Rudy Vallée Papers (ARA), 1916-1982

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Summary

Abstract:
The Rudy Vallée papers consists of material pertaining to the personal life and entertainment career of Rudy Vallée from 1916 to 1982. These papers currently maintain about 300 scrapbooks and around 30,000 musical scores making up 423.88 linear feet. These papers are currently being processed and all future series will be added as they are completed. Some future series include his correspondence, photographs, financial and business records and various personal materials.
Extent:
423.88 Linear Feet; (577 boxes: 233 cartons, 30 flat boxes, 314 document boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Rudy Vallée papers, PA Mss 224. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Background

Scope and content:

The Rudy Vallée papers consists of 423.88 linear feet of material pertaining to the life and career of Rudy Vallée between 1916-1982. As of now the collection conists of Vallée's scrapbooks and collection of both published musical scores and manuscripts. All future series will be published as they are completed.

Biographical / historical:

Rudy (Hubert Prior) Vallée was born on July 28, 1901, in Island Point, Vermont to Catherine Lynch and Charles Alphonse Vallée. Rudy grew up in Westbrook, Maine and at an early age worked at his father's pharmacy. It was not until 1918 that Vallée picked up the saxophone after being discharged from the Navy due to his youth. Vallée became a skilled saxophonist for a local movie-house orchestra and was an admirer of saxophonist Rudy Wiedoeft, for which he adopted the name Rudy.

In 1921 Vallée attended the University of Maine, but transferred to Yale University after his first year. It was at Yale where Vallée developed as a saxophonist and by the time he graduated in 1927, he had played at the Savoy Hotel in London and received a Ph. B in Spanish. Vallée made his debut in New York City playing at the High Ho Club with his band the Yale Collegians and became an instant success.

Rudy Vallée's career was culturally influential often being tagged as one of the first crooners. His popularity was prominent in the 1930s, especially among young girls, much the same as Frank Sinatra in the 1940s, Elvis Presley in the 1950s and the Beatles in the 1960s. His popularity derived from being a musician, a comic, an author, a songwriter and being featured in over forty featured films including "The Vagabond Lover", "The Palm Beach Story" and "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying". His most influential contribution to the entertainment world; however, came from his very popular Thursday evening radio show, "The Fleischmann Hour" on NBC.

Vallée wrote numerous articles, and three volumes of memoirs: Vagabond Dreams Come True, in 1930, My Time is Your Time, in 1962, and Let the Chips Fall, in 1975 (which was also released in paperback as Rudy Vallée Kisses and Tells.) Vallée was working on a fourth volume, Dolls of the Vallée, at the time of his death. Rudy Vallée died July 3, 1986, at the age of 84 while watching the Statue of Liberty centennial salute on television.

Custodial history:

This collection forms part of the American Radio Archives (ARA), which documents the early history of broadcasting, with an emphasis on California. The ARA was formerly housed at the Thousand Oaks Public Library and was owned and administered by the Thousand Oaks Library Foundation. It was transferred to the UCSB Library in 2021.

Arrangement:

The materials in this collection are arranged in two series by type.

  • Series 1, Scrapbooks
  • Series 2, Musical Scores
  • (Future series will be added here)

Physical location:
Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Property rights to the collection and physical objects belong to the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at the UCSB Library. All applicable literary rights, including copyright to the collection and physical objects, are protected under Chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code and are retained by the creator and the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns.

All requests to reproduce, quote from, or otherwise reuse collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special Research Collections at UCSB at special@ucsb.edu. Consent is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at UCSB as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or their assigns for permission to publish where the UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Rudy Vallée papers, PA Mss 224. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Location of this collection:
UC Santa Barbara Library
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
Contact:
(805) 893-3062
special@library.ucsb.edu
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