Entertainer and philanthropist – teacher and writer – actor and lecturer. Any one of the above professions could be a full-time occupation by itself. However, for one native North Carolinian, he combined all of the aforementioned into one remarkable life.
James K. Kyser was born in June 1905 in the town of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Both of his parents, Paul and Emily, were pharmacists, with his mother serving as the state’s first woman in that role. After an exuberant childhood full of youthful mishaps, he channeled his energy in high school, enjoying many different activities. These included serving as editor of the school yearbook, forming a junior varsity football team and leading both his junior and senior class as president. Academically, he spearheaded a plan where mediocre students were helped by the academically stronger contingent, so that all could graduate. In 1923, this is precisely what happened, as all students received their diplomas – becoming the first class to accomplish the feat.
Upon graduation, Kyser enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Here, he continued to live academic life to the fullest. Among his activities were stints of acting at the Play Makers Theatre and time spent as the head cheerleader. During his junior year, he became involved for the first time in the music industry. Fellow university student, Hal Kemp, was the leader of the school band. Nearing graduation, Kemp was looking for a replacement to head up the band. Because Kyser was already well-known as a campus entertainment leader, he was a natural choice for the job. After a slow beginning, the group gained in renown and was eventually asked to perform at the Georgia Tech finals for the princely sum of $2,000. It was also during this time that he began to be known as Kay Kyser, replacing James with his middle initial.
Despite graduating with a degree in Commerce in 1928, Kyser decided to pursue a musical career. Over the next several years, he and his small group toured through the South and the Midwest. Although not always tremendously successful, the band persevered through the lean times. In 1932, during the midst of the Great Depression, the band, like many other individuals, journeyed west in search of greener pastures. The group latched on to a lengthy gig at the Bal Tabarin club in San Francisco, then moved on to the Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica. After a return engagement at the Bal Tabarin in the fall of 1934, the band got a huge break from a familiar friend.
After leaving his band in the care of Kyser in 1926, UNC alum Hal Kemp rose to become one of the top bandleaders in the country. Late in 1934, Kemp was finishing up a series of appearances at the Blackhawk Restaurant in Chicago. He then recommended Kyser as a successor to the owners – a suggestion which was heeded. This was the break Kyser needed. At the Blackhawk, the band was a huge hit – shattering Kemp’s own attendance figures by the next summer. The Kay Kyser Band had burst on the national music scene at last.
Just what kind of group was the Kay Kyser Band? Well, in the leader’s own words, to start with, they weren’t very good. Kyser himself admitted that he was a better showman, than musician. As a matter of fact, he couldn’t play an instrument, read music, or even sing very well. (Note: in later years, Kyser’s voice did appear on many recordings, usually narrating a particular piece in a kind of sing-song pattern, reminiscent of a 1940s style rapper!) Thankfully, the band was helped from an early date by a talented arranger, George Duning, who prepared most if not all of the charts used by the group and by saxophonist/vocalist Sully Mason. As the band coalesced in the early 1930s, several talented musicians were added to the mix. They included trumpeter/vocalist Merwyn Bogue, and lead vocalists Ginny Sims and Harry Babbitt. It was this group that formed the core of the Kyser entourage for many years to come.
Although not a musician himself, Kyser was the brains behind many of the novelty acts that became a staple of the orchestra, including the “renaming” of Bogue to Ish Kabibble, confirming an idea originally thought of by the band members. He also was behind the idea of the singing song titles, which the orchestra used with great success through much of its existence. Back when every second of radio airtime was precious, he noted that many if not all bands wasted valuable seconds in telling the audience the name of a particular song. Instead, he thought to incorporate the title into a specially arranged sung musical introduction to the piece, giving the audience more music to enjoy. In addition, during live performances, singing song titles kept the couples on the floor, not wandering back to their tables seemingly uninterested in the music.
In the summer of 1935, the Kay Kyser Band hit the charts for the first time with a song entitled “Thinking of You”. The 1920s era ballad also served as the group’s theme song throughout its lifetime. In the next two and one-half years, eleven more Kyser hits latched onto the Billboard top 40, culminating with the band’s first number one hit “The Umbrella Man” in December 1938.
Also in 1938, a feature first started by the Kyser band at the Blackhawk four years before, gained the national spotlight. During a slow period at the restaurant, the band experimented with a mini-quiz show, where audience members would be asked musical questions. Noting accurately that Kyser, a lean man with glasses, could easily be mistaken for a teacher, band members suggested that a fake classroom be used as the backdrop for the show. Kay himself would don professorial garb, including the obligatory mitre. Thus, the “Kollege of Musical Knowledge” was born. After four years of solid regional success, the show went national in 1938 on the NBC network. During its 11 year run, the show never finished out of the top ten.
