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THE FINAL YEARS OF IRVING KAUFMAN:
An Illustrated Discography (1938-1974)

Compiled by Ryan Barna

Last updated: November 22, 2010

All image scans from the Ryan Barna Collection. Use with permission. Thanks to Quentin Riggs for his help with this listing.

Conqueror 9016

According to the American Record Corporation matrix cards, this matrix (22703-1) was recorded April 11, 1938. This is a double-track record, the first selection being "Jingle Bells" by the prolific childrens singer, Frank Luther. It is possible that the Kaufman track ("Old King Cole") could have been recorded years earlier, although the matrix card does not indicate it. Until more research surfaces, it will be treated here as a 1938 recording. Conqueror 9016 was also the only issue of this matrix, as it was not released on Melotone or other ARC labels. Kaufman is accompanied by an orchestra. It was withdrawn from the Fall 1942 edition of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog.

Happy Jim Parsons and the Boys of Company "B"

New York, NY: February 19, 1942
RCA Victor Studios
Irving Kaufman (as "Happy Jim Parsons") and the Boys of Company "B." Accompanied by clarinet, fiddle, harmonica accordion, guitar, and string bass.
BS-071870-1                 The Saga of Susie Brown (Ril-a-Ral-a-Ree)
                                    (B. Bierman; J. Manus; H. Grant)
                                    Standard T-2060-B
BS-071871-1                 Johnny Private
                                    (J. Manus; B. Bierman)
                                    Standard T-2060-A

 

 

Buddy Clarke and his Orchestra

New York, NY: July 31, 1942
Muzak Transcriptions Studios
Buddy Clarke [Kreisberg] and his Orchestra; vocal refrain by Irving Kaufman (as "Happy Jim Parsons"). Joe Davis, producer.
13586-1                        Laugh and the World Laughs with You (Fox trot)
                                    (Leslie Beacon)
                                    Beacon 107-A
13587-1                        Why Is My Little Red-Head Blue? (Fox trot)
                                    (Ted Meyn)
                                    Beacon 105-B
Kaufman was paid $50 for this session.

 

 

Music Hall Varieties

Music Hall Varieties broadcasted from 1946 to 1950, and featured such talents as Kaufman, Aileen Stanley, Joe E. Howard, and Beatrice Kay. Original labels have "NBC Thesaurus" at the top, later replaced by "RCA Thesaurus." All five releases by Kaufman are listed here. Some of the discs show dates in the runout area, although they may or may not be recording dates (other inspected copies of the same discs show different dates).

New York, NY: ca. 19461947
Music Hall Varieties
Featuring Irving Kaufman, baritone. Orch. acc.
ND6-MM-9030             A. Where Did You Get That Girl? (AS) (2:15)
                                    B. For Me and My Gal (AS) (2:40)
                                    C. When I Get You Alone Tonight (AS) (2:25)
                                    D. Along the Rocky Road to Dublin (AS) (2:12)
                                    E. The Aba Daba Honeymoon (AS) (2:30)
                        NBC Thesaurus Orthacoustic 1322 (16" disc)


Music Hall Varieties
Featuring Irving Kaufman, baritone. Orch. acc.
ND6-MM-9031             H. He'd Have to Get Under, Get Out and Get Under (AS) (2:39)
                                    J. I'm Sorry I Made You Cry (AS) (3:10)
                                    K. They Go Wild, Simply Wild Over Me (AS) (1:37)
                                    L. Tha's [sic] How I Need You (AS) (3:03)
                                    M. Sit Down, Sit Down, Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat (AS) (1:48)
                        NBC Thesaurus Orthacoustic 1326 (16" disc)


Music Hall Varieties
Featuring Irving Kaufman, baritone. Orch. acc.
ND6-MM-9085             H. My Wife's Gone to the Country (AS) (1:20)
                                    J. Moonlight Bay (AS) (2:38)
                                    K. Oh You Beautiful Doll (AS) (2:19)
                                    L. Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula (AS) (2:55)
                                    M. I Wish I Had a Girl (AS) (2:25)
                        NBC Thesaurus Orthacoustic 1343 (16" disc)


