Ben Bernie

Benjamin Anzelevitz (May 30, 1891 – October 20, 1943), known professionally as Ben Bernie, was an American jazz violinist, bandleader, and radio personality, often introduced as "The Old Maestro". He was noted for his showmanship and memorable bits of snappy dialogue, being part of the first generation of "stars" of American popular music, alongside other artists such as Paul Whiteman (a fellow violinist and bandleader), Ted Lewis, and Al Jolson.

Career Early years Bernie was born Benjamin Anzelevitz and with Phil Baker as Baker and Bernie, The term was memorably used by a character in the film They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), Richie Cunningham in a 1976 episode of Happy Days, "They Shoot Fonzies, Don't They?" (1976), by the band Chic with their hit "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" (1977), Frank Zappa in his 1979 single "Dancin' Fool" and Ritch Brinkley as Cappy in 1994's comedy, Cabin Boy.

Announcers for Bernie's programs included Harlow Wilcox, Harry von Zell and Bob Brown. His radio shows featured comedy from Lew Lehr and Fuzzy Knight, and the line-up of vocalists included Buddy Clark, Little Jackie Heller, Scrappy Lambert, Pat Kennedy, Jane Pickens, Dinah Shore, and Mary Small.

To boost ratings, Walter Winchell and Bernie, who were good friends, staged a fake rivalry similar to the comedic conflict between Jack Benny and Fred Allen. This mutually beneficial "feud" was a running gag on their radio appearances and continued in two films in which they portrayed themselves: Wake Up and Live (1937) and Love and Hisses (1937). They are also caricatured in the Warner Bros. cartoons The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos (1937) as "Ben Birdie" and "Walter Finchell" and The Coo-Coo Nut Grove (1936) as "Ben Birdie" and "Walter Windpipe".

Recordings Bernie's orchestra recorded throughout the 1920s and 1930s on Vocalion (1922–25), Brunswick (1925–33), Columbia (1933), Decca (1936), and ARC (Vocalion and OKeh) (1939–40). In 1923 Bernie and the Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra recorded "Who's Sorry Now?".

In 1925 Ben Bernie and his orchestra recorded "Sweet Georgia Brown". Bernie was the co-composer of this jazz standard, which became the theme song of the Harlem Globetrotters.

Personal life

On December 24, 1915, Bernie married Rose Harris (maiden; 1893–1965) in Manhattan, New York. They had a son, Jason H. Bernie (1918–1969). Ben and Rose Bernie separated in September 1931 and divorced September 1935. In October 1935, Ben Bernie remarried Dorothy P. Wesley (1908–1990) in Miami, Florida.

Bernie died from a pulmonary embolism in October 1943, aged 52, and was buried in Mount Hebron Cemetery, in Queens, New York.

Bernie has a star at 6280 Hollywood Boulevard in the Radio section of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was dedicated February 8, 1960.

Selected discography "Swinging Down the Lane" (1923) (Vocalion) "Wildflower" (1923) (Vocalion) "Sweet Georgia Brown" July 1925 (#1 hit for 5 weeks) (Vocalion) "Sleepy Time Gal" (vocal Arthur Fields) March 1926 (#1 hit for 4 weeks) (Brunswick) "Reaching for the Moon" (vocal Paul Hagan) (Benny Davis / Jesse Greer) (1926) (Brunswick) "Ain't She Sweet" (vocal Scrappy Lambert & Billy Hillpot) May 1927 (#1 hit for 4 weeks) (Brunswick) "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" (vocal Scrappy Lambert) (1927) (Brunswick) "To Whom It May Concern" (1931) (Brunswick) "Just a Gigolo" (vocal Frank Sylvano) (1931) (Brunswick) "Marching Along Together" (vocal by Manny Prager & Ben Bernie) August 21, 1933 (Columbia) "We Won't Have to Sell the Farm" August 21, 1933 (Columbia) "The Duke Is on a Bat Again" (vocal by Manny Prager & Ben Bernie) August 21, 1933 (Columbia) "Ain't That Marvelous (My Baby Loves Me)" (vocal Manny Prager) August 21, 1933 (Columbia) "This Is Romance" (vocal by Frank Prince)), Sept. 19, 1933 (Columbia) "You Gotta Be a Football Hero", (vocal by Manny Prager & Ben Bernie) Sept. 19, 1933 (Columbia) "Shanghai Lil", (vocal by Stu Johnson) Sept. 26, 1933 (Columbia) "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?", Sept. 26, 1933 (Columbia)