The actual personnel of the 1938 Bunny Berigan band, when Jayne Dover was vocalist, consisted of:
Saxes: Milton Schatz, Georgie Auld, Gus Rivona, Clyde Rounds - Trumpets: Bunny, John Naptan, Harry Goodman - Trombones: Nat LeBrousky, Ray Coniff - Drums: Buddy Rich - Guitar: Hank Wayland - Bass: Dick Morgan - Piano: Joe Bushkin

Berigan lacked self-discipline and the band reflected that fact. Bunny finally called it quits in early 1940.

Tommy Dorsey hired him immediately. His stay only lasted 6 months - he left Dorsey, after an NBC radio broadcast, on Aug. 20, 1940. There were some dis-agreements. Bunny felt that he wasn't getting sufficient solo time, etc.

By early 1941, Bunny had another band. But Bunny's Drinking problem and the band's schedule of many one-nighters took it's a affect on Bunny. Soon, he was unable to lead the orchestra and he left. He turned the band over to PeeWee Erwin, and Bunny declared personal bankruptcy.

He formed another orchestra in '41. Bunny really needed help with his 'problem' but had to keep on working to support his wife and two kids and the orchestra. June 1st and 2nd, 1942 are the two last dates for Bunny. On June 1st, his band had a date to play New York's Manhattan Center. The band was there, but Bunny wasn't. He was in the Polyclinic Hospital with a bad case of Cirrhosis of the Liver. In a gesture of friendship, Benny Goodman brought his sextet over from the Paramount Theatre, and filled in for Bunny.

On June 2nd, at age 33, Bunny's trumpet was stilled.

Some more info on Berigan:
Hal Kemp heard a young Bunny Berigan while Kemp's band was touring Wisconsin in 1928, but didn't hire Bunny because Kemp's arranger - John Scott Trotter - thought that Berigan's tone was too tinny. In time, Bunny wound up in New York working for the Frank Cornwall Band. (Kemp hired him away this time.) He left Kemp and floated around the record and radio studios. He did a show of his own at CBS - Bunny's Blue Boys, and even cut some sides with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. Benny Goodman hired him and Bunny stayed with Benny about 6 months and then joined Tommy Dorsey.

That "6 months' was an oft repeated 'theme'. Bunny was developing a little problem - booze. Music was fun for Bunny. It was something he enjoyed. It wasn't a job, something to be worked at. Looking backward, it seems that Bunny never stayed more than 6 months with any orchestra. He was well liked by the musicians - in and out of his band. He was a friend, a fellow musician, and a good drinking companion. He never could discipline his orchestras. It was this lack of discipline that prevented Bunny's own orchestra from achieving true greatness.

[ Vic Berton Orch. ]
b. May 6, 1896 Chicago, IL, USA. d. Dec 26, 1951 Hollywood, CA, USA.
Instruments: Drums
Believe it or not, Vic Berton, was playing drums in a Milwaukee pit band at the age of seven! He worked with John Philip Sousa's Navy Band during World War I before working with jazz bands in Chicago. While Vic wasn't as raw and firey as some (erroneously) perceive drummers, he was highly regarded by many critics as well as his fellow musicians. He would set up a set of tympani with bicycle pedals to permit faster pitch changes. In this manner, he routinely doubled the piano player's left hand, or did a free bass line like a stand-up bass player, and also solo. Other musicians dubbed his pedals the "Charleston Pedal". His work on the old Red Nichols, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang sides really shows off his razor sharp intonation.

The list of jazz greats that Vic Berton worked with is indeed remarkable. Luckily many of his recordings are now available on CD. His recordings with Red Nichols includes "Washboard Blues," and "Alabama Stomp"; with Miff Mole, he recorded "Alexander's Band", "Hurricane" and "Feelin' No Pain", and with Charlie Charleston, he recorded "Red Hot Henry Brown."

In 1922 he wrote, "Sobbin' Blues" and he managed the Wolverines band, that at the time featured a young Bix Beiderbecke. He moved to the West Coast in the late 1920's to form his own band. The group became successful with early studio recordings, including, "Taboo", "I've Been Waiting All Winter", "Dardanella", and a few recordings with the singer Chick Bullock. (Dardanella is here digitally re-engineered by Mr. Verne Buland. It's the Harry Raderman Orch., in 1917)

Vic was something of a character. He dabbled in occultism, and "often greeted his students in flowing black robes." In 1931 he, Louis Armstrong and Frank Driggs were busted for smoking pot. There is an apocryphal tale of a band leader, whose band was then playing down the road, blowing the whistle on them. The 'stuff' was called "gage" at that time, but was also known as muggles, tea, reefer, shuzzit and a dozen more names, - all meaning the same thing - marijuana. (Please see our Slang, page.

Vic Berton worked with some movie studios in the 1930's and even returned to symphonic work in the 1940's, just as he did when he was seven.

