Ben Bernie: The Old Maestro of Jazz and Radio

Ben Bernie: The Old Maestro of Jazz and Radio

Early Years:
          Ben Bernie was born Benjamin Anzelevitz in New York City to Julius and Anna Anzelevitz, immigrants of Jewish descent. He was one of eleven children. His father owned a horseshoeing establishment on South Street under the Brooklyn Bridge. At six years old, Ben and his family moved to Bayonne, N.J, where his father became the village blacksmith. Seven years later, they returned to Manhattan. Life for the Anzelevitz family was difficult, and as Bernie later recalled, “We were so poor in those days that I still look upon fruit as a luxury.” Despite these hardships, music filled their home, and Ben’s parents sacrificed to provide him with violin lessons. He attended Townsend Harris High School and studied at the New York College of Music. Though he briefly pursued an engineering degree at Cooper Union, his passion for performing soon won out. He left school to follow a different path, show business, with the idea of becoming a violinist. By the age of 15, Bernie had shown exceptional talent, even performing a concert at Carnegie Hall.

Vaudeville and Jazz Orchestra Success
In 1908, Bernie left school and began performing in audeville as an eccentric violinist, playing in venues such as Old Heidelberg and the Gem, an early Marcus Loew theater. He earned just $12 a week, but soon after, Joseph Schenck of the Loew vaudeville circuit gave him a breakthrough: a tryout at the Columbia Theatre in Brooklyn. Ben, who had changed his surname to Ansel, performed under the name “Ben, the Eccentric Violinist” and earned a ten-week contract, touring the country in coach cars. In San Francisco, he partnered with Charles Klass in an accordion-and-violin act, where Bernie began developing his trademark banter by taking musical requests from the audience.

          Upon returning to New York, he reunited with childhood friend Phil Baker. The two formed the successful comedy-music duo Bernie and Baker, performing and recording through the 1910s. After World War I, Bernie was swept up in the nation’s jazz craze. Inspired by Paul Whiteman, he formed his band, Ben Bernie & All The Lads. The group debuted at the Hotel Roosevelt in 1923 for what was supposed to be a short engagement, but became the hotel’s house band through 1929.

Radio Fame
          Bernie’s earliest radio broadcasts aired locally in New York from the Hotel Roosevelt. On November 15, 1926, his orchestra was featured in a national broadcast via NBC—one of the first of its kind. As radio became America’s favorite medium, Bernie’s witty style, warm speaking voice, and musical charisma made him a natural fit. He toured Europe performing at elegant cafes, expanding his reputation beyond American audiences.       
          Things were going great until the market crash of 1929, when Ben lost a great deal. He decided to turn to the radio to rebuild his career since he had some experience in it before. Turns out it was one of the best decisions he has ever made; he was a perfect fit for this type of media. With his warm speaking voice and quick wit, Bernie became a natural radio host. He frequently changed sponsors and networks, but his popularity only grew. His chatty introductions to the next singer were almost the highlight of the song itself. His compelling 'yowsah yowsah' during some numbers was welcomed by the audience, even though nobody knew what it meant. When asked by performers about the show, Bernie never gives it to them straight. It seems to be simply a form of scat. He inserts the 'yowsah' for that light dance music, to give it a vocal pulse. He also staged a comic “feud” with columnist Walter Winchell, which delighted audiences and boosted both men’s popularity. Their rivalry spilled into two Hollywood films—Wake Up and Live (1937) and Love and Hisses (1937)—where Bernie appeared as himself. He also acted in Stolen Harmony (1935) and other features, often playing variations of his persona.


Personal Life and Final Years
          Bernie married Rose Harris on December 24, 1915, in Manhattan, New York. They had a son, Jason, before divorcing in 1935. Later that year, he married Dorothy Wesly, and they remained together until Bernie’s death. Despite his glamorous career, Bernie faced health struggles later in life. A lifelong cigar smoker, he developed pleurisy in early 1943 while performing in Chicago. Against his doctors’ advice, he continued entertaining troops and war workers during World War II.

          On October 20, 1943, Bernie died at age 52 in his apartment in Beverly Hills from a pulmonary infection with cardiac complications. He was laid to rest at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Queens, New York. In 1960, Bernie was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his pioneering contributions to radio and American entertainment. Though he began his career as a jazz violinist, his true legacy lies in his pioneering work in radio and his unforgettable charm as “The Old Maestro.” Even today, the echo of his famous sign-off lingers:

“Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah… God bless you and pleasant dreams.”


May his memory be a blessing.



~Blog by Jonathan Moskowitz

 

Sources
Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20070613025219/http://www.btinternet.com/~dreklind/threetwo/bernie.htm
NY Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/1943/10/21/archives/ben-bernie-dies-band-leader-52-old-maestro-star-of-radio-stage-and.html
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Bernie
Find A Grave:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7256722/ben-bernie