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Few Singers Have Enjoyed Such a Sudden Leap to National Favor as This Good-Natured Son of the West, Russ Columbo. Intended for a Concert Violinist, He Learned to Play a "Hot Fiddle" Instead, Opened a Night Club in Hollywood, and Sky-Rocketed to Fame and Popularity on the National Network
when the glee club director discovered Columbo had a fine voice.
A bit of tragedy then entered the youth's life. His father suffered financial reverses and lost his small savings. Russ was forced to abandon his academic career.
In the summer time he was booked for tours with the California fruit growers association and travelled all over his brother-in-law's big vineyard behind a four-horse plow. This labor brought $12 a week, a bit less than he'd made years previous in San Francsico.
He organized his own little orchestra, held rehearsals in the evenings, and started to sing "hot" numbers. Within a short time a man named Eckhardt offered him $75.00 a week to sing at the Mayfair Hotel in Los Angeles. From the Mayfair he went to the Roosevelt Hotel with "Prof." Moore and learned to play the "hot fiddle." For a short time he was with Gus Arnheim's famous band at the Ambassador Hotel. Then the movies attracted him.
He went to the Lasky Studios. A friend, Gino Corrado, told him he ought to find a job plaving "side line" music. He landed at $90 a week and felt himself rich.
He was overjoyed, for Pola Negri needed a violinist and he got the job. For two years he walked on air.
At Warner Brothers he met Monte Blue, and Blue thought the earnest black-haired boy had the makings of an actor. Studio executives, however, disagreed with Monte Blue. They said his acting was "too Latin" for the American public.
Russ bade adieu to the movie lots and took a whirl through the coast clubs and vaude circuits. Then he recklessly opened his own night resort, the Pyramid Club, and it began to make money just before Con Conrad came on the scene.
Conrad was a stranger at the club but he was enthused by the potential possibilities of Columbo's voice. "Kid," he said to Columbo, talking in Tin Pan Alley slang, "you've got a great future with that voice. Radio's your game. I want you to take a long shot. Go to Europe with me first for an engagement
and then we'll crash the networks in \. u \ ork."
Columbo took a gambler's chance. Within a few days he was bound for New York and Europe. Conrad decided to get him on audition at the NBC studios— "just for the fun of it" — before embarking on the ocean voyage. Since then, some three months ago, Columbo has been at NBC.
Now he has signed a big commercial contract, following on a program originally featuring Bobby Jones.
Russ Columbo — young,
handsome — and so modest he is still surprised over his sensational success.
RADIO DOINGS
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