Editing Paul Whiteman (section)

==Career==
Whiteman's skill at the viola resulted in a place in the [[Denver Symphony Orchestra]] by 1907, joining the [[San Francisco Symphony]] in 1914. In 1918, Whiteman conducted a 12-piece [[United States military bands|U.S. Navy band]], the [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard|Mare Island]] Naval Training Camp Symphony Orchestra (NTCSO).<ref>Don Rayno, _Paul Whiteman: Pioneer in American Music_ Vol. 1</ref> After World War I, he formed the Paul Whiteman Orchestra.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/642799/Paul-Whiteman|title=Paul Whiteman: American Bandleader|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=April 12, 2015}}</ref>

That year he led a popular dance band in the city. In 1920, he moved with his band to New York City where they began recording for the [[Victor Talking Machine Company]].<ref name="Larkin"/> The popularity of these records led to national fame. In his first five recordings sessions for Victor, August 9 – October 28, 1920, he used the name "Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra", presumably because he had been playing at the [[Tropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic City#The Ambassador Hotel (1919–1977)|Ambassador Hotel]] in [[Atlantic City]]. From November 3, 1920, he started using "Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra."<ref>Albert Haim, [http://www.network54.com/Forum/27140/message/1292084191/Paul+Whiteman+and+His+Ambassador+Orchestra "Paul Whiteman and His Ambassador Orchestra"], network54.com; accessed January 7, 2016.</ref>

Whiteman became the most popular band director of that decade. In a time when most dance bands consisted of six to ten men, Whiteman directed a more imposing group that numbered as many as 35 musicians. By 1922, Whiteman already controlled some 28 ensembles on the East Coast and was earning over $1,000,000 a year.<ref name="AAJ">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz1922.htm|title=History of Jazz Time Line: 1922|magazine=All About Jazz|access-date=December 2, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415042140/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz1922.htm|archive-date=April 15, 2011}}</ref>

In 1926, Paul Whiteman was on tour in Vienna, Austria when he met and was interviewed by a young ambitious newspaper reporter named [[Billy Wilder]] who was also a fan of Whiteman's band.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/29/us/billy-wilder-master-of-caustic-films-dies-at-95.html|title=Billy Wilder, Master of Caustic Films, Dies at 95|last=Harmetz|first=Aljean|date=March 29, 2002|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 4, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Whiteman liked young Wilder enough, that he took him with the band to Berlin where Wilder was able to make more connections in the entertainment field, leading him to become a screenwriter and director, eventually ending up in Hollywood.

In 1927, the Whiteman orchestra backed [[Hoagy Carmichael]] singing and playing on a recording of "[[Washboard Blues]]".<ref name="alec">{{cite book|first=Alec|last=Wilder|year=1990|title=American Popular Song: The Great Innovators 1900–1950|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York & Oxford|isbn=0-19-501445-6|url=https://archive.org/details/americanpopulars00alec}}</ref> Whiteman signed with [[Columbia Records]] in May 1928, leaving the label in September 1930 when he refused a pay cut. He returned to [[RCA Victor]] between September 1931 and March 1937.

==="The King of Jazz"===
[[File:Paul Whiteman en zijn orkest.ogv|thumb|250px|thumbtime=101|Paul Whiteman in [[Scheveningen]], the Netherlands (1926)]]

Beginning in 1923 after the [[Buescher Band Instrument Company]] placed a crown on his head, the media referred to Whiteman as "The King of Jazz".<ref>{{cite book|title=Louis Armstrong & Paul Whiteman: Two Kings of Jazz|last=Berrett|first=Joshua|isbn=978-0-300-10384-7|publisher=Yale University Press|year=2004|page=[https://archive.org/details/louisarmstrongpa00berr_0/page/123 123]|url=https://archive.org/details/louisarmstrongpa00berr_0/page/123}}</ref> Whiteman emphasized the way he approached the well-established style of jazz music, while also organizing its composition and style in his own fashion.<ref name="Larkin"/>

While most jazz musicians and fans consider improvisation to be essential to the musical style, Whiteman thought the genre could be improved by orchestrating the best of it, with formal written arrangements.<ref name="Larkin"/> [[Eddie Condon]] criticized him for trying to "make a lady" out of jazz.<ref name="Red Hot Jazz Archive"/> Whiteman's recordings were popular critically and commercially, and his style of jazz was often the first jazz of any form that many Americans heard during the era. Whiteman wrote more than 3000 [[arrangement]]s.<ref name="pbs.org">{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_whiteman_paul.htm|title=Paul Whiteman Biography|work=[[PBS]]|access-date=April 12, 2015}}</ref>

For more than 30 years Whiteman, referred to as "Pops", sought and encouraged promising musicians, vocalists, composers, arrangers, and entertainers. In 1924 he commissioned [[George Gershwin]]'s ''[[Rhapsody in Blue]]'', which was premiered by his orchestra with the composer at the piano.<ref name="Larkin"/> Another familiar piece in Whiteman's repertoire was ''[[Grand Canyon Suite]]'' by [[Ferde Grofé]].

=== Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra ===
Whiteman hired many of the best jazz musicians for his band, including [[Bix Beiderbecke]], [[Frankie Trumbauer]], [[Joe Venuti]], [[Eddie Lang]], [[Steve Brown (bass player)|Steve Brown]], [[Mike Pingitore]], [[Gussie Mueller]], [[Wilbur Hall (musician)|Wilbur Hall]] (billed by Whiteman as "Willie Hall"), [[Jack Teagarden]], and [[Bunny Berigan]].<ref name="Larkin"/> He encouraged upcoming African American musical talents and planned to hire black musicians, but his management persuaded him that doing so would destroy his career, due to racial tension and America's [[racial segregation in the United States|segregation]] of that time.<ref name="Giddens">{{cite book|last1=DeVeaux|first1=Scott|last2=Giddins|first2=Gary|title=Jazz|url=https://archive.org/details/jazz0000gidd|url-access=registration|date=2009|publisher=W.W. Norton|location=New York|isbn=978-0-393-06861-0|edition=1}}</ref>

[[File:Paul Whiteman Orchestra - Motion Picture, June 1930.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The members of Whiteman's Orchestra in 1930]]
In 1925, seeking to break up his musical selections, Whiteman's attention was directed by a member of his organisation to [[Bing Crosby]] and [[Al Rinker]], who would perform as members of his orchestra, and later, as two of the three frontmen of [[the Rhythm Boys]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Bing Crosby: Day by Day |last=Macfarlane |first=Malcolm |year=2001 |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield#Imprints|Scarecrow Press]] |url=http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/1903-1935.htm}}</ref>

He provided music for six [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] shows and produced more than 600 phonograph recordings.<ref name="pbs.org" /> His recording of José Padilla's "[[Valencia (song)|Valencia]]" was a big hit in 1926.<ref>CD liner notes: Chart-Toppers of the Twenties, 1998 ASV Ltd.</ref>

[[Red McKenzie]], leader of the [[Mound City Blue Blowers]], and cabaret singer [[Ramona (vocalist)|Ramona Davies]] (billed as "Ramona and her Grand Piano") joined the Whiteman group in 1932. The [[King's Jesters]] were with Paul Whiteman in 1931. In 1933, Whiteman had a hit on the ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' charts with Ann Ronell's "[[Willow Weep for Me]]".<ref name="Whitburn">{{cite book|last1=Whitburn|first1=Joel|title=The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits|date=1996|publisher=Billboard Publications|location=New York|isbn=9780823076321|edition=6. ed., rev. and enl.|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780823076321}}</ref>

In 1942, Whiteman began recording for [[Capitol Records]], co-founded by songwriters [[Buddy DeSylva]] and [[Johnny Mercer]] and music store owner Glenn Wallichs. Whiteman and His Orchestra's recordings of "[[I Found a New Baby]]" and "The General Jumped at Dawn" was the label's first single release.<ref name=vera>{{cite AV media notes|title=From the Vaults Vol. 1: The Birth of a Label - the First Years|year=2000|first=Billy|last= Vera|page=2|type=CD|publisher=Capitol Records|location=Hollywood}}</ref> Another notable Capitol record he made is the 1942 "[[Trav'lin' Light (song)|Trav'lin Light]]" featuring Billie Holiday (billed as "Lady Day", due to her being under contract with another label).<ref name=vera/>

===Film appearances===
[[Image:Paul Whiteman in Rhapsody in Blue trailer.jpg|thumb|A frame from the trailer for the film ''[[Rhapsody in Blue (film)|Rhapsody in Blue]]'' (1945)]]

Whiteman appeared as himself in the 1945 movie ''[[Rhapsody in Blue (film)|Rhapsody in Blue]]'' on the life and career of [[George Gershwin]],<ref name="Larkin"/> and also appeared in ''[[The Fabulous Dorseys]]'' in 1947, a bio-pic starring [[Jimmy Dorsey]] and [[Tommy Dorsey]]. Whiteman also appeared as the baby in ''Nertz'' (1929), the bandleader in ''[[Thanks a Million]]'' (1935),<ref name="Larkin"/> as himself in ''[[Strike Up the Band (film)|Strike Up the Band]]'' (1940),<ref name="Larkin"/> in the Paramount Pictures short ''The Lambertville Story'' (1949), and the revue musical ''[[King of Jazz]]'' (1930).<ref name="Larkin"/> Whiteman also appeared in a 1930 [[Oswald the Lucky Rabbit]] short entitled ''My Pal Paul''.

