Rudy Vallee

Acting

Born July 28, 1901 — Died July 6, 1986 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.

Movies(58)

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do

Self (archive footage)

2015

Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons

Self (archive footage)

1995

Going Hollywood: The '30s

(archive footage)

1984

The Perfect Woman

Tock

1981

Men Who Rate a 10

Self

1980

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

Autograph Hound

1976

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Self (archive footage)

1975

Slashed Dreams

Proprietor

1975

The Phynx

Rudy Vallee

1970

The Night They Raided Minsky's

Opening Narrator (voice)

1968

Live a Little, Love a Little

Louis Penlow

1968

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Jasper B. Biggley

1967

Hansel and Gretel

Father

1958

The Helen Morgan Story

Self

1957

Jazz Ball

Self (archive footage)

1956

Gentlemen Marry Brunettes

Rudy Vallee

1955

Ricochet Romance

Worthington Higgenmacher

1954

The Admiral Was a Lady

Peter Pedigrew

1950

The Golden Twenties

Self (archive footage)

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

So This Is New York

Herbert Daley

1948

I Remember Mama

Dr. Johnson

1948

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer

Tommy Chamberlain

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

Lydia

Barker

Rudy Vallee

TV Shows(20)

Movies(58)