Classic Movie Travels: Kay Kyser

Classic Film Journeys: Kay Kyser

Band leader and radio host James Kern Kyser was born on June 18, 1905 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. His parents, Paul and Emily Kyser, were pharmacists. Kyser was one of six children.

In the years that followed, Kyser attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received his bachelor’s degree. There he was active in the Sigma Nu Fraternity and Senior Class President.

While at Chapel Hill, Kyser expressed his enthusiasm and cheerful personality through cheerleading and quickly became a popular and revered campus personality. He was eventually invited by musician, bandleader and composer Hal Kemp to take over his bandleading duties. Although Kyser studied the clarinet, he found more fulfillment in his work as an announcer and master of ceremonies. His middle initial soon replaced his first name as his newly coined stage name: Kay Kyser.

Kyser and his orchestra recorded sessions for Victor in Camden, New Jersey and Chicago, Illinois in the 1920s. After graduating, Kyser and his band toured restaurants and nightclubs throughout the Midwest, gradually building a fan base. Kyser was particularly popular at Chicago’s Blackhawk Restaurant, where Kyser hosted a musical quiz called “Kay Kyser’s Colleague of Musical Knowledge,” which was broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System and later NBC Radio.

Apart from the “College of Musical Knowledge”, Kyser’s orchestra was very successful. Though his “Ol’ Perfessor” character reigned supreme, his band members were also popular themselves, including Harry Babbitt, Merwyn Bogue (or Ish Kabibble), Bruce King, Jack Martin, Ginny Simms, Sully Mason, Mike Douglas, and Georgia Carol.

Incidentally, a year after “Gorgeous Georgia Carroll” joined the group, she and Kyser got married. The couple had three children and remained married until Kyser’s death.

Kyser’s orchestra popularized numerous tunes, including “Woody Woodpecker”, “Three Little Fishies”, “The Old Lamp-Lighter”, “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition” and “Jingle Jangle Jingle”.

Kyser and his bandmates have appeared in various films, typically as themselves. They can be viewed That’s right – you’re wrong (1939), You will find out (1940), Around the world (1943), Stage Door Canteen (1943), Thousands cheer (1943) and Carolina blues (1944). Kyser also appeared as himself in the cartoon Hollywood exits (1941) and in the Porky Pig cartoon Africa squeaks (1940), in which he voiced a caricature of himself called “Cake-Icer”.

Kay Kyser’s colleague of Musical Knowledge was televised on NBC-TV. Kyser struggled with arthritis and retired from performing in 1950. He converted to Christian Science and directed the Church’s motion picture and television department in Boston, Massachusetts, eventually becoming its president in 1983.

Kyser died of a heart attack on July 23, 1985 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He was buried in Old Chapel Hill Cemetery, Chapel Hill. He was 80 years old.

The Kyser family home was on Sunset Ave. 219, Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Kyser’s parents and six children lived in the house for decades. The house is no longer there, but a historical memorial stone was dedicated there in 2019 in Kyser’s honor. Kyser’s two remaining daughters — Kimberly and Amanda — attended the ceremony, as did Kyser’s childhood best friend. The mayor declared October 5 as Kay Kyser Day at Rocky Mount and presented plaques to Kyser’s daughters. The day culminated in an evening performance full of Kyser’s music. The marker is behind First Methodist Church, on the corner of Franklin St. and Sunset Ave. at Rocky Mount.

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Kyser hat zwei Sterne auf dem Hollywood Walk of Fame, die seine Arbeit im Radio- und Aufnahmebereich ehren. Die Sterne befinden sich in 1601 Vine St. und 1708 Vine St. in Los Angeles, Kalifornien.

Das Blackhawk Restaurant wurde in der 139 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Illinois, betrieben. Während das Restaurant nicht mehr existiert, steht das Gebäude noch.

1951 zogen Kyser und seine Frau in ein Haus in der 504 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Das Haus besteht heute als Hooper-Kyser-Haus.

Kyser wurde 1999 in die North Carolina Music Hall of Fame aufgenommen. Seine Papiere wurden der University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill von seiner Witwe gespendet und 2008 der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht. Die University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill bleibt eine angesehene akademische Einrichtung.

Der Old Chapel Hill Cemetery befindet sich am 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

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–Annette Bochenek für Classic Movie Hub

Annette Bochenek schreibt unsere monatliche Kolumne Classic Movie Travels. Hier können Sie alle Artikel von Annette’s Classic Movie Travel lesen.

Annette Bochenek aus Chicago, Illinois, ist Doktorandin an der Dominican University und unabhängige Wissenschaftlerin des Goldenen Zeitalters Hollywoods. Sie verwaltet den Blog Hometowns to Hollywood, in dem sie über ihre Reisen schreibt, bei denen sie die Hinterlassenschaften und Heimatstädte von Stars des Goldenen Zeitalters erkundet. Annette moderiert auch die Filmreihe „Hometowns to Hollywood“ im Raum Chicago. Sie war in Turner Classic Movies zu sehen und ist Präsidentin des Chicagoer Kapitels von TCM Backlot. Sie schreibt nicht nur für Classic Movie Hub, sondern auch für Stummfilm vierteljährlich, Nostalgie-Digestund Magazin der Chicago Art Deco Society.