THE HOUSE OF WITMARK By ISIDORE WITMARK and ISAAC GOLDBERG LEE FURMAN, INC. PUBLISHERS NEW YORK OOO Isidore Wilmark COPYRIGHT 1939 By LEE FtlRMAN, INC. First Edition Printed in the United States of Amtrka LOVINGLY DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF MY DEAR WIFE ENGEL DEVOTED PARTNER FOR OVER TWENTY-FOUR YEARS For you, dear, my heart is yearning, Little Woman of the West, Just for you, my soul is burning, Little Woman of the West, Yearning, Burning, Westward turning, To the one whom I love best. It is with profound sorrow that I record here the passing, on July 14, 1938, of Dr. Isaac Goldberg, my collaborator in this work from its beginning. His death was sudden and I feel his loss keenly. I was able to secure the services of Mr. Frank Owen, atithor of The Wind That Tramps The World and U A Husband For Kutani, and with his assistance it has been possible to bring this work to completion. WlTMARK, THANKS A LOT Without the Invaluable help of the following friends this book would not have been possible, and their co-operation is hereby acknowledged gratefully. Credit for the illustrations goes to Albert Davis, S. W. Todd, ASCAP, and the New York Historical Society. For data and research placed at my disposal I record my appreciation of the assistance of Arthur Boucher, Victor Blau, Joseph McLaughlin, George Glenz, Herman Heydt, Jerry Vogel, Stanley Quinn, R. C. McPherson, Richard Tarantous, Thomas Grant Springer, John T. Washburn, Julius Rothschild, Knight MacGregor, Frederic Miller, George B. Wellbaum of the New York Telephone Company, Trumbull White, Margaret Searle, and Grace Morse. I am indebted for final proofreading and indexing to Joseph Greenbaum. ISIDORE WITMARK. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I.THE PROPHECY 21 II. DADDY AND QUEEN 25 1. PRUSSIA AND AMERICA 25 2. HAPPY ENDING 31 III. ISIDORE AND His BRETHREN 35 1. JOBS AND A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 35 2. THE ORIGINAL HELLS KITCHEN 42 3. GOING ON THE STAGE 45 4. THE EDEN MUSEE 46 5. DOMESTIC BLUEPRINTS 48 6. CRUELTY TO CHILDREN 51 7. MINSTRELS 52 IV. THE BEGINNING OF TIN PAN ALLEY 60 1. THE LATE EIGHTIES 60 2. PRESIDENT CLEVELAND MARRIES 65 3. BUTCHERS AND BLIZZARDS 70 4. ORGAN Music 76 5. AUSTERLITZ 78 6. A GALLERY OF OLD-TIMERS 82 V. EXPANSION 94 1. MOVING AHEAD 94 2. CHARLES GRAHAM 96 3. COPYRIGHT ABROAD 99 4. TALLY-HO 103 ix CONTENTS CHAPTER PACJI 5. FINAL DAYS AT 841 BROADWAY 105 6. FlTZSIMMONS-CORBETT-BENRIMO 106 7. AN ELEPHANT WAGS ITS HEAD 109 VL TRANSITION 111 1. 49-51 WEST 28TH STREET 111 2. SONG SLIDES 116 3. BRANCHING OUT SOL BLOOM 113 4. IN OLI NEW YORK 122 5. BUREAU OP ENTERTAINMENT MARIE DRKSSLKU 124 6. Louis MANN DAVID WARFIKLD 127 7. WANDERING MINSTRELSY 130 8. MARSHALL WILDER 136 VII. CAST OF CHARACTERS jgg 1. EVANS AND HOEY I3g 2. THE YANKEE-DOODLE DANDY 139 3. WOOZY LEFFLER FORD AND BHATTON 14,3 4. B. C. HILLIAM j jg 5. BROTHER FRANK J47 6. ANNA HELD AND Ziccv 143 VIII. PIONEERS 52 L RAGTIMEBEN HARNEY- MAX HOFFMAN 152 2. BILL DEVERE TEMPTATIONS 155 3. JULIE IN THE MOVIES EARLY Disc RECORDINGS 159 IX. SOME POPULAR OLD TIMERS 164 1. ORCHESTRA LEADERS AND ARRANGERS 154, 2. Gus AND GENE SALZKR 173 3. WILLIAM LORAINE 174 4. CHARLES HAMBITZER 175 5. THEODORE BENDIX 75 6. THE WITMARK MONTHLY 175 x CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE 7. HITS OF THE NINETIES 178 8. Louis AND PAUL MEYER 181 9. THE KLEIN FAMILY 182 X. 1898 A PIVOTAL YEAR 185 1. COUNTER IRRITANT 185 2. WEBER AND FIELDS 187 3. PETER DAILEY 189 4. THE ROGER BROTHERS191 5. RAYMOND HITCHCOCK 192 6. SAM BERNARD 193 XL LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING 195 1. COOK AND DUNBAR 195 2. J. ROSAMOND AND JAMES WELDON JOHNSON 197 3. HARRY THACKER BURLEIGH 199 XIL FLOURISH ENTER VICTOR 201 1. HERBERTIANIA 201 2. ANECDOTAGE 208 3. SONGS, SINGERS AND NAMES 212 4. JAMES HUNEKERS OBSESSION 213 5. GROOMING A GROOM 214 6. ALICE NIELSEN 216 XIIL WATER BOYS AND MEN OF MELODY 219 1. WILLIE HOWARD 219 2. Gus EDWARDS 222 3. JOE SANTLEY 224 4. WILL R. ANDERSON 225 5. JULIAN EDWARDS 225 6. GUSTAV LUDERS FRANK R. PlXLEY 226 7. DR...