[78-L] Willie Howard

[Thomas Stern]

Below is all the information I've been able to gather from internet sources and your input
about Willie Howard.
There are many missing details - all input, updates additions corrections appreciated!!!
 Victor recordings??
 What did he perform in the Radio broadcasts, films?
 Details of the "Personalities on Parade" LPs'?
 "amalgamated" LP catalog number, source?
 Jubilee ep catalog number??
etc.
Thanks, Thomas.


WILLIE HOWARD

Howard, Willie [né Wilhelm Levkowitz] (13 April 1886, Neustadt, Germany-14 January 1949, Paramus, New Jersey), comedian. Born in
Germany, he grew up on New York's Lower East Side and made his debut in vaudeville in 1897 as a boy soprano. He later appeared
with Anna Held in The Little Duchess (1901). In 1903 the tiny, tousle-haired, impish-faced Willie joined his taller, heavy-set,
dapper brother Eugene HOWARD [né Isidore] (1880–1965), who had made his debut in the chorus of The Belle of New York (1897) in a
vaudeville act called “The Messenger Boy and the Thespian.” At about the same time, Willie began his well-liked imitations of
other popular performers. The brothers remained in vaudeville for ten years. Two of their most famous turns were “French Taught in
a Hurry,” in which Willie played a language teacher whose French was more Yiddish and broken English than Gallic, and a spoof of
the quartet from Rigoletto, in which Willie was a singer who could not keep his eyes off the prima donna's huge bust. In 1912 they
joined the first Passing Show, remaining with later editions and in other Shubert revues until 1922. They then returned to
vaudeville until appearing in George White's Scandals of 1926 and several later editions. They also appeared in Ballyhoo of 1932,
the Ziegfeld Follies of 1934, and The Show Is On (1937). Willie played without Eugene in Sky High (1925) and Girl Crazy (1930)
and, after Eugene's retirement in 1940, in Crazy with the Heat (1941), My Dear Public (1943), and a 1948 revival of Sally.



VICTOR
  none listed in EVDR (through 1924),
  didn't find any in 78discography
anyone have details?????????????????


COLUMBIA
Willie  Howard, comedian with orchestra accompaniment

04/22/1925
140547   The Barber of Seville (from "Sky High")      Co 370D
          (Rubens, Kelsey, Grey)
140548   Let It Rain (Kendis-Dyson)                   Co 370D


09/03/1925
w140897  My Yiddishe Momme                            Co 473D
W140898  When Nathan Was Married to Rose of Washington Square
                                                      Co 455D  C2K 86323
                                                      Intersound CDD 3454

09/04/1925
w140903  Valeska (My Russian Rose)                    Co 455D
W140904  After The Opera                              Co 473D


Film/Soundie ?????
1926:  Between the Acts at the Opera (as The Howard Brothers)
       aka "The Howard Brothers in Between the Acts of the Opera"


1931 FILM:
Willie & Eugene Howard in "I'm telling you"      Vaudeville Nation Program 3 (DVD)
(performer: "Sweepin' the Clouds Away" (uncredited))


1935 FILM:
 Millions in the Air .... Tony Pagano


Radio [Broadcast] follies of 1935                Amalgamated (LP) XXXX
Al Jolson, Wallace Berry, co-hosts.
Bette Davis, Dixie Lee Crosby, Lee Wiley, Judy Garland, Paul Robeson,
Deanna Durbin, Joe Penner, Willie Howard.
 Silly hilly billy (Willie Howard)


07/20/35  SHELL CHATEAU  NBC broadcast           J David Goldin archive 5842
 Comic dialogue (Willie Howard and Eddie Moran)


Libraray of Congress NBC Radio Collection
The Rudy Vallee Show, NBC Red networkd 8:00-9:00pm
11/14/1935                                   RWB 7270 B1-4


1936 FILM:
 Rose of the Rancho .... Pancho Spiegelgass


1937 FILM:
 Playboy Number One .... Professor Pierre Ginsberg
 The Smart Way .... Professor Pierre Ginsberg
 Broadway Melody of 1938 .... The Waiter             MGM VHS
 The Affairs of Pierre .... Prof. Pierre Ginsbairge


Libraray of Congress NBC Radio Collection
The Rudy Vallee Show, NBC Red networkd 8:00-9:00pm
07/29/1937                                   RWA 2226 B1-4
08/19/1937                                   RWA 2228 A1-4
09/16/1937                                   RWA 2230 A1-4


