Rudy Vallee
Known for: Acting
Born: July 28, 1901
Died: July 6, 1986
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.
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Filmography
59 movies · 20 TV shows, newest first
NR
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
2015
8.0
Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons
1995
9.0
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
1987
9.0
Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984
3.0
The Perfect Woman
1981
9.0
Men Who Rate a 10
1980
6.8
CHiPs
1977
4.4
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1976
7.5
Ellery Queen
1975
6.3
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
3.7
Slashed Dreams
19756.7
The Chicago Teddy Bears
1971
7.0
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
7.8
Night Gallery
1970
3.6
The Phynx
1970
5.5
The Night They Raided Minsky's
1968
5.5
Live a Little, Love a Little
1968
6.7
Here's Lucy
1968
7.0
The Name of the Game
1968
6.7
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
1967
7.3
Batman
1966
5.9
Petticoat Junction
1963
6.8
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
7.5
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
5.8
The Mike Douglas Show
1961NR
Hansel and Gretel
1958
8.7
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
1957
5.3
The Helen Morgan Story
1957
8.0
Jazz Ball
1956
5.3
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
1955
8.0
Ricochet Romance
1954
6.3
December Bride
1954
6.9
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
6.4
The Admiral Was a Lady
1950
7.0
The Golden Twenties
1950
7.3
Your Show of Shows
1950
7.0
What's My Line?
1950
6.3
Father Was a Fullback
1949
5.9
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
1949
9.0
Mother Is a Freshman
1949
7.2
Unfaithfully Yours
1948
6.1
My Dear Secretary
1948
6.8
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
6.7
So This Is New York
1948
7.2
I Remember Mama
1948
6.9
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
1947
5.9
The Unfaithful
1947
7.8
Kraft Television Theatre
1947
6.4
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
1947
5.7
The Fabulous Suzanne
1946
5.7
People Are Funny
1946
5.6
Man Alive
1945
6.3
It's in the Bag!
1945
5.6
11th. Naval District "United States Coast Guard Band"
1944
7.0
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
1943
5.5
Happy Go Lucky
1943
6.0
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
1942
7.0
The Palm Beach Story
19428.0
Too Many Blondes
1941
6.7
Time Out for Rhythm
1941
6.4
Rodeo Dough
1940
5.1
Second Fiddle
1939
5.8
Breakdowns of 1938
1938
6.8
Gold Diggers in Paris
1938
5.3
Things You Never See on the Screen
1935
6.8
Sweet Music
1935
5.9
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
1935
NR
Hollywood on Parade No. B-9
1934
5.4
George White's Scandals
1934
5.6
International House
19336.5
The Musical Doctor
1932
5.0
Rudy Vallee Melodies
1932
5.4
Kitty from Kansas City
1931
5.7
Betty Co-ed
193110.0
Campus Sweethearts
1930
5.6
Glorifying the American Girl
1929
4.7
The Vagabond Lover
19299.0
Radio Rhythm
1929
NR
Lydia
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