Arthur L. Jarrett Jr. (July 20, 1907 – July 23, 1987) was an American singer, bandleader and actor during the 1930s and 1940s. He was the son of stage actor and playwright
Arthur L. Jarrett Sr. (1884–1960).
Early career
Near the end of the 1920s into the 1930s, Jarrett was a member of the dance orchestras of
Earl Burtnett,
Ted Weems,
Jimmie Noone
James "Jimmie" Noone (April 23, 1895 – April 19, 1944) was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader. After beginning his career in New Orleans, he led Jimmie Noone's Apex Club Orchestra, a Chicago band that recorded for Vocalion and Decca ...
, and
Red Nichols, playing
banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin.
...
,
guitar
The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
, and
trombone
The trombone (, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's lips vibrate inside a mouthpiece, causing the Standing wave, air c ...
as well as singing.
He recorded for
Victor and
Brunswick. He also recorded a handful of vocals for
Isham Jones in 1931. His high
tenor
A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
voice made him popular in feature
films
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of Visual arts, visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are gen ...
and shorts. He had a record year in 1933, introducing such songs as "
Everything I Have is Yours" from ''
Dancing Lady'', "
Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" from ''
Sitting Pretty'', and "
Let's Fall in Love" from
the movie of the same name.
Jarrett also performed in vaudeville.
Bandleader
In 1936, he left Ted Weems to lead his own
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...
. In 1941, he took on the leadership of
Hal Kemp's orchestra following Kemp's death in an auto accident. He also appeared in the B western ''
Trigger Pals'' and on Broadway in ''Three After Three''. In 1932,
Later career
In the 1950s, Jarrett was a regular on a
television
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
musical show called ''
Rhythm Rodeo'', which aired on the
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network (also the DuMont Network, DuMont Television, DuMont/Du Mont, or (incorrectly) Dumont ) was one of America's pioneer commercial television networks, rivaling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being first overall in ...
. Eventually, he became a
disc jockey
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music fes ...
and a
salesman
Sales are activities related to selling or the number of goods sold in a given targeted time period. The delivery of a service for a cost is also considered a sale. A period during which goods are sold for a reduced price may also be referred ...
.
Personal life and death
Jarrett was reportedly engaged to actress
Gilda Gray but the marriage never took place. From 1933 to 1938, he was married to actress and swimmer
Eleanor Holm
Eleanor Grace Theresa Holm (December 6, 1912Social Security Death Index: HOLM, ELEANOR H. was born 6 December 1912, received Social Security number 559-12-4524 (indicating California) and, Death Master File says, died 31 January 2004
Source: Dea ...
. He died July 23, 1987, in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, just three days after his 80th birthday.
Filmography
References
External links
*
Ted Weems and his Orchestra*
*
1907 births
1987 deaths
Singers from Brooklyn
20th-century American singers
Articles containing video clips
20th-century American male singers
American vaudeville performers
Victor Records artists
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