Rudy Vallee
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
1961
Series
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
1962
Series
What's My Line?
Self
1950
Series
Batman
Lord Marmaduke Ffogg
1966
Series
Petticoat Junction
1963
Series
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self
1950
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Series
The Name of the Game
Myron Lesser
1968
Series
Night Gallery
Dr. Francis Deeking
1970
Series
Here's Lucy
Rudy Vallee
1968
Series
Kraft Television Theatre
Bromley
1947
Series
Alias Smith and Jones
1971
Series
December Bride
1954
Series
Ellery Queen
Alvin Winer
1975
Series
CHiPs
Arthur Forbinger
1977
Series
Your Show of Shows
1950
Series
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour
Rudy Vallee
1957
Series
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Self
1987
The Chicago Teddy Bears
1971
Film
The Palm Beach Story
John D. Hackensacker III
1942
Film
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
Tommy
1947
Film
Hollywood on Parade No. B-9
Self
1934
Film
I Remember Mama
Dr. Johnson
1948
Film
Live a Little, Love a Little
Louis Penlow
1968
Film
Unfaithfully Yours
August Henshler
1948
Film
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
J. B. Biggley
1967
Film
The Helen Morgan Story
Self
1957
Film
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
Autograph Hound
1976
Film
Slashed Dreams
Proprietor
1975
Film
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Film
My Dear Secretary
Charles Harris
1948
Film
The Night They Raided Minsky's
Opening Narrator (voice)
1968
Film
The Phynx
Rudy Vallee
1970
Film
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
Charles Hingleman
1949
Film
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
Rudy Vallee
1955
Film
The Admiral Was a Lady
Peter Pedigrew
1950
Film
Glorifying the American Girl
Self
1929
Film
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock
Lynn Sargent
1947
Film
It's in the Bag!
Rudy Vallee
1945
Film
Gold Diggers in Paris
Terry Moore
1938
Film
Men Who Rate a 10
Self
1980
Film
Mother Is a Freshman
John Heaslip
1949
Film
Betty Boop: Queen of the Cartoons
Self (archive footage)
1995
Film
So This Is New York
Herbert Daley
1948
Film
Father Was a Fullback
Mr. Jessup
1949
Film
Man Alive
Gordon Tolliver
1945
Film
Second Fiddle
Roger Maxwell
1939
Film
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
Film
Time Out for Rhythm
Daniel 'Danny' Collins
1941
Film
People Are Funny
Ormsby Jamison
1946
Film
George White's Scandals
Jimmy Martin
1934
Film
International House
Himself
1933
Campus Sweethearts
1930
Film
The Perfect Woman
Tock
1981
Film
Ricochet Romance
Worthington Higgenmacher
1954
Film
Things You Never See on the Screen
Self
1935
Film
Kitty from Kansas City
Singer with Handlebar Moustache
1931
Film
Screen Snapshots (Series 23, No. 1): Hollywood in Uniform
Himself
1943
Film
Breakdowns of 1938
Rudy (archive footage) (uncredited)
1938
Film
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
Himself (uncredited)
1935
Film
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6
1942
Film
Happy Go Lucky
Alfred Monroe
1943
Film
The Vagabond Lover
Rudy Bronson
1929
Film
The Fabulous Suzanne
Hendrick Courtney Jr.
1946
Hansel and Gretel
Father
1958
Film
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Self (archive footage)
2015
Too Many Blondes
Dick Kerrigan
1941
Film
11th. Naval District "United States Coast Guard Band"
Himself - Bandleader
1944
Film
Rodeo Dough
Rudy Vallee
1940
Film
Jazz Ball
Self (archive footage)
1956
Film
Sweet Music
Skip Houston
1935
Film
Lydia
Barker
Film
Betty Co-ed
Himself
1931
The Musical Doctor
Dr. Vallee
1932
Film
The Golden Twenties
Self (archive footage)
1950
Film
Rudy Vallee Melodies
Self
1932
Radio Rhythm
Rudy Vallee
1929