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Bestor married
Frankie Classen (or Klassen or Klossam), a dancer who was a "favorite of Chicago night club audiences." They had a daughter, Mary Ann. Bestor later married "a jet-set covergirl model," and they had a son, Don Bestor Jr., and a daughter, Robyn. He was also married to Hattie C. Bestor
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When Johnny Green replaced Bestor on the Benny program, a newspaper article noted: "Benny turned Bestor overnight from just another orchestra leader to the one man in
America everyone knew wore spats... Bestor just finished a tour of the country on which he billed himself as the band that played
261:. A statement from the sponsor said, in part, "Good music is an important part of a program such as Jack Benny presents, and critics who have commented on the excellence of the Benny broadcasts give no small part of the credit for their results to the tenor voice of
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In 1926 Bestor recorded 'I've Got The Girl' with a refrain by a group of male vocalists. One member of that vocal group, in his very first recording, was Bing Crosby. (It was over a year before Crosby recorded his first solo with Paul
Whiteman).
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said about Bestor's band at that time, "There's nothing fancy or flashy about this combination; it's just a sound, well-balanced band that offers a good brand of music and looks wholesome and pleasing on the stand."
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Catton. In 1937, a judge in
Illinois ordered Bestor to surrender "insurance policies with a cash value of $ 3,000" to her "for back support of their 16 year old son, Bartley Bestor."
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Bestor's tenure at KDKA ended in 1931. A June 13 newspaper listing had the headline "Don Bestor to Say
Farewell: Final Concert to Be Played Over KDKA Sunday at 7:15 P.M."
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Also in 1935, Bestor ran afoul of the musicians' union "because of paying his men under the scale while on the Jack Benny program," but he was reinstated in
December.
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advertising agency alleging that they "converted to their own use without his consent." Bestor also wrote the song that was the theme of the
Carnation Milk program.
217:, was broadcast over the station in what was described in his obituary as "the world's first remote control orchestra pickup." He also led orchestras at
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153:). His mother was Mrs. Carrie Bestor. His brother, A.L. Bestor, was also a musician, directing the orchestra of the Orpheum Theater in Madison.
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hook-up four nights a week." In the summer of 1933, the group was broadcast "from the 'Show Boat' on Lake George via remote control" over
127:(September 23, 1889 - January 13, 1970) was an American bandleader, probably best known for directing the orchestra in the early years of
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Mary Ann became an actress and at age 16 "signed for No. 2 company of 'Eve of St. Mark'" in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1942.
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reported that the Don Bestor name appeared "by itself on the Victor label, gives Bestor solo billing, and deservedly so."
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100 recordings by Don Bestor
Orchestra (including some with Bestor directing the Benson Orchestra) from Archive.org
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Radio Stars: An
Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960
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Bestor's musical compositions, described as "catchy but fleetingly popular," included
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169:. Its music was rhythmic, crisp and clean." In September 1925, the trade publication
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in Chicago, Illinois, in 1925-26. By 1928, he and his orchestra were back on KDKA.
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In 1932, Bestor and his orchestra were in New York City and "on the air over an
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On April 6, 1934, Bestor became the bandleader for Jack Benny's radio program,
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562:. Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Press. January 14, 1970. p. 55
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767:(Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 355–363.
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in Schenectady, New York. Bestor's orchestra also provided the music for the
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953:. Connecticut, Bridgeport. The Bridgeport Post. February 9, 1958. p. 29
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On December 14, 1942, Bestor became the leader of the studio orchestra at
612:. Pennsylvania, Indiana. The Indiana Gazette. October 6, 1928. p. 18
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649:. Pennsylvania, Indiana. The Indiana Gazette. June 13, 1931. p. 11
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in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His orchestra, which was playing at the
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1037:. Texas, Freeport. The Freeport Facts. October 29, 1942. p. 9
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wrote that Bestor "led one of the best bands of the twenties, the
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Tin Pan Alley: An Encyclopedia of the Golden Age of American Song
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Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1
343:. Probably the best known of his compositions was the J-E-L-L-O
1211:"Can Go Sour. "Sweet Music" Bestor Jailed By His Divorced Wife"
1031:"Showboat to Feature Don Bestor and His Band Wednesday, Nov. 4"
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and the intriguing melodies of Don Bestor and his musicians."
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Bestor died of a cerebral hemorrhage January 13, 1970, in
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In 1954-55, Bestor and his wife had a disk jockey show on
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in New York City. His programs at that station included
1217:. Dixon Evening Telegraph. November 23, 1937. p. 3
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brand of gelatin dessert. In 1942, Bestor sued Benny,
145:Bestor was born September 13, 1889, in Longford,
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874:. Illinois, Chicago. Chicago Tribune. p. 18
149:(although his birthplace also has been cited as
1180:. Reading Times. November 24, 1937. p. 18
800:. Broadcasting. September 15, 1934. p. 64
764:On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio
1309:Discography of American Historical Recordings
1011:. Broadcasting. February 23, 1942. p. 59
899:. Broadcasting. December 14, 1942. p. 35
453:. The Film Daily. January 17, 1938. p. 4
1099:. Radio Guide. February 24, 1934. p. 11
530:"Agency Band List Via $ $ $ Classification"
924:. Broadcasting. October 8, 1945. p. 50
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209:Bestor's radio debut occurred in 1922 on
196:designated Bestor's group as "inactive."
