The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-08-05

evening, usually speak of the small
towns in the sticks with lofty contempt. Yet
the chances are several to one that the radio
artist whose voice keeps them so enthralled is
a product of a town so small that the city
dweller never even heard of it.
To be specific, one of the biggest of big time
radio stars was an orphan lad from Woodland.
Cal. Another was a cow-town prodigy: Still
another began as a choir singer in a tiny church.
One was born in a town called Oolagah. and
perhaps the greatest popular ~favorite OF them
all was born in a hamlet called Island Pond.
But here are a few stories Of SOM of the
air folk who broadcast from MIC and Colum
bia and the other big stations.
Take, if you wish. Jesse Crawford.
If and when you are in New York. you'll
find Crawford and his wife at the organ of the
4, Paramount Theater several times a day.
TODAY Jesse Crawford has the choice
of dressing rooms in one OF the most
ornate of the film cathedrals. His in
come runs into thousands a week. He has an
expensive apartment on Park Avenue. He was
one of the FIRST to make phonograph records OF
organ music, and the sale of these alone would
keep him comfortably quartered.
When his theater routine is finished he can
run w " q lux ol00lO OA Oil uRPNA A00A'
There he has his private broadcasting room,
one of the few such in America. In >khis room
is another organ. specially provided by the
broadcasting company.
Yet Crawford came from an orphanage.
Twenty-three years ago he was turned over to
the home of our Our Lady of Lourdes at
Woodland. Cal.
1t was part of the routine of the orphanage
that the children take a daily lesson on a none
too-sturdy piano in the practice room.
And l can thank Sister Antonio for my
start in life" he n~arrates. After she had taught
me all the simple pieces one gives a youngster.
she knew she had done all she personally could.
She told me one day that l knew more than
she did, and that | must go on must not
stop.
my time at the orphanase was up. | had
10 90 out and make a living. And ! turned
to the piano. ! started wandering on foot
from town to town until / came to a little
suburb Of Spokane. Wash. and | got a job
in a little nickelodeon. | got S. q. week. But
kept the job three years. In those days !
could just about live and eat on that.
but it gave me a chance to do the
practicing and study that / needed.
And it was a great chance. For
could follow the action OF the pictures
WIN WuSICS j COulO lCdIut TIC lCCuul4uC
of synchronization which later came in
so handy"
He quit his job and took one at $40
a week. But this theater had an or
gan, and not a piano. He had no
training in this instrument. He had no
instructor. He had to figure it out fox
himself. and for two years he labored.
4 7 the end Of two years he had /
n mastered it. Theater producers in
the larger cities had heard Of |
him and one day he found a golden
offer Of $3.50. a week to go to Los
Angeles.
The asylum kid was doing pretty
well. thank you.
About seven years ago he happened
to drop in at a dance given by an
o~rsanists' society. And there he met
Helen-who six months later became
MR.. Crawford. Like himself. she had
struggled for years to get ahead. Since
her fourteenth birthday she had been
playing in the movie theaters.
There was a real novelty in a hus-
band and wife doing their duets on
the same organ.
But it was pretty hard on pleasant
married life at first" he admits. you
know how it is with a husband and
wife who have been s~oloists and sud-
denly start teaming. We disagreed and
argued and had our own opinions for
a long while. But that's all over now. We
played together so long that it's pretty clio
harmony"
Up Park Avenue. in one Of those swank
expensive apartment belts. you'll find a ii
organ in the Crawford nursery. There Jess
Jr.. thumps and pounds to her hearts conter
with her mother giving her daily instructions.
One of these years there may be the &
family trio in organ playing history.
Mary Mccoy. who can be heard in 'Metl
politan Echoes" in the NBC concerts, is
little girl that Mime. Schumann-H eink disco
cred out in the town Of Great Bend. Kan.