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.

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do

Self (archive footage)

0.0

2015

Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons

Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons

Self (archive footage)

8.0

1995

The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood

The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood

Self · (1 episode)

8.0

1987

Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s

(archive footage)

10.0

1984

The Perfect Woman

The Perfect Woman

Tock

3.0

1981

Men Who Rate a 10

Men Who Rate a 10

Self

0.0

1980

CHiPs

CHiPs

Arthur Forbinger · (1 episode)

6.8

1977

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

Autograph Hound

4.1

1976

Ellery Queen

Ellery Queen

Alvin Winer · (1 episode)

7.4

1975

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Self (archive footage)

5.7

1975

Slashed Dreams

Slashed Dreams

Proprietor

3.2

1975

The Chicago Teddy Bears

(1 episode)

5.5

1971

Alias Smith and Jones

Alias Smith and Jones

(2 episodes)

6.9

1971

Night Gallery

Night Gallery

Dr. Francis Deeking · (1 episode)

7.8

1970

The Phynx

The Phynx

Rudy Vallee

3.5

1970

The Night They Raided Minsky's

The Night They Raided Minsky's

Opening Narrator (voice)

5.6

1968

Live a Little, Love a Little

Live a Little, Love a Little

Louis Penlow

5.5

1968

Here's Lucy

Here's Lucy

Rudy Vallee · (1 episode)

6.7

1968

The Name of the Game

The Name of the Game

Myron Lesser · (1 episode)

6.8

1968

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Jasper B. Biggley

6.8

1967

Batman

Batman

Lord Marmaduke Ffogg · (4 episodes)

7.3

1966

Petticoat Junction

Petticoat Junction

(1 episode)

5.8

1963

The Merv Griffin Show

The Merv Griffin Show

Self · (2 episodes)

6.2

1962

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Self · (2 episodes)

7.5

1962

The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show

Self - Co-Host · (2 episodes)

5.4

1961

Hansel and Gretel

Father

0.0

1958

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour

The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour

Rudy Vallee · (1 episode)

8.6

1957

The Helen Morgan Story

The Helen Morgan Story

Himself

5.3

1957

Jazz Ball

Jazz Ball

Self (archive footage)

7.0

1956

Gentlemen Marry Brunettes

Gentlemen Marry Brunettes

Rudy Vallee

5.2

1955

Ricochet Romance

Ricochet Romance

Worthington Higgenmacher

7.0

1954

December Bride

December Bride

(2 episodes)

5.5

1954

The Colgate Comedy Hour

The Colgate Comedy Hour

Self · (1 episode)

6.8

1950

The Admiral Was a Lady

The Admiral Was a Lady

Peter Pedigrew

6.1

1950

The Golden Twenties

The Golden Twenties

Self (archive footage)

0.0

1950

Your Show of Shows

Your Show of Shows

(1 episode)

6.3

1950

What's My Line?

What's My Line?

Self · (2 episodes)

6.9

1950

What's My Line?

What's My Line?

Self - Panelist · (1 episode)

6.9

1950

Father Was a Fullback

Father Was a Fullback

Mr. Jessup

6.0

1949

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend

Charles Hingleman

5.8

1949

Mother Is a Freshman

Mother Is a Freshman

John Heaslip

0.0

1949

Unfaithfully Yours

Unfaithfully Yours

August Henshler

7.2

1948

My Dear Secretary

My Dear Secretary

Charles Harris

5.9

1948

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show

Self · (7 episodes)

6.8

1948

So This Is New York

So This Is New York

Herbert Daley

6.0

1948

I Remember Mama

I Remember Mama

Dr. Johnson

7.1

1948

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer

Tommy Chamberlain

6.9

1947

Kraft Television Theatre

Kraft Television Theatre

Bromley · (1 episode)

7.5

1947

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock

The Sin of Harold Diddlebock

Lynn Sargent

6.3

1947

The Fabulous Suzanne

The Fabulous Suzanne

Hendrick Courtney Jr.

5.0

1946

People Are Funny

People Are Funny

Ormsby Jamison

5.2

1946

Man Alive

Man Alive

Gordon Tolliver

5.1

1945

It's in the Bag!

It's in the Bag!

Rudy Vallee

5.0

1945

11th. Naval District "United States Coast Guard Band"

11th. Naval District "United States Coast Guard Band"

Himself - Bandleader

4.0

1944

Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform

Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform

Himself

6.0

1943

Happy Go Lucky

Happy Go Lucky

Alfred Monroe

4.0

1943

Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6

Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6

6.0

1942

The Palm Beach Story

The Palm Beach Story

John D. Hackensacker III

7.0

1942

Too Many Blondes

Dick Kerrigan

0.0

1941

Time Out for Rhythm

Time Out for Rhythm

Daniel 'Danny' Collins

6.2

1941

Rodeo Dough

Rodeo Dough

Rudy Vallee

5.3

1940

Second Fiddle

Second Fiddle

Roger Maxwell

4.9

1939

Breakdowns of 1938

Breakdowns of 1938

Rudy (archive footage) (uncredited)

5.0

1938

Gold Diggers in Paris

Gold Diggers in Paris

Terry Moore

5.7

1938

Things You Never See on the Screen

Things You Never See on the Screen

Self

5.0

1935

Sweet Music

Sweet Music

Skip Houston

5.7

1935

A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio

A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio

Himself (uncredited)

5.2

1935

Hollywood on Parade No. B-9

Hollywood on Parade No. B-9

Self

0.0

1934

George White's Scandals

George White's Scandals

Jimmy Martin

5.0

1934

International House

International House

Himself

5.7

1933

The Musical Doctor

Dr. Vallee

0.0

1932

Rudy Vallee Melodies

Rudy Vallee Melodies

Self

3.8

1932

Kitty from Kansas City

Kitty from Kansas City

Singer with Handlebar Moustache

4.1

1931

Betty Co-ed

Betty Co-ed

Himself

4.5

1931

Campus Sweethearts

0.0

1930

Glorifying the American Girl

Glorifying the American Girl

Self

5.6

1929

The Vagabond Lover

The Vagabond Lover

Rudy Bronson

4.0

1929

Radio Rhythm

Rudy Vallee

0.0

1929