Henry Halstead (November 16, 1897 – March 19, 1984) Henry Halstead's Orchestra began in early 1922 and over the next 20 years Halstead's band engagements have extended from coast to coast, including the Blossom Room at Hotel Roosevelt, New York; the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California; the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco; Blackstone in Chicago; and a season at the late "Fatty" Arbuckle's "Plantation" in Culver City where such entertainers as Al Jolson, Sophie Tucker, Gus Edwards, and Leatrice Joy were headliners on his shows. Henry Halstead had from 15 to 20 bandmembers at any given time. Halstead's orchestra appeared in numerous short subjects on the screen and has made over 100 phonograph records, mainly with Victor Records. In addition, Halstead appeared in short films released by RKO Radio. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 463 × 600 pixels Full resolution (849 × 1100 pixel, file size: 96 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Image:HenryHalstead. ... publicity photo for Ayres Lew Ayres (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor. ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: County El Paso County Government  - Mayor John Cook Area  - City  250. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Jazz is a musical art form that originated in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States around the start of the 20th century. ... A bandleader is the director of a band of musicians. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Victor Talking Machine Company (1901 - 1929) was a United States corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Beverly Hills is a city in the western part of Los Angeles County, California. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Asa Al Jolson Yoelson (born in Seredžius, Lithuania on May 26, 1886, and died in San Francisco, California on October 23, 1950) was an acclaimed American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1911 until his death in 1950. ... Sophie Tucker, 1917 Sophie Tucker (January 13, 1884 - February 9, 1966) was a singer and comedian, one of the most popular United States entertainers of the first third of the 20th century. ... Gus Edwards is the name of a songwriter and vaudevillian born in Germany in 1879 a playwright born in the West Indies in 1939 Categories: Disambiguation | Stub ... Leatrice Joy Leatrice Joy (November 7, 1893 - May 13, 1985) was an American film actress best known for her career in the early silent film era. ... The Victor Talking Machine Company (1901 - 1929) was a United States corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. ... The classic logo of RKO Radio Pictures. ...

Following their rise to national fame over the air and in the grill rooms out on the West Coast, Henry Halstead and his band of artists gained the reputation as being the "Favorite Band of Movieland". During his career as the West Coast's premier dance orchestra Hank Halstead's boys have furnished the melodius syncopation for nearly all the movie people at their private entertainments. It has long been the rule-of-the-day in Hollywood, "if your having a party, hire Hank." Among the names of those who have become Halstead fans out in movieland are Sylvia Sidney, Phillip Holmes, Frederic March, Claudette Colbert, Kay Francis, Rudolph Valentino, Roscoe Arbuckle, Maurice Chevalier], Clark Gable, Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo, Clive Brook, Gary Cooper, Marian Nixon, Jack Oakie, Buddy Rogers, and Ruth Chatterton. Sylvia Sidney (August 8, 1910 - July 1, 1999) was an American actress. ... Fredric March photograph by Carl Van Vechten, 1939 Fredric March (Ernest Frederick McIntyre Bickel) (August 31, 1897–April 14, 1975) was an Academy Award winning American actor. ... Claudette Colbert (September 13, 1903 - July 30, 1996) was an Academy Award-winning and Golden Globe-winning French-American actress in Hollywood film, stage, television and radio. ... Kay Francis (13 January 1905 - 26 August 1968) was an American actress who, after a brief beginning on Broadway in the 1920s, moved to film and achieved her greatest success between 1930 and 1936. ... Rudolph Valentino (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926) was an Italian actor. ... Roscoe Conkling Arbuckle aka Fatty Arbuckle (March 24, 1887 – June 29, 1933) was an American silent film comedian. ... French singer Maurice Chevalier with stars of Hellzapoppin at Expo 67, in Montreal, Quebec. ... William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an Academy Award-winning American film actor. ... Edith Norma Shearer (August 10, 1902 (some sources indicate 1900) - June 12, 1983) was an Academy Award-winning Canadian-born Hollywood actress. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Clive Brook (1 June 1887 - 17 November 1974) was a British actor. ... Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper May 7, 1901 – May 13, 1961) was a two-time Academy Award-winning American film actor of English heritage. ... Marian Nixon (b. ... Jack Oakie (November 12, 1903 – January 23, 1978) is an actor. ... Charles Buddy Rogers: Actor, jazz musician. ... Ruth Chatterton Ruth Chatterton (December 24, 1893 - November 24, 1961) was an American actress. ...

