). "Pound Your Table Polka" sung by Mary Martin was US Billboard 22-1942 (1 week). "It's in the Book" sung by Johnny Standley was US Billboard 1-1952 (2 weeks) million seller.[8]

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References
  1. "Broken Back Helped Heidt To Success in Show World". Capital Journal. August 6, 1951. p. 17. Retrieved July 30, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Dunning, John (May 7, 1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 330. ISBN 9780195076783 – via Google Books.
  3. Photograph of Horace Heidt and eight harmonica musicians performing at the Drake Hotel Chicago in 1936 – Brian G. Bardy
  4. Gilliland, John (1994). Pop Chronicles the 40s: The Lively Story of Pop Music in the 40s (audiobook). ISBN 978-1-55935-147-8. OCLC 31611854. Tape 2, side B.
  5. Walker, Leo (1972). The Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands. New York: Doubleday. pp. 178–179.
  6. Horace Heidt at Find a Grave
  7. "Wayback Machine" (PDF). May 8, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-05-08.
  8. "Song artist 444 - Horace Heidt". Tsort.info.
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