Music Hall Varieties
Featuring Irving Kaufman, baritone. Orch. acc.
ND6-MM-9090             H. Alexander's Ragtime Band (AS) (2:40)
                                    J. Waitin' for the Robert E. Lee (AS) (2:02)
                                    K. Under the Bamboo Tree (BMI) (1:46)
                                    L. By the Beautiful Sea (AS) (2:07)
                                    M. In the Good Old Summertime (BMI) (2:35)
                        NBC Thesaurus Orthacoustic 1362 (16" disc)
                        Archeophone 5504 (CD) (Track M only)


Music Hall Varieties
Featuring Irving Kaufman, baritone. Orch. acc.
ND7-MM-7065             H. Good Evening, Caroline (AS) (2:45)
                                    J. Waltz Me Around Again Willie (AS) (1:33)
                                    K. I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad) (AS) (2:10)
                                    L. Bedelia (AS) (2:07)
                                    M. Wait and See (You'll Want Me Back) (BMI) (2:27)
                                    N. Li'l Liza Jane (AS) (1:02)
                        RCA Thesaurus Orthacoustic 1410 (16" disc)

 

 

It's Fun to Eat!

New York, NY: ca. 1946
Goodee with Doc Clock, Happity-Yappity Appetite, and Sip-Sip Supper in "It's Fun to Eat."
Original idea, characters, and material created by Sylvia and Murray Winant.
Set to Verse by C. H. Gilman and D. Ross, Jr.
Cast:           Reneé Terry as "Goodee"
                  Irving Kaufman as "Doc Clock" (The Breakfast-Time Friend)
                  Eugene Lowenthal as "Happity-Yappity Appetite" (The Lunch-Time Friend)
                  Jack Mercer as "Sip-Sip Supper" (The Supper-Time Friend)
Music composed and directed by Winston Sharples.
Cover illustration by James Tyer.
Notes by Angelo Patri, "America's best known authority on child behavior."

Reneé Terry and Irving Kaufman. Orchestra accompaniment.
WP 100 A                    Doc Clock (The Breakfast-Time Friend)
                                    Winant Production WP 100 A (Album G1)

Irving Kaufman. Orchestra accompaniment.
WP 100 B                    Doc Clock (The Breakfast-Time Friend)
                                    Winant Production WP 100 B (Album G1)

 

 

Majestic 7231

New York, NY: ca. mid 1947
Gene Hall [von Hallberg] and his Orchestra; vocal refrain by Irving Kaufman (as "Happy Jim Parsons").
CT-1140M-3                Oh, Brother! (Polka) (2:35)
                                    (Gene Hall)
                                    Majestic 7231-A
The Duraflex Edition copy shows matrix T-1140MA-2 in the runout. Both types aurally use the same take.

 

 

History in Song and Story

New York, NY: ca. 1947
History in Song and Story
Irving Kaufman (as "Happy Jim Parsons"). Piano accompaniments. All 78s are double-track records issued in an album.
VX-101                        Molly Pitcher; Daniel Boone
                                    (Bert Reisfeld; Michael S. Stoner)
                                    Vox 601-B
VX-102                        Captain John Smith; Betsy Ross
                                    (Bert Reisfeld; Michael S. Stoner)
                                    Vox 601-A
VX-103                        George Washington; John Paul Jones
                                    (Bert Reisfeld; Michael S. Stoner)
                                    Vox 603-B
VX-104                        Abraham Lincoln; Paul Revere
                                    (Bert Reisfeld; Michael S. Stoner)
                                    Vox 602-A
VX-105                        Patrick Henry; Christofer [sic] Columbus
                                    (Bert Reisfeld; Michael S. Stoner)
                                    Vox 603-A
VX-106                        Nathan Hale; Francis Scott Key
                                    (Bert Reisfeld; Michael S. Stoner)
                                    Vox 602-B

 

 