Hollywood actor Lew Ayres was discovered in the Henry Halstead band in 1927. Ayres quote, "I was a member of Henry Halstead's orchestra in 1927 at the Mission Beach Ballroom, San Diego, Calif....summer. My instruments were tenor banjo, long-neck banjo and guitar. After a hiatus, I rejoined Mr. Halstead with a new group, including Phil Harris, on New Years Eve the same year for the opening night of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel... a memorable occasion." Henry Halstead is given credit for making the 1st movie short with Warner Brothers in 1927 called Carnival Night in Paris where Lew Ayres was discovered playing banjo. Halstead was on the cover of Billboard issue of July 27, 1935 at that time known as Henry "Hank" Halstead and His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra playing at the Hotel-Park Central, New York. publicity photo for Ayres Lew Ayres (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor. ... publicity photo for Ayres Lew Ayres (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor. ... Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ...

Phil Harris played drums and Red Nichols played trumpet as they were members of Henry Halstead's band in the 1920's. Phil Harris and Alice Faye Phil Harris (born Wonga Philip Harris) (June 24, 1904 – August 11, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, jazz musician and comedian. ... Ernest Loring Red Nichols (May 8, 1905–June 28, 1965) was a United States jazz cornettist. ...

Cliff Arquette an actor, comedian, was also a night club pianist, joining the Henry Halstead Orchestra in 1923. Clifford Arquette (December 28, 1905–September 23, 1974) was an actor and comedian, famous for his role as Charley Weaver. ...

Halstead made Victor Records, and broadcast on all major radio networks, such as Columbia, National, and Mutual Broadcasting Companies. Halstead led his band and played violin. The original Halstead violin still exists and has dozens of band member signatures on the violin. Henry was considered one of the best young band leaders which gave his dance patrons plenty of entertainment. His music maintained excellent rhythm and a crowded floor thoughout the night stood testimony that he was playing good dance music.

Henry Halstead was born November 16, 1897 in El Paso, Texas and died on March 19, 1984 in California. As a young boy, Halstead learned to play violin. After studying the violin for 10 years, Hank Halstead turned professional when 19 playing clubs and hotels, at the tables. It was around 1919 that Henry Halstead played violin with 2 other men that went on to become famous Big Band Leaders, Abe Lyman and Gus Arnheim. The 3 young men played in a band together at the Sunset Inn in Santa Monica, California. Abe Lyman played drums and Gus Arnheim played piano. Roy Fox, not well known in America but later a ranking bandmaster in England, played the trumpet on occasion with them. Even early on Halstead dressed the part, a tuxedo was a must and he must have worn out a few of them over the next 20 years. Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: County El Paso County Government  - Mayor John Cook Area  - City  250. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Abe Lyman (August 4, 1897 - October 23, 1957) was a popular bandleader from the 1920s to the 1940s. ... Gus Arnheim (born September 4, 1897 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died January 1955 in Los Angeles, California) was an early popular band leader. ...

In 1923 Halstead, then director of the Palais Royal Orchestra, predicts for the coming year that even though dance steps may change, the music as far as tempo and rhythm will remain about the same as in 1922. And jazz, minus the shrieking and wailing, toned down with even a touch more of the classical than the case in the year now coming to a close, will continue to reign supreme in the popularity of dance fans. "Balance of harmony is the secret." Mr. Halstead said. "Careful selection of instruments and musicians are next in importance, but unless harmony is perfectly balanced that soft, dreamy effect so necessary in the modern fox trot is lost." The Buescher phone, an unusual instrument for a dance orchestra, is featured in the Palais Royal Orchestra.

Many vocalists and entertainers performed with the Henry Halstead Orchestra. Maxine Harding with her deep-dyed blues singing was a Soloist with Henry Halstead's Orchestra. Clarence Rand's voice also was featured, so was Myrtle Harwin, Niela Goodelle, Margaret Reed, Peggy Mann.