Last Friday, we posted the first part in this two-part series where we’ve cracked open “The Ideal Scrapbook,” compiled by Louis Armstrong and Alpha Smith during the wild year of 1931. We rearranged the pages so it would flow chronologically, opening with Armstrong’s final months in California at the start of the year, his troubles with gangsters when he returned to Chicago, his action-packed summer spent in New Orleans, and his sometimes harrowing first tour of the Deep South. To set the scene, here is the cover of this artifact again:
As Armstrong was touring the South, his manager Johnny Collins was busy booking his star client on a major RKO vaudeville tour. Collins had much past experience in vaudeville and booking an African American artist on such a high-paying, mainstream tour was a big deal. Here’s the first page chronolcling this chapter in Armstrong’s life, beginning at the RKO theater in St. Louis; notice the handwriting on the upper right corner, “LAST DAY + STILL HEADING BILL!”
Here’s a close-up of the articles obscured on the above page:
From St. Louis, it was off to Columbus, Ohio, as detailed on this next page:
Here’s a taste of what “Iron-Lip Louis” was doing with his “freak lip” during these performances:
On screen, My Sin was being shown, starring Armstrong’s future friend and fan, Tallulah Bankhead:
Here are three more reviews in a row of Armstrong’s run in Columbus:
The next page has more from Columbus and the RKO Palace:
Another description of the bill at the Palace:
An ad from the October 22, 1931 Ohio State Journal:
Small blurb in the Columbus Citizen; Louis and Alpha must have been so excited, buying up every newspaper they could find:
Now here’s something that will excite the musicians: when Armstrong was in St. Louis, he stupped at a Wurlitzer store and bought a Martin Troubador trumpet. Word got back to the Sales Manager at the Martin Band Instrument Company in Elkhart, Indiana, who wrote a letter of appreciation to “Lewis” at Keith’s Theatre in Columbus. Now we know that Armstrong was playing a Martin Troubador on the immortal OKeh sessions of November 1931, not to mention the sides he made in January 1932 and the short films he did for Paramount a short time after. Armstrong was presented with his first Selmer trumpet in England in the summer of 1932 and never looked back, but here’s evidence of his time playing a Martin:
Back to vaudeville, Armstrong next played the Albee Theatre in Cincinnati, where Laurel and Hardy’s Pardon Us was on the screen. Armstrong later called Stan Laurel his favorite comedian so he must have been pleased to be on the same bill as their first feature film:
Small blurb on the Albee:
Here’s an early profile of Armstrong, beginning with the perfect summation, “Music–plus personality.” Armstrong really honed his stagecraft on these vaudeville bills, as he only had a short amount of time to make a big impression:
It sure seemed to be a jumping week in Cincinnati, based on all the different entertainers performing at so many different venues:
Back to the Albee, here’s a big ad for the combination of Armstrong on stage and Laurel and Hardy on the screen. The handwriting says, “NOT BAD! NOT BAD! THIS IS OUR FIRST DAY”:
Zooming in a bit on some of the articles that were obscured, here’s a blurb describing Armstrong as “the ‘hottest’ of modern trumpeters”:
Another ad for the Albee:
Here’s a review of Armstrong’s performance from The Enquirer: “There isn’t the shadow of a symphonic touch, a legtimate musical approach in a bar of the band’s music. It’s purely and strictly jazz. The sole thing not subtle is Arsmtrong’s trumept. At blowing it he is a master. That can be told after the first few notes”:
Box office report from Variety, showing a “fair” week of business at the Albee, which I suppose was expected at the height of the Great Depression:
Another page, another series of ads for the Albee, as well as the first ad for Armstrong’s early November vaudeville appearance at the Palace in Chicago:
Billboard reviewed Armstrong’s set at the Albee and finally, we get a set list: “Shine,” “Rockin’ Chair,” and “I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead you Fascal You,” noting “Armstrong leads, clowns, sings and pours out the hot notes on the trumpet,” though also observing “the band clicks only so-so”:
In an earlier ad shared above, there was mention of Armstrong playing a dance at the Greystone in Cincinnati. That is also referenced in the below clipping, but the main event here is the incredible “Battle of Music” being held at the Greystone featuring Bennie Moten, Chick Webb, Blanche Calloway, Johnson’s Happy Pals, and Zack Whyte; wonder if Armstrong attended?
Rounding out Armstrong’s time in Cincinnati, here is a ticket to a performance by the “Louis Armstrong Attraction” at Palm Grove on October 29:
From the Albee, we make our way to the Palace in Chicago:
Once again, we’ll take a peek at the previously hidden clippings; here’s one about an incredible all-star benefit show at the Civic Opera House that featured 120 stage people, including Fannie Brice, Ted Healy, Blossom Seely, Bea Lillie, the choir from Green Pastures and many more, in addition to Louis, of course:
Lily Damita in Friends and Lovers, the film being shown at the Palace:
More Chicago clippings with the best one obscured:
There it is! Might be my favorite image in this post, advertising Louis’s return to the Savoy, where he was king in 1928 and early 1929; as a bonus, his former leader Erskine Tate was also on the bill. Also, in case these dates look familiar to the Armstrong devotees out there, on November 3, he recorded “Lazy River” and “Chinatown, My Chinatown,” on November 4, he recorded “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams” and “Star Dust,” on November 5, he recorded “Georgia on My Mind” and “You Can Depend on Me,” and on November 6, he recorded “The Lonesome Road” and “I Got Rhythm,” all while performing nightly in Chicago. What a week!