In 1939, Kyser recorded another 13 top 40 hits, led by the group’s second number one song, a novelty number “Three Little Fishies”, which rode atop the charts for two weeks in May. The same year, the orchestra was asked to go to Atlanta to play at the premiere of the year’s most touted film – Gone With the Wind.
In addition to playing this movie premiere, Kyser was also involved in another aspect of filmmaking in 1939. Capitalizing on his popularity, RKO inked him to play the lead in a picture entitled “That’s Right – You’re Wrong” alongside a young actress named Lucille Ball. Over the next five years, Kyser appeared in six other pictures, starring with the likes of Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Peter Lorre, John Barrymore, Jane Wyman and Ann Miller. (Note: 1940’s “You’ll Find Out” was the only film in which horror specialists Karloff, Lugosi and Lorre all appeared together.)
The Kyser band continued to click in 1940, as ten of its recordings enjoyed placement in the top 40, although none reached the coveted number one spot. Musically, the group continued to rely on novelty titles like “Who’s Yehoodi?” and “The Bad Humor Man.” Although to critics, these tunes were not up to the musical standards set by bandleaders like Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller, in one key aspect, Kyser outstripped most if not all his competitors. Reportedly, Miller was jealous of Kyser’s success – monetary success. One set of figures indicated that Kyser earned over one-million dollars in 1940 – a fantastic total for the era.
As 1941 began, the war in Europe began to loom large in America as well. Patriotic themes began to surface in popular music, as evidenced by two of Kyser’s biggest hits of the year. In July, “(Lights Out) ‘Til Reveille” spent two weeks at the top of the charts, followed five months later by”(There’ll be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover,” which also peaked at number one. Also, in February, Kyser performed for servicemen at the San Diego Marine Base, becoming the first big-name entertainer to play for the troops, beating another well-known name (Bob Hope) by a couple of months.
1942 was a watershed year for the Kay Kyser band in many ways. In April, disaster struck the band. After a gig in New Jersey, the band bus caught fire, destroying most of its instruments and all of its musical arrangements. Undaunted, Duning with the help of new arranger Bill Fontaine, reconstructed the band’s musical library. In doing so, they added pep to the group. Gone were many of the novelty hits that made the Kay Kyser outfit a “sweet band”. Instead, brisker, jazzier arrangements became the norm after this point. Soon after, the band had a chance to showcase its new style. Booked into Frank Dailey’s Meadowbrook (Cedar Grove, NJ) right on the heels of the swinging Harry James Band, many predicted that the Kay Kyser Band lacked the chops to draw the crowds that had just witnessed the James outfit. Instead, while featuring eight different vocalists, Kyser shattered the club’s attendance record that James had just set.
In sheer popularity, the group was at its peak in 1942, scoring five number one hits during the year. In early summer, in the midst of an impressive 23-week run on the charts, “Who Wouldn’t Love You” spent two weeks at the top spot. Shortly thereafter, the song from Fred McMurray’s motion picture The Forest Ranger, “Jingle, Jangle, Jingle” ensconced itself for two months as the number one song – the longest single run at that spot for a Kyser effort. Right on it’s heels, “He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings” pushed its way to the forefront, giving the band its third number one hit in a space of a couple of months.
However, not all was well for the popular music scene in the summer of 1942. James Petrillo, the President of the Musicians Union, had a beef with the recording industry. He felt America’s musicians were not getting a big enough piece of the millions generated by the sale of records. Petrillo reasoned that since people were buying so many records, that they stopped going to hear the bands live, cutting into the profits made by the different outfits. To offset the loss, he sought to gain a larger share of the recording contract for the union members. Naturally, the recording companies balked at giving up a larger morsel, so Petrillo called for a strike – a work stoppage to begin on August 1.
With the deadline looming, Kyser and all of the other major bands began to record at a furious pace, in order to have material on hand to release after the strike deadline. Near the end of July, he got a frantic call from composer Frank Loesser. Loesser had a great song in mind for the Kyser outfit, and he sang it over the phone to his friend Kay. After hearing and endorsing the idea, Kyser turned the phone over to his arranger George Duning, who was able to construct a suitable chart for the band to use. On July 31, hours before the start of the strike, the group laid down the track for their fifth number one hit of the year: “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition”. This song and Kyser’s 1942 chart-topper # 4 (“The Strip Polka”) both reached their peak in the fall of the year.
In 1943, with the recording industry at a standstill, Kyser turned his full attention to entertaining America’s men and women in uniform. He was a tireless performer, criss-crossing the country, putting on several hundred shows during the hostilities. During one stretch, he visited nearly 30 bases in less than a month. In one marathon session at a military hospital, he completed nearly three-dozen, 20-minute shows over the space of 12 hours, so that all could enjoy the music. According to some sources, in sheer numbers, no one put on more war-time concerts than Kay Kyser – even Bob Hope.