===Radio and TV===
Although giving priority to stage appearances during his peak years in the 1920s, Whiteman participated in some early prestigious radio programs. On January 4, 1928, Whiteman and his troupe starred in a nationwide NBC radio broadcast sponsored by [[Dodge]] Brothers Automobile Co. and known as ''The Victory Hour'' (The program introduced the new Dodge "Victory Six" automobile). It was the most widespread hookup ever attempted at that time. [[Will Rogers]] acted as MC and joined the program from the West Coast, with [[Al Jolson]] coming in from New Orleans.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rayno|first1=Don|title=Paul Whiteman – Pioneer in American Music – Volume 1: 1890–1930|date=2003|publisher=Scarecrow Press, Inc.|location=Lanham, Maryland, USA|isbn=0-8108-4579-2|page=183}}</ref> [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] was not impressed, saying: "As with practically all of the important and high-priced commercial broadcasting programs under N.B.C. auspices in the past, the Dodge Brothers' Victory Hour at a reputed cost of $67,000 was disappointing and not commensurate in impression with the financial outlay." However, the magazine noted, "The reaction to Paul Whiteman's grand radio plug for '[[Among My Souvenirs]]' ... was a flock of orders by wire from dealers the day following the Dodge Brothers Victory Hour broadcast."<ref>{{cite journal|title=Variety|journal=Variety|date=January 11, 1928}}</ref>

On March 29, 1928, Whiteman took part in a second Dodge Brothers radio show over the NBC network, which was entitled ''Film Star Radio Hour''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rayno|first1=Don|title=Paul Whiteman – Pioneer in American Music – Volume 1: 1890–1930|date=2003|publisher=Scarecrow Press, Inc.|location=Lanham, Maryland, USA|isbn=0-8108-4579-2|page=192}}</ref> [[Charlie Chaplin]], [[Douglas Fairbanks]], [[John Barrymore]], and several other Hollywood stars were featured. [[United Artists]] Pictures arranged for additional loudspeakers to be installed in their theatres so that audiences could hear the stars they had only seen in silent pictures previously. The [[New York Herald Tribune]] commented: "Of Mr. Paul Whiteman's share in the pretentious program, only the best can be said. Mr. Whiteman's orchestra is seldom heard on the radio, and its infrequent broadcasts are the subject of major jubilations, despite the presence of tenors and vocal harmonists in most of the Whiteman renditions."<ref>{{cite journal|title=New York Herald Tribune|journal=New York Herald Tribune|date=March 30, 1928}}</ref>

In 1929, Whiteman agreed to take part in a weekly radio show for [[Lorillard Tobacco Company|Old Gold Cigarettes]] for which he was paid $5,000 per broadcast. ''Old Gold Presents Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra'' was an hour-long show on Tuesday nights over [[CBS]] from station WABC in New York. ''The Whiteman Hour'' had its first broadcast on February 5, 1929, and continued until May 6, 1930. On May 7, 1930, he was paid $325,000 for 65 radio episodes.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Pairpoint|first1=Lionel|title=...And Here's Bing!|url=http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/Old%20Gold.htm|website=BING magazine|publisher=International Club Crosby|access-date=January 30, 2016}}</ref>