986:. Variety. December 11, 1940. p. 35
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182:A 1942 review on the trade publication
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102:Frankie Classen (or Klassen or Klossam)
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947:"Wilton's Bestor: 'The Best' to Benny"
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705:. Variety. August 8, 1933. p. 42
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279:in 1936, on WLW in 1937, and on the
221:in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1925 and at
1360:Benson Orchestra of Chicago members
870:Wolters, Larry (December 4, 1935).
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819:Robert, Bernes (October 6, 1935).
761:(1998). "The Jack Benny Program".
269:with radio's king pin of humor."
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1174:"Don Bestor Pays Wife, Goes Free"
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451:"Death Record: Mrs.Carrie Bestor"
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1247:Cohen, Hal (December 30, 1942).
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726:"Reviewing the Current Programs"
679:Gaudette, Gene (December 1932).
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587:. McFarland & Company, Inc.
432:. McFarland & Company, Inc.
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1340:20th-century American musicians
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681:"Don Bestor Clicks in the East"
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1123:"The Girl Who Runs Don Bestor"
1067:Bestor, Don (April 21, 1934).
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795:"General Tire Points Proudly"
724:Turner, Dyal (October 1933).
411:
1335:American radio personalities
1121:Kieffer, Jan (August 1935).
872:"News of the Radio Stations"
643:"Don Bestor to Say Farewell"
192:By 1949, a list of bands in
47:Longford, South Dakota, U.S.
7:
1094:"Clinching an Art Heritage"
535:. March 5, 1949. p. 15
167:Benson Orchestra of Chicago
10:
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1345:American radio bandleaders
1276:. Routledge. p. 245.
505:"On the Stand: Don Bestor"
503:Sachs (January 10, 1942).
488:Abel (September 2, 1925).
428:DeLong, Thomas A. (1996).
398:Animal Crackers in My Soup
281:Mutual Broadcasting System
1355:Brunswick Records artists
1074:. Radio Guide. p. 13
834:Sunday supplement to the
830:Screen & Radio Weekly
471:Simon, George T. (1974).
341:Down by the Vinegar Works
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91:in the old-time radio era
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1270:Jasen, David A. (2012).
583:Sies, Luther F. (2014).
475:. Collier Books. P. 496.
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1215:Dixon Evening Telegraph
1153:"Who Is Don Bestor, Jr"
827:. California, Oakland.
510:. Billboard. p. 14
313:Bridgeport, Connecticut
275:Bestor had programs on
1350:Victor Records artists
492:. Variety. p. 40.
130:The Jack Benny Program
89:The Jack Benny Program
1305:Don Bestor recordings
1251:. Variety. p. 45
1069:"One for Radio Wives"
259:The General Tire Show
87:Leading orchestra on
1006:"Sues for J-E-L-L-O"
821:"The Radio Reporter"
157:Critical evaluations
951:The Bridgeport Post
647:The Indiana Gazette
610:The Indiana Gazette
407:1925 (Victor 19744)
391:Partial discography
361:Young & Rubicam
251:Nestle Chocolateers
16:American bandleader
1035:The Freeport Facts
894:"(untitled brief)"
385:Metamora, Illinois
215:William Penn Hotel
151:Madison, Wisconsin
60:Metamora, Illinois
44:September 23, 1889
1283:978-0-415-93877-8
1133:(4): 34–35, 74–75
774:978-0-19-507678-3
593:978-0-7864-5149-4
438:978-0-7864-2834-2
337:Teach Me to Smile
254:program in 1933.
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1249:"Pittsburgh"
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1225:– via
1219:. Retrieved
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1188:– via
1184:November 24,
1182:. Retrieved
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1127:Radio Mirror
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1041:November 24,
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961:– via
957:November 23,
955:. Retrieved
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926:. Retrieved
919:"Production"
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844:November 20,
842:. Retrieved
840:. p. 86
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440:. Pp. 32-33.
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263:Frank Parker
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161:Jazz writer
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147:South Dakota
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1330:1970 deaths
1325:1889 births
1255:18 November
1158:18 November
1137:18 November
1103:21 November
1078:21 November
1015:20 November
990:18 November
928:20 November
903:20 November
878:18 November
804:19 November
709:23 November
687:18 November
566:18 November
539:20 November
514:20 November
457:19 November
141:Early years
68:Nationality
1319:Categories
780:2019-10-20
743:28 October
412:References
359:, and the
125:Don Bestor
79:Bandleader
76:Occupation
35:Don Bestor
23:Don Bestor
1221:April 12,
333:Contented
309:WICC (AM)
283:in 1939.
194:Billboard
185:Billboard
595:. P. 69.
347:for the
115:Children
71:American
1307:at the
739:(6): 14
172:Variety
96:Spouses
1280:
771:
591:
436:
349:Jell-O
345:jingle
339:, and
107:Hattie
104:Beulah
62:, U.S.
1097:(PDF)
1072:(PDF)
1009:(PDF)
922:(PDF)
897:(PDF)
798:(PDF)
729:(PDF)
533:(PDF)
508:(PDF)
379:Death
303:1950s
287:1940s
229:1930s
205:1920s
200:Radio
1278:ISBN
1257:2015
1223:2019
1186:2015
1160:2015
1139:2015
1105:2015
1080:2015
1043:2015
1017:2015
992:2015
959:2015
930:2015
905:2015
880:2015
846:2015
806:2015
769:ISBN
745:2016
711:2015
689:2015
655:2015
618:2015
589:ISBN
568:2015
541:2015
516:2015
459:2015
434:ISBN
242:WEAF
211:KDKA
53:Died
41:Born
737:XXX
357:NBC
311:in
293:WHN
277:CBS
246:WGY
238:NBC
223:WGN
219:WLW
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