Another longer, more detailed review of the Chicago Opera House benefit; we now know that Louis played “Tiger Rag”:
The next page, with some interesting overflowing content; remember in the last post that Johnny Collins began using affadavidts from Paul Whiteman and Irving Mills in publicity for Louis? Here’s proof:
The Chicago Bee reports on Armstrong’s return to the Savoy:
More on the return to the Savoy, leaning on Paul Whiteman’s endorsement:
Another wonderful ad from the Cleveland Plain Dealer–I don’t think I’ve ever seen that photo of Louis anywhere else!
Another ad for the Savoy return, plus another article about the Civic Opera House, now mentioning that Louis also played “I Am Confessing” (aka “Confessin'”) in addition to “Tiger Rag”:
After a few more mentions of Armstrong at the Savoy and the Civic Opera House, it’s time to “DANCE!” as instructed in the top ad for an Armstrong appearance at Eagle’s Hall in Cleveland on November 12:
Armstrong was back on the RKO circuit in Cleveland, playing that city’s RKO Palace; here’s a few ads, and a Walter Winchell column, plus one more “DANCE!” ad for Novemeber 12 at Eagle’s Hall:
Here’s a close-up on Winchell, promising Armstrong’s return to Connie’s Inn in Harlem, but I don’t believe that happened as Johnny Collins was keeping Armstrong away from New York because of his issues with gangster’s (Dutch Schultz was a partner at Connie’s and already had Armstrong threatened once earlier in the year):
Love these RKO vaudeville ads:
“DANCE” one more time for good measure:
Looks like Armstrong was a hit in Cleveland, judging by these articles:
Winchell again; it was a big deal to be in his column, even when the information was wrong:
Instead of going to Connie’s, Armstrong headed back to Cincinnati to play at the New Roosevelt Theatre on November 16:
A couple of personal touches on this page, but it appears to me that “Weez” Rosenberg” signed this photo. More imporantly is the little comic strip below it, next to which Alpha wrote, “LOUIE WON THIS BATTLE AFTER ALMOST FIVE YEARS WITH ALPHA”!
Here’s a close up of the comic that ended the “battle”:
Here’s the latest RKO ad, now featuring Irene Rich in person and The Beloved Bachelor on the screen:
Back to the Chicago Defender for Walter Barnes’s column of November 14 (and a great ad we’ll get to below). It might difficult to read, but it’s worth sharing as it’s a priceless glimpse into what Armstrong was doing at the Palace in Chicago. Here’s Barnes:
“Louis Armstrong, the world’s greatest trumpeter and possesor of the finest pair of lips in the world, came to the Palace theater of Chicago with his band. When one says Armstrong these days it means simply music as only Armstrong can play it. The featured act on the bill this week does not miss it. The public takes kindly to Louis and there is no need saying that Louie does not [sic?] get a kick out of making music for the public. Louie opens his act with “Sleepy Time Down South,” nicely done, and comes back with a clever arrangement of “Dinah,” played as only he can play it. And did it go over? While it is openly admitted that from a very critical musical standpoint, Louis has no voice, still the way he gets himself into “Confessing,” his vocal offering, puts him down as a wonder man in front of an audience. His modulation into “Shine,” where he continues to hit F and E with ease, clinches for him his title as the ace of trumpeters. The act finishes with a hot rendition of “Tiger Rag,” played in a purely Armstrong style, and running the course of 10 complete choruses. At the curtain the thunderous applause from the audience honored Louie back with an encore. That’s about the sum and substance of the thing without getting poetical. The band, which is up to the minute in every respect, consists of the following members: Preston Jackson, trombone; Zander Randolph, cornet; Mike McKendrick, banjo; Charles Alexander, piano; John Lindsay, bass violin; George James, Al Washington and Lester Boon in the reed section and Louis Armstrong, king of the trumpeters, out in front. “
Also from the Black press, Hilda See writes about which of the over 100 bands then traveling the country was the “best”; she diplomatically narrows it down to four, Duke Ellington, Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, and McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, and says that Armstrong and Ellington earned more than the others:
Now, the first of two great ads, this one for a Thanksgiving night appearance at Convention Hall in Philadelphia:
And another fabulous ad for the November 16 show at the New Roosevelt Theatre in Cincinnati:
Back to Philadelphia for a notice of “Lewis” Armstrong at the Pearl Theatre:
More from the Pearl in Philadelphia in late November 1931:
More inside looks at Armstrong at the Pearl, held over due to the public’s enthusiasm (“Though impaired by a slight hoarseness, Louie very able rendered his popular numbers, made popular no doubt by his inimitable presentations and arrangements”). But the real gem is entertainment listen from the Inter-State Tattler in blue ink–Ethel Waters, Duke Ellington, Charlie Johnson, Miller and Lyles, Lucky Millinder–what a time!
