[78-L] US Columbia in the UK

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "agp" <agp2176 at verizon.net>
> The discussion of about Jonathan and Darlene got me to thinking about 
> the fortunes of US Columbia in the UK prior to the birth of the CBS 
> label there.
> 
> I am not sure what happened with US Columbia releases in the 40s --- 
> did they end up on HMV?
> 
US Columbia reecordings were issued on UK Columbia until some
point in 1954, after which they appeared on Philips in the UK. Oddly
enough, the existence of EMI (a merger of HMV and Co(UK)) had
already caused the end of the US Columbia label being owned by its
UK branch; it was then sold to Grigsby-Grunow (who manufactured
and sold Majestic radios)...who went broke in 1934, so Columbia
was acquired (for around $70,000!) by ARC. Compo actually wanted
to acquire Columbia, but couldn't raise the cash to do so...!!

I used to know the details...but have, sadly, long since forgotten them
without making any notes (MY BAD!).

...stevenc