Moe the Schmo

New York, NY: ca. 1947
Irving Kaufman and his Musical Schmos: clarinet, trumpet, accordion, piano, string bass, and drums. Ruby Melnick, musical direction.
ST-5002-A                   Moe the Schmo Makes Love
                                    (George Bennett; Harry Tobias)
                                    Sterling 5002-A
                                    Rivoli R-5 (LP) (Side A, track 5)
ST-5002-B                   Moe the Schmo Takes a Rhumba [sic] Lesson
                                    (George Bennett; Harry Tobias)
                                    Sterling 5002-B
                                    Rivoli R-5 (LP) (Side A, track 4)
ST-5003-A                   Schmo Plays Golf
                                    (George Bennett; Harry Tobias)
                                    Sterling 5003-A
                                    Rivoli R-5 (LP) (Side A, track 3)
ST-5003-B                   Activity (Schmo Takes a Rest)
                                    (George Bennett; Harry Tobias)
                                    Sterling 5003-B
                                    Rivoli R-5 (LP) (Side A, track 1)
ST-5004-A                   Nat the Rat (Schmo Takes in a Boarder)
                                    (George Bennett; Harry Tobias)
                                    Sterling 5004-A
                                    Rivoli R-5 (LP) (Side A, track 2)
ST-5004-B                   Gay Vec, Cherie, Gay Vec
                                    (George Bennett; Harry Tobias; S. Gurwitz)
                                    Sterling 5004-B
                                    Rivoli R-5 (LP) (Side A, track 6)
Note: All the tracks on the Rivoli LP (except "Nat the Rat") contain altered versions of the Sterling 78s.

 

 

Irving Kaufman and The Dandies

New York, NY: ca. 1947
Irving Kaufman and the Dandies with Bert Knapp's Music: piano, organ, guitar, and string bass.
ST-801-A                     The Curse of an Aching Heart
                                    (Henry Fink; Al Piantadosi)
                                    Sterling 801-A
                                    Bennett 801-A
ST-801-B                     Think It Over Mary
                                    (Thomas J. Gray; Al Piantadosi)
                                    Sterling 801-B
                                    Bennett 801-B
                                    The Recording Pioneers Phonograph Record Enterprise LP 100 (Side 2, track 8)
                                    Archeophone 5504 (CD)

 

 

Reminisce with Irving Kaufman

Kaufman retired from the entertainment industry in 1949. The only commercial releases from then until 1974 were reissues of his earlier recordings (made available on both 78rpm and LP formats). In the summer of 1974, Paul E. Nehrich produced two albums of Kaufman containing 40 tracks—four of which were newly recorded at Kaufman's home at 49-305 Highway 74 in Palm Desert, California. His second wife, Belle Brooks (1904-1993), accompanied him on the piano.

Two unissed recordings listed below were reported by Nehrich during a phone conversation with the compiler in 2003. At least two taped interviews also exist of Kaufman in the 1970s, but since none were commercially released, they will not be documented at this time.

Palm Desert, CA: August 20—22, 1974
Reminisce with Irving Kaufman: The Last of the Recording Pioneers
Accompanied on piano by Belle Brooks (Mrs. Irving Kaufman).
Produced by Paul E. Nehrich. LPs dubbed from reel-to-reel tapes.

K-7046             Medley:            a. Sunbonnet Sue
                                                b. I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time
                                                c. I'm Going to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
                        The Recording Pioneers Phonograph Record Enterprise LP 100 (Side 1, track 6)

K-7046             God Bless America
                        (Irving Berlin)
                        The Recording Pioneers Phonograph Record Enterprise LP 100 (Side 1, track 10)
                        Archeophone 5504 (CD)
Note: This track was dubbed with interruptions by Nehrich, and a cheering effect from Kaufman's record of "Fitzmaurice, Von Huenfeld, and Koehl!" (Columbia 1354-D as "Tom Edwards").

K-7049             Intro: Peg o' My Heart
                        (Alfred Bryan; Fred Fischer)
                        The Recording Pioneers Phonograph Record Enterprise LP 101 (Side 2, track 1)

K-7049             Down Virginia Way
                        (Arthur Fields; Irving Kaufman)
                        The Recording Pioneers Phonograph Record Enterprise LP 101 (Side 2, track 10)

                        The Ballad of the Green Berets
                        (SSgt. Barry Sadler; Robin Moore)
                        Unissued

                        The Things I Didn't Do
                        (Ira Koslo; Fred Jay; Irving Reid)
                        Unissued

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