Roy Fox | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roy Fox |
| Born | (1901-10-25)25 October 1901 Denver,Colorado, US |
| Died | 20 March 1982(1982-03-20) (aged 80) Twickenham,Middlesex, England |
| Genres | Jazz Swing music Big band British dance band |
| Occupation | Dancebandleader |
| Instrument | Cornet |
| Years active | 1914-1952 |
| Labels | Decca,His Master's Voice |
| Formerly of | Denny Dennis,Al Bowlly,Mary Lee |
Roy Fox (October 25, 1901 – March 20, 1982) was an American-bornBritish dancebandleader who was popular in Britain during theBritish dance band era.[1]
Roy Fox was born inDenver, Colorado, United States in 1901.[1][2] He and his musician sister Vera were raised inHollywood, California,[2] in aSalvation Army family. Roy began playingcornet when he was 11 years old, and by age 13 was performing in theLos Angeles Examiner'snewsboys' band.
He got a job as a bank messenger, but soon took up music full-time.[2] He was employed as a Music supervisor at Fox Film Studios, but soon concentrated on playing.[2] His first major association came at the age of 16, when he joinedAbe Lyman's orchestra at the Sunset Inn inSanta Monica,[1] where he played alongsideMiff Mole,Gussie Mueller,Henry Halstead, andGus Arnheim. He developed a soft style of playing there which earned him the nickname "The Whispering Cornetist".[1][3]
In 1920, he put together his own band, with whom he recorded in 1925. That same year he also scored a gig on radio broadcasting withArt Hickman's orchestra;[1] this ensemble toured the U.S., then did an extended residency inFlorida. After some time inNew York City, Fox and Arnheim reconvened in Hollywood, working at the Ambassador Hotel, and Fox continued to broadcast with his own bands. During this time he also did a number of film soundtracks.[4]
In 1929, Fox was invited to lead a band based at theCafé de Paris inLondon,[1][2] which he first did on September 29, 1930.[3] He recorded on theBBC that year, and when his band returned to the U.S. the following spring, Fox remained behind, recording with a new group forDecca Records (also acting as musical director for the label) and accepting an engagement at the Monseigneur restaurant inPiccadilly starting in May 1931.[2][3][5] His band includedLew Stone,Bill Harty,Harry Berly,Sid Buckman,Nat Gonella andAl Bowlly.[3]
In 1932, he fell ill withpleurisy and travelled toSwitzerland for a stay at asanatorium. During his convalescence the band was led by its pianist, Lew Stone.[1] Upon Fox's return he resumed control of the band but when the Monseigneur contract came up for renewal in the autumn of 1932, was unable to agree terms. The restaurant's owner then offered the residency to Stone and all the band, all left with the exception of trumpeter Sid Buckman, who decided to remain with Stone. Fox took out an injunction on the grounds of breach of contract against his singer,Al Bowlly, which prevented Bowlly performing with Stone's band on the first night; however, Fox lost his action.[6]
Fox formed a new band with Buckman as trumpeter and vocalist, secured a residency at theCafé Anglais inLeicester Square, London,[1][3] and performed inBelgium as well as at home in the UK.Art Christmas played a variety of instruments in this band. Among his vocalists were Denny Dennis and Mary Lee, whilst his musicians includedJack Jackson, Nat Gonella andHarry Gold.[4] In 1933, the band performed as part of theRoyal Command Performance at theLondon Palladium, and the following year embarked on a tour of Britain.[3]
Fox appeared in the filmsOn the Air (1934) andRadio Pirates (also known asBig Ben Calling) the following year.[7][8] In January 1936, he moved to theHis Master's Voice label, and toured Europe until 1938, when he fell ill again, and broke up the band.[9][6]
The Roy Fox band disbanded in 1938,[3] and Fox moved toAustralia, where he led the Jay Whidden Orchestra. Upon the outbreak of theSecond World War, with hisBritish passport taken away, he had no choice but to return to his native America, rather than go back to Britain. In New York, he went into a residency at theLa Martinique, from which he broadcast weekly. He then moved to a new club, theRiobamba, on57th Street, at which the floor show included a youngFrank Sinatra, who was making his solo nightclub debut, and told Fox that he was the worst conductor he had ever worked with. Fox told him off, but they became good friends. He then went to theSavoy-Plaza Hotel, a venue popular with high society, which was oppositeCentral Park.[4]
He led a band back in Britain from 1946 to 1947, with appearances at theIsle of Man and London's Potomac Club. He also briefly resumed recording in this period, returning to his old label, Decca, with whom he released several more 78s.[10] Fox went into semi-retirement after 1952, when he opened his own booking agency.[1] His autobiography,Hollywood, Mayfair, and All That Jazz (1975) is still in print.
Fox was married three times. His first wife, Dorothea, was ashowgirl who appeared in theMarx Brothers' musicalThe Cocoanuts on Broadway. In 1943, he wed the singerKay Kimber. They had two children, Fredrick Rea and Amanda Kathryn, but later divorced, and Fox married actress Eileen O'Donnell, whom he had met inDublin. The couple had a son, Gary.[6]
Fox had a house inHighgate, north London, before moving to a flat inChelsea, next to where the Decca studios were located at the time. Unable to pay the rent on the flat, he ended up inBrinsworth House inTwickenham, the retirement home for variety performers run by theEntertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund. He died in Twickenham,Middlesex in 1982, aged 80.[9] His younger relatives include American LGBT organizer/activist Toni Armstrong Jr.[11][4]