A few of Kyser’s 1942 pre-strike leftovers made the charts in 1943, four to be exact. None finished higher than fourth on the top 40. In September, he organized what was called the “Hollywood Victory Caravan” to raise money for war-bonds. Joining Kay on the 23-day tour were well-known stars such as Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball and Judy Garland. In all, the cavalcade raised more than 1 billion dollars for the war effort.
Finally, in 1943, an addition to the Kay Kyser Band was made that would have a profound personal effect on the leader himself. Early in the year, Kyser asked Warner Brothers to recommend a couple of actresses who could accompany the band as it toured. One was a former model named Georgia Carroll who, as it turned out, could also sing. Over the next couple of years, “Gorgeous” Georgia was featured on several Kyser tunes. More importantly, she and Kay became romantically involved. In June 1944, while driving with Georgia through the Nevada desert, he was pulled over for speeding. Doing his best to talk himself out of a ticket, Kay blurted out that they were on their way to get married. The two had already discussed the idea, but the trooper’s action spurred them to act immediately. A Justice of the Peace was retained and the deed was done, giving a dramatic beginning to a 40-year marriage.
After a long 27 months, the musicians strike ended in November of 1944. During the work stoppage, the only recordings being made were done for the war-effort. Called “V-discs”, these recordings were distributed throughout both the European and Pacific Theaters. With the strike over, a few Kyser hits trickled on to the charts in 1945. Of the six, only two cracked the top ten.
In the summer of 1945, with the war in Europe complete and the war against Japan drawing to a close, Kyser, with a small entourage, embarked on a tour in the Pacific. While there, he caught the attention of General Douglas McArthur, who inquired about “Ish Kabibble” (Merwyn Bogue). When told that Private Bogue was training in the States, rank was pulled and “Ish” was able to join his former boss as they became the first entertainers to perform on Okinawa. The war ended with Kyser still in the Pacific.
As he entertained the troops throughout the war, Kyser came to a realization. He enjoyed the charitable work that went along with the war effort, but was growing dissatisfied with the profitable aspects of entertainment. He went as far as to turn down virtually all commercial gigs, unless he was by contract obligated to fulfill them. For Kyser, the idea of retirement had begun to enter the picture.
Late in 1945, Kyser auditioned several singers to replace Harry Babbitt, who had left the group to pursue a solo career the year before. One of the aspirants, a young man named Michael Dowd, Jr., met Kay at the bandleader’s home in December. While there, Kay told Dowd that he liked his style, as he sang from the heart, instead of just because he enjoyed the sound of his own voice. Once hired, Michael Dowd, Jr. was given the stage name of Michael (later Mike) Douglas (selected out of the phone book by Georgia Kyser), who continued to use the moniker throughout his career as a talk show host.
During the next three years, from 1946 to 1948, only 10 of Kyser’s recordings reached the top 40. This dearth was not due to his declining popularity, but was instead the effect of America’s changing taste in music. The Big Band sound of Kyser and his cohorts was being replaced by a more aggressive be-bop style of jazz as the music of choice for the consumer. Only a handful of outfits, like Kyser, still recorded hits in the old style.
Despite these changes, two of Kyser’s last charted hits crested at the number one spot. The first, “Ole Buttermilk Sky” (sung by Mike Douglas) spent 19 weeks in the top 40 in the fall of 1946. Later, “Woody Woodpecker” was number one for six weeks the summer of 1948. Kyser’s final top 40 hit, “On a Slow Boat to China” peaked at number two in the autumn of 1948.
The song “Woody Woodpecker,” which was the theme for the famous cartoon of the same name, also achieved recognition in another way. The ditty won an Oscar for “Best Song,” becoming the only tune associated with a non-feature length production to take home the coveted prize.
In its recording career, the Kay Kyser Band recorded over 400 sides, resulting in nearly 70 top 40 hits, including 11 which reached number one. (Note: Kyser and other musicians of this era recorded 78 RPM singles – the long-playing album (LP) was a thing of the future. His total output, put on LP, would have exceeded over 40 albums.)
In 1949, Kyser was approached to perform in a different medium – television. Sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, NBC launched the television version of “The Kollege of Musical Knowledge” in the fall. The show was a hit, and was continued into the following season. In December 1950, although ranked as the fifth most popular program in the country, the Thursday night “Kollege” was abruptly and unceremoniously canceled. Apparently, the wife of the sponsor thought the show too silly, and convinced her husband to pull the plug. The cancellation notice was impersonally given to Kay in the form of a telegram. And with that, Kyser simply walked away from the entertainment industry, returning home to the state of his birth
Now retired from show business, Kyser devoted much time over the next several years to his philanthropic interests. He helped found North Carolina’s first public television station in 1952. He raised money for various hospitals and championed public health for the state’s residents. For his alma mater, UNC, Kyser was an active supporter of its drama program, pharmacy school and television station. His relationship with the school continued as his children graduated from UNC, as did his wife, who took one class a year for nearly 20 years, receiving a degree in studio art.
