Friday, December 17, 2010

First Finds

A few years back was looking for information on the Vernaz Drug Store for Maurine Achauer when I ran across a couple of photos of a dapper young man named Jimmy Kemper in the Juanita Vernaz file.  He grew up in the "Good House"  which was then the Kemper home.  This young man ended up in New York and shared his song stylings on nationally syndicated show called Beautiful Thoughts on NBC Blue Radio.  He performed in Kansas City and in Chicago as well.  If anyone has heard any of his music please let us know, have yet to find any sound files.   It may be that he was a comedian/songster, and he sometimes went by the name Jamie Kemper... we think.  Anyway, he is still an untold story among the more notable Johnson Countians... and finding his picture really piqued this curator's enthusiasm for the gems hiding in our files!; This particular photo was not the first, but is signed to one of our founders' daughters, Liz Smiser Schwensen.
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9 comments:

  1. BruceJuly 22, 2011 at 10:39 PM

    77384. The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour. March 21, 1935. NBC net, WEAF, New York aircheck. Sponsored by: Fleischmann's Yeast (some commercials deleted). The first tune is, "Smooth Sailing." Pierre Fresnay appears in a scene from his current Broadway play, "Noah," accompanied by the rest of the cast of the show (his first national radio appearance). Kathlyn Perry (Earl Hines's wife) sings a haunting, "Body and Soul." Jimmy Kemper sings, "The Song Of The Riveter." Rudy Vallee, The Connecticut Yankees, Jimmy Wallington (announcer), Tom Howard, George Shelton, Pierre Fresnay, Earl Fatha Hines, Kathlyn Perry, The Goode Sisters (Millie and Dolly), Jimmy Kemper, The Stewart Sisters. 54:35. Audio condition: Excellent. Otherwise complete

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  2. BruceJuly 22, 2011 at 10:40 PM

    http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=47823

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  3. JoCoMo HistoryJuly 23, 2011 at 12:27 AM

    Thank you, Bruce, for finding these connections. I need to see if I can order some of these radio shows. Would love to hear the man sing... and the ibdb reference is to his show...
    A Fantastic Fricassee [Original, Musical, Revue] Sep 11, 1922 - Dec 1922
    Performer: Jimmy Kemper

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  4. Bruce UhlerJuly 12, 2012 at 8:14 AM

    http://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=radio&p=293&item=RB:2965-1

    DETAILS

    NETWORK:
    DATE: October 2, 1936
    RUNNING TIME:
    COLOR/B&W:
    CATALOG ID: RB:2965-1
    GENRE:
    SUBJECT HEADING:
    SERIES RUN:
    COMMERCIALS:
    CREDITS

    Jimmy Kemper

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  5. Bruce UhlerJuly 12, 2012 at 8:23 AM

    http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper%208/Schenectady%20NY%20Gazette/Schenectady%20NY%20Gazette%201934%20Grayscale/Schenectady%20NY%20Gazette%201934%20Grayscale%20-%200010.pdf
    reference to jimmy.

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  6. JoCoMo HistoryJuly 16, 2012 at 9:59 AM

    Thank you for your research, Bruce. We are having another Musical October, with an exhibit called Mo' Music: Roots and Branches. We'll be highlighting local notables and I'll hope to make some use of your research findings. Best and warm regards, Lisa @ JCHS

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  7. BruceDecember 28, 2015 at 9:39 AM

    I have some family photos of Jimmy...he was a relative. lived with my great grandparents at 200 west gay for a time too.

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  8. BruceDecember 28, 2015 at 9:40 AM

    I have some family photos of Jimmy...he was a relative. lived with my great grandparents at 200 west gay for a time too.

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  9. JoCoMo HistoryDecember 30, 2015 at 12:10 PM

    Would love to see those... Fame is certainly fleeting...
    finding his photos and trying to find out about someone so well known was very eye opening when I first came to the historical society in 2000.... one of my first "accidents" history wise.

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