[ Don Bestor Orch. ]
b: Sept 23, 1889, Langford SD., USA, d: Jan 13, 1970
Theme: "Teach Me To Smile" and "I'm Not Forgetting"
Memorable 'Tag': "Play, Don, Play!" -- Jack Benny Radio Show
Here's an autographed photo (source not known) of Don Bestor, which reads, "To my old pal, Joe Sanders (Coon-Sanders Orch. --ed) best in the world to me, Best in the World, very sincerely, Don Bestor", and another Don Bestor photo, and still another better one (courtesy Mr. Peter Doyle) of Don Bestor, who was one of the grand veteran bandleaders fronting one of the hottest swing bands of the 1920's, -The Benson Orchestra of Chicago!

After learning piano at the age of sixteen, he toured the vaudeville circuit. He formed an early dance band in 1921 before working with the Benson band. By the mid 1920's he took over as leader and signed the band with Victor Records. Among the Benson recordings under Bestor's direction were, "Copenhagen," and "In A Covered Wagon With You." He resumed his own band by 1933 and recorded with Brunswick throughout much of the 1930's. The band had such success on record that he was often asked to perform on radio. His radio career was relatively short, but extremely significant. The Don Bestor Orchestra was featured on the Walter O'Keefe Show while at the same time working for the brand new program staring a comedian named Jack Benny. The Benny program began in 1934 and soon became a national craze. Bestor was often asked by Benny to, "Play, Don, Play!"

(Trivia: It was Bestor who wrote the commercial for the Jack Benny Show when it was sponsored by, "J-E-L-L-O.")

By the late 1930's his fame had waned, however, he continued to tour the band until 1943. Besides his role on the Benny show, the band is remembered for a few important recordings, including, "Animal Crackers In My Soup" from the Shirley Temple movie Curly Top in 1935 and the number one hit song in March 1933, "Forty-Second Street."
Above notes courtesy of Mr. Dan DelFiorentino

[ Frank Bettencourt Orch ]
Theme Song: "Dreams of You"
Frank was typical of some band leaders who really paid their dues to become leaders. He spent 20 years with the Jan Garber Orchestra playing trombone, arranging and often leading the band.

In 1962, long after the Big Band era had faded, he overcame many difficulties to start his own orchestra, in Dallas, TX. After Dallas, the band was booked into 'The Shamrock' in Houston, TX. Following this, the band toured extensively to locations which included the 'St Anthony' in San Antonio, TX; 'The Willowbrook' in Chicago, IL; and many other Mid-Western locations.

The Bettencourt orchestra was in residence for the entire year of 1968 at the "Boulevard Room" of the Conrad Hilton in Chicago. Bettencourt's was the last band to work the room before it closed. In time, he moved from Chicago to New York City, where he became the 'house' orchestra of the Roseland Dance City Ballroom.

[ Henry Biagini Orch ]
Hank Biagini was the first leader of the Casa Loma band in 1927. One year later, he was replaced by Mel Jenssen. (Under Jenssen's leadership the Casa Lomans became incorporated - they were one of the very first "Co-op" bands.) Here's a photo of Shanie Kaye, vocalist with the Biagini Orchestra.

Biagini lead ballroom orchestra's throughout the 1930's and '40's, mostly in the Midwest. At one time Charlie Barnet worked with Biagini before forming his own band. Henry died in 1944. (Auto Accident)

[ Ray Bloch Orch. ]
b. August 3, 1902, Alsace-Lorraine, France, d. March 29, 1982.
né: Raymond A. Bloch.
pianist/leader/composer
A reader has sent this uncredited photo of Ray Bloch, Marilyn Monroe and Ava Gardner, L-R Marilyn, Ava, and Ray.
Arriving in the USA during World War I, Bloch first found work as an 'office-boy' for the New York French language newspaper 'Courier des Etats-Unis'. From this humble beginning, he next found work as a piano player for a music publisher, and then to playing piano with various ballroom bands.

During the early 1920s, he was once part of a quintet billed opposite the famed 'Original Dixieland Jazz Band'. Subsequently, he led his own quintet which toured the vaudeville circuits. The late 1920s found him working as a studio pianist at various New York city radio stations.

1931 first found him working as arranger-accompanist for 'The Eton Boys', then a popular quartet, after which he became leader of several choral groups, the most notable of which was the 'Swing Fourteen'. One of the choral groups that Bloch directed was part of the CBS sustaining series, "Johnny Presents," which had previously been fronted by such men as Ferde Grofé:, Leo Reisman, Russ Morgan, and Johnny Green.

The turning point of his career came when CBS promoted Bloch to orchestra leader. Thereafter, his career included composing, conducting, coaching, orchestrating, and choral directing. His chief musical collaborators included W. Edward Breuder and Paul Rusincky. His song compositions include "You're Everything That's Lovely", "In the Same Old Way", "In My Little Red Book", "The Wide Open Spaces", "Sam the Vegetable Man", "Let's Make Up a Little Party", and "If You Were Mine". Among the vocalists that Bloch helped to stardom include Jack Smith, Gordon MacRae, Genevieve Rowe, Benay Venuta, Alan Dale, Sally Sweetland, and others. He was the leader for many major shows.