A recap of Armstrong’s Thanksgiving performance at Convention Hall in Philadelphia, mentioning that Louis was still traveling with his friends/bodyguards that he picked up in New Orleans, Professor Sherman Cooke and Little Joe Lindsey:
Now we’re in December and Armstrong is about to open at the Howard Theater in Washington D. C.; here’s a full page of clippings, mostly from the Pittsburgh Courier:
Going deeper, an ad for Armstrong at the Howard:
A little preview of the Howard engagement, though the writer mistakenly says it begins November 5, when it was really November; also worth pointing out that Armstrong’s list of hits includes “The Peanut Vendor,” “I Surrender Dear,” “Tiger Rag,” and “Chinatown, My Chinatown.” He recorded “Chinatown” on November 3, so either OKeh rushed it out or Armstrong had been performing it live for some time:
Minto Cato apparently stopped the show when she appeared on the bill with Armstrong at the Pearl in Philly:
Armstrong also scored “in Quaker City” as the Courier referred to Philadelphia:
Another overflowing page, with a profile by Hilda See written when Armstrong had a few days off before the Howard engagement:
More ads and previews for the Howard run:
This is a real treasure: Louis and Alpha saved a program from the Howard Theatre and here it is in full! Here’s the cover and back page:
And here’s the inside; Armstrong must have been tickled that his idol Bill “Bojangles” Robinson would be following him:
These pages have the fun of show, with Louis opening and sharing the bill with many of the artists we’ve seen in the other clippings, including Bob Williams, Minta Cato, and more:
African American entertainers used to refer to “around the world” tours, meaning New York to Philadelphia to Washington D. C. to Baltimore. As mentioned, Armstrong was being kept out of New York (though he would play the Lafayatte Theater in Harlem in early 1932 after his court case with Tommy Rockwell ended), but after playing the Pearl in Philly and the Howard in D. C., it was time to head to Balitomore to play the Royal Theatre:
Another article spotlighting the talented Minta Cato, still on the bill:
Here’s an article about the Royal engagement containing the first mention of Louis giving away coal–remember that, we’ll come back to it in a bit:
Here’s a big, beautiful ad for the Royal engagement:
Underneat, radio listings showing Armstrong broadcasting live from Baltimore at 4:30 in the afternoon:
Armstrong also clipped this article out from the Chicago Defender about the dealings of I. J. Faggin of the Savoy Ballroom and how Faggin outmanuevered Carrol Dickerson to maintain control of Armstrong:
Okay, now let’s get into the coal story, which is a gem. Armstrong remained very proud of it and recounted on a tape he made at home in 1970. Here’s a video featuring images from this scrapbook and audio from this tape, allowing Armstrong to tell it in his own words:
Isn’t that beautiful? I know these images appeared in the video, but here they are again if you’d like to spend some more time with them. “World Famous Trumpeter Aids Needy” is the headline on the top right. A big week for Armstrong with the release of “Star Dust” and “Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams,” as shown on the top left. Then check out the bottom right for the article about Armstrong’s musicians using Conn instruments–hope the Martin people didn’t see this!
Obviously, the Royal Theatre program is the main event on that page; here it is in full, complete with the details of the coal giveaway and a letter to his fans from Armstrong himself:
Here’s a large ad for Armstrong’s second week at the Royal; don’t strain your eyes reading the article on the bottom as the headline is misleading, simply referring to Armstrong finishing his week at the Howard and Bill Robinson following him:
By the end of December, Armstrong’s court case with Tommy Rockwell was making headlines, including details of his run-in with gangsters in Chicago back in the spring. Naturally, Louis and Alpha saved the “Gang Mutes Trumpeter” story from December 30. There’s also something very intersting on this page, an early telling of the Armstrong saga that ran in the Afro-American on December 26. There’s a little dramatic license–namely the reference to “Ma and Pa Armstrong”–but it focuses on the Waif’s Home, Armstrong’s early band with Joe Lindsey (it’s possible Lindsey was a source), Fate Marable, Tom Anderson, going up north to join King Oliver…in other words, all the bullet points of the story before they became canon:
If you look at the bottom right corner of the top page, you’ll see an ad for Armstrong in “Dixiana” at the Lincoln Theatre in Philadelphia. That engagement is also mentioned below, as well as a Christmas Eve dance at the New Albert Hall in Baltimore:
Zooming in, we learn that Armstrong apparently shattered all box office records at the Royal; on the left, dancer Freddy “Snake-Hips” Taylor:
And that’s it! That January 2, 1932 date in the bottom corner taunts us but for whatever reason, Louis and Alpha did not keep their scrapbook habit going into the New Year. But between “The Ideal Scrap Book” and the 1926-1931 scrapbook we shared in the past, we have a pretty good look at the life of Louis Armstrong as captured by mistress/girlfriends/future wife Alpha Smith. Hope you’ve enjoyed it–let us know if you’d like us to break open more scrapbooks as we have plenty. Thanks for reading!