Image of Paul Whiteman

Paul Whiteman

Paul Whiteman began his musical career as a viola player for the San Francisco Symphony. He enlisted in the Navy during World War I, and his musical abilities resulted in the Navy putting him in charge of his own band. After the war he moved to New York in 1920, where he recorded his first hit, Whispering/The Japanese Sandman. It sold more than two million copies, making Whiteman was an instant star. In 1924 he introduced the George Gershwin classic Rhapsody in Blue, which became the band's signature song. Whiteman had the foresight to hire some of the best jazz musicians of the era, including Red Nichols, Frankie Trumbauer, Tommy Dorsey and Bix Beiderbecke. Bing Crosby got his start with Whiteman in 1929, in a trio called the Rhythm Boys. Whiteman's band continued its run into the 1930s, but toward the end of the decade their popularity began to wane, and in the early 1940s Whiteman took a job as musical director for the American Broadcasting Co., a position he kept into the '60s. He would put together his band every so often during that period, and in the early 1960s they even managed to secure engagements in Las Vegas, after which Whiteman retired. Date of Birth 28 March 1890, Denver, Colorado, USA Date of Death 29 December 1967, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA  (heart attack)


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Born:
Mar 28, 1890
Movie/TV Credits:
14
First Appeared:
In the movie The Voice of Hollywood No. 3 1930-01-31
Latest Project:
Series America's Greatest Bands 1955-06-25
Known For
Poster of America's Greatest Bands
Poster of I Know Everybody and Everybody's Racket
Poster of My Pal Paul
Poster of The Voice of Hollywood No. 3
Filmography
Series America's Greatest Bands 1955-06-25
Movie The Golden Twenties Self (archive footage) 1950-04-08
Series The Ed Sullivan Show Unknown 1948-06-20
Movie The Fabulous Dorseys Paul Whiteman 1947-02-26
Movie Rhapsody in Blue Paul Whiteman 1945-06-27
Movie Atlantic City Himself 1944-09-15
Movie Birth of the Blues Self (archive footage) 1941-11-07
Movie Strike Up the Band Paul Whiteman 1940-09-27
Movie Hollywood Hotel Producer at Callahan's Drive In (uncredited) 1938-01-15
Movie Thanks a Million Himself - Bandleader 1935-11-13
Movie I Know Everybody and Everybody's Racket Self / Orchestra Leader (as Paul Whiteman and Orchestra) 1933-01-23
Movie The Voice of Hollywood No. 3 Himself 1930-01-31
Movie King of Jazz Paul Whiteman 1930-04-20
Movie My Pal Paul Himself 1930-06-15