The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Has anyone wondered what brand and model of phonograph that was owned by the some of the rich and famous?

The Kennedy's (Joseph & Rose Kennedy)

William Howard Taft

William Jennings Bryant

Charlie Chaplin

Stan Laurel

Oliver Hardy

Dwight Eisenhower

Herbert Hoover

Al Capone

I cannot resist. Joe Kennedy did not care what brand, so long as it played around.

Probably a Victor talking machine, it could play around for years with alot of more modern songs.

I am pretty certain that President Woodrow Wilson had a Columbia Grafonola, as his daughter recorded for Columbia.

Taft had an L door Victrola in the White House: it was pictured on the front of an issue of the Voice of the Victor, I believe.
Jim ( who is laughing at Miker2001's post)

Given the fame he achieved for his "Cross of Gold" speech, I imagine William Jennings Bryan would have been obliged to own a Silvertone.

--Mark

You guys are outdoing yourselves tonight.

JRT

As for Mr. Hardy, my uneducated guess is a VV-X:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tDEvDwOTcg

…@ 2:00

("Unaccustomed As We Are--" 1929, Laurel & Hardy's first talkie)


--Mark

At least at some point William Howard Taft owned an Edison Idelia, which was a gift from Edison himself. The machine is now on display in the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine, FL. Previous discussion and pictures in this thread http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 59&p=18602

Andreas

Chaplin - with Abe Lyman's orchestra - cut a couple of sides for Brunswick. So maybe we'll assume he was gifted at least a little Brunnie portable or something.