1938 FILM:
 Pardon My Accident .... Professor Pierre Ginsbairge
The Miss They Missed (1938) .... Professor Pierre


Libraray of Congress NBC Radio Collection
The Rudy Vallee Show, NBC Red networkd 8:00-9:00pm
07/28/1938                                   RWA 2805 B1-4
01/26/1939                                   RWA 2850 A1-4


1942/1943 ???
GALA album 1                  3-10" 78rpm
Willie Howard in an album of comedy and songs
[Messrs. Edward J. and Harry Lee Danziger present a Gala record revue starring Willie Howard in an album of comedy and songs]
 Gala 1000 A&B: French taught in a hurry.
 Gala 1001 A    Tyrone Shapiro (The Bronx Caballero)
 Gala 1001 B    Moscow Art Players (impressions)
 Gala 1002 A    Comes the revolution (comedy political speech)
 Gala 1002 B    Jessel, Jolson, Cantor (imitations)


Libraray of Congress NBC Radio Collection
06/13/1944  Raleigh Room                     RWA 6581-82 B4-A1
            NBC broadcast 10:30-11:00pm


Libraray of Congress NBC Radio Collection
09/14/1947  Texaco Star Theater              RWB 6356 A1-4
            NBC broadcast 8:00-9:00pm


c.1947
Willie Howard, Al "Doubletalk" Kelly-*
Ruby Melnick's Orchestra
JR-58   Salty-Saul-Peter (Henry Tobias)              JUBILEE 3507
JR-59   Professor Pierre Marquette -*                JUBILEE 3507


Archive Footage:
It Pays to Be Funny (1947) .... Pierre (edited from: Affairs of Pierre)


1948 TV:
"The Milton Berle Show"
 ... aka "Texaco Star Theater"
 ... aka "The Buick-Berle Show"
    - Episode #1.15 (1948) TV episode .... Himself - Singer/Comedian
    - Episode #1.14 (1948) TV episode .... Himself - Comedian/Singer
    - Episode #1.11 (1948) TV episode .... Himself - Singer/Comedian
"Toast of the Town"
 ... aka "The Ed Sullivan Show"
    - Episode #1.8 (1948) TV episode (as The Howard Brothers) .... Himself


Libraray of Congress Danny Kaye/Sylvia Fine Kaye Radio Collection
02/06/1949  Hi! Jinx                         RGA 3224 (RWD 9068 A3)
            Jinx Falkenburg, Tex McCrary, hosts
            WNBC 12:00pm
Summary
Program opens with Kaye's recording of Dina, followed by electrical transcriptions of other great comedians, Willie Howard, Moran
& Mack, Will Rogers, W.C. Fields, and Joe Penner, measuring Kaye against these. Program continues with electrical transcription
interview by Jinx made backstage at Roxy Theater, where Kaye is now appearing, with Jinx reviewing Danny's career in show
business.[Transcribed from NBC card in Recorded Sound Reference Center.]


Columbia Transcriptions: TV25925--TV25926           10"-LP c.1950
The voices of the all-time comedy greats in their funniest moments.
 "Presented by Ken-L-Ration." Contents: W.C. Fields -- Willie & Eugene Howard -- Burns & Allen -- Will Rogers -- Jimmy Durante --
Weber & Fields -- Harry Hershfield -- Moran & Mack (the Two Black Crows) -- Georgie Jessel.


?????
a ten-inch LP in the 50s, from an ad in an old Long Player or Schwann.


Show Biz Records SB-1003                            LP 1965
This is my show business
Narrated by George Jessel & featuring the voices of persons in
show business and public life.
  Willie Howard - ?????


Personalities on parade. Vol. 3                     LP 1988
  Got a gal in Cal-i-for-ni-ay (Willie Howard)


Personalities on parade. Vol. 4                     LP 1989
  I'm on the crest of a wave (Harry Richman, Willie Howard, & George White)





Columbia 370D, 455D, 473D      10"-78rpm    1925
Columbia Legacy C2K 86323        2-CD       2002
  From Avenue A to the Great White Way
   -Yiddish & American popular songs from 1914-1950
Intersound CDD 3454                CD       1993
   Mazel Tov-more music of the Jewish people
Jubilee 3507                   10"-78rpm  c.1947
        ????                    7"-45rpm    ????