Rudy Vallee
Born
July 28, 1901
Died
July 6, 1986 (84 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Island Pond, Vermont, USA
Rudy Vallee started his career as a saxophone player and singer and later became a band leader. In the 1920s and early 30s he had a hit radio program, The Fleishmann's Yeast Hour (where he was hated by his cast and crew due to his explosive ego-driven personality). In the early 1930's he was ranked with the likes of Bing Crosby and the tragic Russ Columbo in the Hit Parade. A huge hit on radio in 1933 with his program, initially known as 'The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour,' Vallee was considered a slave driver by his staff. He was known to instigate fist fights with virtually anyone who got on his nerves. During the run of his show he slugged photographers, threw sheet music in the faces of pianists' heads and if provoked, would sock hecklers in the nose. While audiences loved him, he was hated by most of his staff. As a very popular star in night clubs and on records, as well as in movies, he helped other singers like Alice Faye - who was for a while his band singer - and Frances Langford to start their careers. In his early movies he often played the romantic lead, but he switched later to stuffy and comic parts. He also appeared on Broadway. The mid-60's Broadway hit "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" was filmed in 1967 with him in his original Broadway role.
Known For
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Self (archive footage)
2015
Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons
Self (archive footage)
1995
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
The Perfect Woman
Tock
1981
Men Who Rate a 10
Self
1980
CHiPs
Arthur Forbinger · (1 episode)
1977
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Autograph Hound
1976
Ellery Queen
Alvin Winer · (1 episode)
1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Slashed Dreams
Proprietor
1975
The Chicago Teddy Bears
(1 episode)
1971
Alias Smith and Jones
(2 episodes)
1971
Night Gallery
Dr. Francis Deeking · (1 episode)
1970
The Phynx
Rudy Vallee
1970
The Night They Raided Minsky's
Opening Narrator (voice)
1968
Live a Little, Love a Little
Louis Penlow
1968
Here's Lucy
Rudy Vallee · (1 episode)
1968
The Name of the Game
Myron Lesser · (1 episode)
1968
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Jasper B. Biggley
1967
Batman
Lord Marmaduke Ffogg · (4 episodes)
1966
Petticoat Junction
(1 episode)
1963
The Merv Griffin Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (2 episodes)
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host · (2 episodes)
1961
Hansel and Gretel
Father
1958
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Rudy Vallee · (1 episode)
1957
The Helen Morgan Story
Himself
1957
Jazz Ball
Self (archive footage)
1956
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
Rudy Vallee
1955
Ricochet Romance
Worthington Higgenmacher
1954
December Bride
(2 episodes)
1954
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self · (1 episode)
1950
The Admiral Was a Lady
Peter Pedigrew
1950
The Golden Twenties
Self (archive footage)
1950
Your Show of Shows
(1 episode)
1950
What's My Line?
Self · (2 episodes)
1950
What's My Line?
Self - Panelist · (1 episode)
1950
Father Was a Fullback
Mr. Jessup
1949
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
Charles Hingleman
1949
Mother Is a Freshman
John Heaslip
1949
Unfaithfully Yours
August Henshler
1948
My Dear Secretary
Charles Harris
1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (7 episodes)
1948
So This Is New York
Herbert Daley
1948
I Remember Mama
Dr. Johnson
1948
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
Tommy Chamberlain
1947
Kraft Television Theatre
Bromley · (1 episode)
1947
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
Lynn Sargent
1947
The Fabulous Suzanne
Hendrick Courtney Jr.
1946
People Are Funny
Ormsby Jamison
1946
Man Alive
Gordon Tolliver
1945
It's in the Bag!
Rudy Vallee
1945
11th. Naval District "United States Coast Guard Band"
Himself - Bandleader
1944
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
Himself
1943
Happy Go Lucky
Alfred Monroe
1943
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
1942
The Palm Beach Story
John D. Hackensacker III
1942
Too Many Blondes
Dick Kerrigan
1941
Time Out for Rhythm
Daniel 'Danny' Collins
1941
Rodeo Dough
Rudy Vallee
1940
Second Fiddle
Roger Maxwell
1939
Breakdowns of 1938
Rudy (archive footage) (uncredited)
1938
Gold Diggers in Paris
Terry Moore
1938
Things You Never See on the Screen
Self
1935
Sweet Music
Skip Houston
1935
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
Himself (uncredited)
1935
Hollywood on Parade No. B-9
Self
1934
George White's Scandals
Jimmy Martin
1934
International House
Himself
1933
The Musical Doctor
Dr. Vallee
1932
Rudy Vallee Melodies
Self
1932
Kitty from Kansas City
Singer with Handlebar Moustache
1931
Betty Co-ed
Himself
1931
Campus Sweethearts
1930
Glorifying the American Girl
Self
1929
The Vagabond Lover
Rudy Bronson
1929
Radio Rhythm
Rudy Vallee
1929