Columbia Christmas

[Lenoirstreetguy]

We've done Victor and Edison so it's only fair that the third of the big three should get a little air time....in this case in a flying sled full of Columbia Stars. But who are they? Jolson is in blackface and Bert Williams is there with I think Rosa Ponselle by his side. But the rest? Charles Hackett? Nora Bayes? Art Hickman ( I think it's too early to be Ted Lewis." And this scan is actually easier to see than the original.

J

[OrthoSean]

Very nice!

Now let's see a Brunswick Christmas ad

Sean

[phonojim]

Actually, Ted Lewis could be in there. His first Columbia session was Sept. 5, 1919 and his first issued records were recorded October 1, 1919.

Jim

[bbphonoguy]

Is the possible Ted Lewis the rearmost passenger? The fellow wearing the top hat and waving the saxophone? I would think it has to be him. He's wearing a top hat on some of the Columbia labels I have of his recordings.

I do like the looks of the floor model Grafonolas.

[Discman]

I think the guy in the back is Ted Lewis too, but Ted played the clarinet.
Dave

[phonojim]

Dave, you are correct, however Ted Lewis also played sax along with clarinet, and a tophat was part of his look, so it could well be him. If you look at old photos of dance bands, you will see that most reed players played a variety of reeds; clarinets, saxes and sometimes even oboe and bassoon. You often see 4 or 5 instruments on stands in front of each reed player.

Jim

[Wolfe]

Who's the lady in the yellow hat? Looks like it could be Frieda Hempel.

And the guy right behind Santa's whip looks like the Al Jolson.
The guy in 'blackface' is Bert Williams, perhaps?

[OrthoSean]

Did Hempel record for Columbia? I don't think she did....Destinn did, but I was thinking Nora Bayes for the yellow hat woman....

Sean

[Wolfe]

You're right, I thought I had one or two Hempel records on Columbia but I don't.

[JohnM]

The two fellows below Ted Lewis are likely Van & Schenk. Would Eddie Cantor be in this ad? He wasn't an 'Exclusive Artist' until '21, but perhaps he is the fellow behind Santa with the upraised straw boater? I think the fellow in front of the Grafonola in the tam may be Steve Oliphant.