Despite these many philanthropic interests, Kyser devoted most of the second half of his life to the study of the religion he had embraced – Christian Science. His introduction to the religion came at an early age, when his mother was healed of a serious ailment by a Christian Science practitioner – an individual who used the power of prayer to remedy the illness. Later, in the early 1930s, he sought the help of another practitioner. Simply put, Kyser felt guilty about all the money he was making with his “dirty old jazz band”. He was told that not many folks could delight the crowds with comedy and music making as he could, thus he must be in his right place.
During World War II, Kyser, who was always an exuberant entertainer, began to slow down, the claim being arthritis of the feet. In the summer of 1944, he was forced to forego a tour because of the problem. For a spiritual solution, he sought help from a practitioner. Relief was gained, and Kyser resumed his entertainment schedule.
In the 1950s, Kyser continued his study of the religion. In 1956, he began a 14-year tenure as North Carolina’s Committee on Publication for the church – in essence a lobbyist and spokesperson for the movement in the state. Later, in 1961, he became a Christian Science practitioner himself. Shortly thereafter, he became an authorized teacher of Christian Science, empowered to instruct others in depth about the religion.
Kyser then became a lecturer, talking with groups about Christian Science. One of the more noteworthy talks was held in Chicago just a few blocks away from the site of the Blackhawk restaurant, where his musical career was jumpstarted more than 40 years before. In addition, he penned over 25 articles for the Christian Science periodicals, both the weekly Christian Science Sentinel and the monthly Christian Science Journal, the latter still serving as the Church’s official organ. Also, in the late 1970s, Kyser worked at the Christian Science Church Headquarters in Boston, heading up its Film and Broadcasting Department. This group filmed, taped, produced and distributed audio and video programs on Christian Science. While there, he took time out to make a brief but memorable return to the entertainment business.
In the early 1960s, Kyser’s former “boy singer” launched his own talk show, “The Mike Douglas Show”. Quickly, the program, which featured entertainers of all kinds, became immensely popular. All during this time, Douglas kept pestering his mentor to appear on his show as a guest. Each time, Kyser politely declined. Finally he relented. However, it was to be on his own terms – in his own style.
In December 1976, Mike and his co-host of the week Kevin Dobson (Kojak) were blithely sailing through a show, when Mike began to talk about his former boss. During the proceedings, he began to sing one of his former Kyser hits “Ole Buttermilk Sky”. While Mike was crooning away, all of a sudden a voice in the background said “No, No, you’re doing it all wrong!” Then Kay made his appearance, dressed in his full Kollege regalia. Evidently, everybody but Mike was in on the joke.
Teacher and pupil then sat down and talked about the old times – reminiscing about the band. Then Kay announces, with tongue firmly in cheek, the real reason he quit show business. It was, Kay said, to save Mike’s marriage. Kay went on to say that his four-year old daughter was so enamored of the young singer – the young girl looking at Mike with adoration as he rehearsed – that he feared the attention would be too much to take. Naturally, then Kay’s whole family joined him on the program, including the aforementioned daughter, who by 1976 was a lovely young woman. The whole experience was a warm and fulfilling affirmation of his great career – a perfect capstone.
In 1983, Kyser was appointed to a year-long position as President of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston. The position was honorary, but still important, as the President quite often served as a spokesman for the church. Two years later, in July 1985, Kay Kyser passed away in Chapel Hill – his home.
SOURCES
Books
My Story by Mike Douglas
The Big Bands by George Simon
Kay Kyser – The Ol’ Professor of Swing! America’s Forgotten Superstar by Steve Beasley
Web Sites
Kaykyser.net (website by Steve Beasley)
Ibiblio.org/kaykyser (A tribute to Kay Kyser)
CD Liner Notes
The Best of the Big Bands, Will Friedwald
Kay Kyser and his Orchestra, Brian Belton
Music Maestro Please, Thomas Price
The Best of Kay Kyser and his Orchestra, Harry Babbitt and others
Kay Kyser – Kollege of Musical Knowledge, Raymond Hair
I’ll be Seeing You – Kay Kyser and his Orchestra, Paul Lindemeyer with Raymond Hair
Kay Kyser – Fun with the Old Professor ’44 – ’47, Gary Theroux
Kay Kyser’s Kollege of Musical Knowledge – 1941/1943 Broadcasts, Raymond Hair