Whiteman then became far busier in radio. His shows were:
*January 27, 1931 – July 1, 1932, Blue Network. 30&nbsp;m, Tuesdays at 8, then Fridays at 10. Allied Paints (1931), [[Pontiac (automobile)|Pontiac]] (1932).
*July 8, 1932 – March 27, 1933, NBC. 30&nbsp;m, Fridays at 10, then Mondays at 9:30. Pontiac (to September), then [[Buick]].
*June 26, 1933 – December 26, 1935. NBC. 60&nbsp;m, Thursdays at 10. The ''[[Kraft Music Hall]]'', often with Al Jolson.
*January 5 – December 27, 1936, Blue Network. 45&nbsp;m. Sundays variously at 9, 9:15, and 9:45. ''Paul Whiteman's Musical Varieties''. [[Woodbury Soap Company|Woodbury Soap]]. With Bob Lawrence, Johnny Hauser, [[Morton Downey]], [[Durelle Alexander]], songs by the King's Men, and announcer [[Roy Bargy]]. The show featured a children's amateur contest. Near the end of the run Whiteman introduced comedian [[Judy Canova]], who inherited timeslot and sponsor in the Woodbury Rippling Rhythm Revue.
*December 31, 1937 – December 20, 1939, CBS. 30&nbsp;m. Fridays at 8:30 until mid–July 1938, then Wednesdays at 8:30. ''Chesterfield Time'', with [[Joan Edwards (radio singer)|Joan Edwards]], [[Deems Taylor]] (musical commentary) and announcer [[Paul Douglas (actor)|Paul Douglas]]. Whiteman took over the slot vacated by [[Hal Kemp]] and two years later vacated it for the sensational new [[Glenn Miller]] orchestra.
*November 9 – December 28, 1939, Mutual. 30&nbsp;m, Thursdays at 9:30.
*June 6 – August 29, 1943, NBC. 30&nbsp;m, Sundays at 8. ''Paul Whiteman Presents''. Summer substitute for [[Edgar Bergen]]. [[Chase & Sanborn Coffee Company|Chase and Sanborn]].
*December 5, 1943 – April 28, 1946, Blue/ABC. 60&nbsp;m. Sundays at 6. ''Paul Whiteman's Radio Hall of Fame''. [[Philco]].
*September 5 – November 14, 1944, Blue Network, 30&nbsp;m, Tuesdays at 11:30. Music of current American composers.
*January 21 – September 23, 1946, ABC. 30&nbsp;m, Mondays at 9:30. ''Forever Tops''. "a weekly program featuring the top tunes of the day."<ref name=rp>Terrace, Vincent (1999). ''Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows''. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-4513-4}}. Pp. 510–511.</ref>
*September 29 – October 27, 1946, ABC. 60&nbsp;m, Sundays at 8. ''The Paul Whiteman Hour''. Extended until November 17, 1947, as a 30&nbsp;m show, ''The Paul Whiteman Program'', various days and times.
*June 30, 1947 – June 25, 1948, ABC. 60&nbsp;m, five a week at 3:30. ''The Paul Whiteman Record Program''. Glorified disc–jockeyism.
*September 29, 1947 – May 23, 1948, ABC. 30&nbsp;m, Mondays at 8, then at 9 after October ''On Stage America'', for the [[National Guard of the United States|National Guard]]. Whiteman's orchestra with John Slagle, [[George Fenneman]], etc. Producer: Roland Martini. Director: Joe Graham. Writer: Ira Marion.
*June 27 – November 7, 1950, ABC. 30&nbsp;m, Tuesdays at 8. ''Paul Whiteman Presents''.
*October 29, 1951 – April 28, 1953, ABC. Various times. ''Paul Whiteman's Teen Club''. An amateur hour with the accent on youth.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Woolery |first1=George W. |title=Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946–1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series |date=1985 |publisher=The Scarecrow Press |isbn=0-8108-1651-2 |pages=388–390}}</ref>
*February 4 – October 20, 1954. ABC. 30&nbsp;m. Thursdays at 9 until July, then Wednesdays at 9:30. ''Paul Whiteman Varieties''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Dunning|first1=John|title=On the Air – The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio|date=1998|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=0-19-507678-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/onairencyclop00dunn/page/70/mode/1up 70–71]|url=https://archive.org/details/onairencyclop00dunn/page/70/mode/1up}}</ref>

In the 1940s and 1950s, after he had disbanded his orchestra, Whiteman worked as a music director for the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC Radio Network]].<ref name="Larkin" /> He also hosted ''Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club'' from Philadelphia on ABC-TV from 1949 to 1954. The show was seen for an hour the first two years, then as a half-hour segment on Saturday evenings. In 1952 a young [[Dick Clark]] read the commercials for sponsor Tootsie Roll.<ref>''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present''. Tim Brooks, Earle Marsh. pp 918, 919</ref> Whiteman's ''TV-Teen Club'', along with [[Joe Grady|Grady]] and [[Ed Hurst|Hurst]]'s ''950 Club'', proved to be an inspiration for [[WPVI-TV|WFIL-TV]]'s afternoon dance show called ''[[American Bandstand]]''.<ref>Jackson, John A., ''American Bandstand: Dick Clark and the Making of a Rock 'n' Roll Empire'', Oxford University Press (1997)</ref>

He also continued to appear as guest conductor for many concerts. His manner on stage was disarming; he signed off each program with something casual like, "Well, that just about slaps the cap on the old milk bottle for tonight." In the early 1960s, Whiteman played in Las Vegas before retiring.<ref name="Red Hot Jazz Archive" />