January 1984 JY - J the RATHBUN-RATHBONE-RATHBURN FAMILY HISTORIAN
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Basil Rathbone 1892-1967 January 1984 JY - J THE RATHBUN-RATHBONE-RATHBURN FAMILY HISTORIAN Volume Four • Number One • January 1984 Letter From the Editor We have learned that the last issue of February 15 will have to be dropped James Chivers, Canton, Oh io. the Historian-the reunion issue, dated from our computer mailing list. Since it Rosma Rathbun Limbeck, Ladysmith, October 1983-may not have reached costs one dollar for each name deleted, Wisc. all our members. We ran short of our and another for each name added, we Mildred Rathburn , Johnstown, N.Y. regular Association envelopes, and will have to charge $17, rather than $15, Bettye Rathbone, Austin , Texas. some had to be sent in plain envelopes, for present members who renew after R. Van Rathbun, Oklahoma City, Ok !. with no return address. February 15. So , if you haven 't re Doris Rathbun Stoppa, Colchester, As a result, those with wrong ad newed, send your check now! Conn . dresses or incorrect postage could not I think it might be interesting to em If your area is not covered , please be returned to us by the Postal Service. phasize just what ou r Association (your consider volunteering your time and Because of this, we are sending this Association) has accomplished. efforts. No special knowledge or skills issue to all 1983 members, whether or Not only are we publishing a maga are needed-just a wil lingness (and the not they have renewed their member zine which is really unique, but we are time) to visit courthouses, libraries, his ship. bringing together, in a real sense, hun torical societies and cemeteries in your We do not know how many members dreds of fa r-flung cousins who might area, and contact Rathbuns , Rathbones may have been affected, but if you did otherwise never have known the early and Rathburns in your telephone book not receive your October issue, with the history of their ancestors, and the role for information and possible member monument brochure and the 1984 re our family has played in American ship in our Association. newal notice enclosed, let us know im history. Let me take the opportunity to send to mediately, and they will be sent to you . In turn , our growing list of members is all of you , on behalf of the Historian staff, For those of you who did receive the providing us with information, family our warm and sincere wishes for a issue, and have not yet sent in your data and pictures which help make our peaceful and happy 1984. renewal check, please do so right away Historian, without question, the finest if you want to remain a member of our family publication in the land. Association . Your donations made it possible to Any member who has not renewed by erect a monument to our immigrant an cestors on Block Island , another achievement which can be matched by few families. Financial Statement The Rathbun Our 1983 reunion brought together Income for 1983 Rathbone-Rathburn nearly 200 cousins from throughout the Family Historian is country, and our proposed 1985 reunion Memberships (332 at $17) ....... $ 5,644 in Rathbun, Iowa, should do even better. Monument contributions . .. 3,202 published quarterly We have reason to be proud of our Sale of past issues . 1,636 by the Rathbun Association and what it has accom Reunion T-shirt sales . 828 Bank account interest . 273 Family Association plished in three short years! Donations ....... ...... .. 57 at 11308 Popes Head But, we need your continued help and Road, Fairfax, Va. support to continue our work. Your Total. .. ......... .. ..... $11 ,640 membership fee makes the Historian 22030. possible and your active cooperation Expenses for 1983 (703) 278-8512 will help us maintain its quality. Typesetting and printing ..... .. $3,892 The key to success in compiling a Block Island Monument. ... ..... 2,316 Fran's H. Rathbun family history lies in one word Monument brochure . ......... 494 Editor & Publisher research! Postage .............. ... ..... 980 Many of you have been most helpful Reunion T-shirts . .... ........ ... 768 Robert Rathbun Stationary and supplies .. .... 544 in this regard, but a more concentrated Research Director Reunion costs .. ... ...... .. .. 414 effort is needed. For this reason , we are Hazel J. Rathbun Computer mailing costs ... .... 414 establishing a nationwide network of Research .. .... ... .. ... 351 Assistant Editor "research assistants." They will focus on Photographs . .. ... .... ..... .. 279 Frank H. Rathbun III local records in their own areas, and Telephone . ... .. ....... .. .. 88 Production Manager contact Rathbuns, Rathbones and Miscellaneous . ... ... .. .. .. 18 Janice A. Rathbun Rathburns in local telephone books to Total. ... .. ..... ... .. ... $10,555 seek information and recruit new Business Manager members. Surplus for 1983 ............ $1,085 The following members have agreed ISSN 0737-7711 Carryov.er from 1982. $1 ,779 to serve as research assistants in their areas: Balance on hand ... .. ..... $2,864 2 One of Our Cousins Wrote Sinatra's Latest Hit Song Arthur Schroeck, one of our mem bers, has been a song writer and musi cal arranger for many years, but he moved into the "big time" last year when Frank Sinatra recorded Art's song, "Here's to the Band ." The hit tune, first introduced by Sina tra in December 1982, is now a nation wide success, and was heard by mil lions of television viewers last fall on the Miss America Pageant. It has been printed in the Congressional Record and is being used by Sammy Davis Jr. in his nightclub act. Art Schroeck, 45, lives in Whitehouse Station, N.J., with his wife, Lynda, and their three children . He is the son of Bertha Elizabeth" Rathbun (Williams Sidney7 Sylvester" Jamess Valentine4 2 Joshua' John . ' ) and Justin John Schroeck. "Here's to the Band ," says Art , was written specifically with Sinatra in mind, Arthur Schroeck and Frank Sinatra but "Old Blue Eyes" was "sold" on the song by his daughter, Nancy Sinatra. The idea for the song was conceived A year passed, and Schroeck be He has won two Cleo Awards (the by two of Art's friends, Alfred Nittoli and came impatient. With the help of a friend equivalent of an advertising Grammy Sharman Howe, whose joint effort, orig who knew the Sinatras, he arranged for Award) for writing advertising jingles. inally called "Here's to the Musicians," Nancy Sinatra to hear the tape. She was The first was in 1976 for McDonald's just didn't click, and they realized it. impressed, and called her father on the "You , You 're the One," and the second They turned to Schroeck for help. He spot. was in 1982 for ABC's "Now's the Time, liked the basic idea, but told them it Two months later, on Dec. 9, 1982, ABC's the Place." He has written songs needed work. He then rewrote the Sinatra introduced "Here's to the Band" and done arrangements for Petula words and music, changed the name, at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City. Clark, Neil Diamond, The Four Seasons and taped it for his two friends in just 24 The response was enthusiastic, and in and others. hours. They were impressed, and they the following weeks, Sinatra sang it to Music has been an important part of loved it. standing ovations at Caeser's Palace in Art's life since he was a boy in New "I worked all night in my basement Las Vegas and at New York's Radio City Jersey. At 14, he joined four friends to studio," Art recalls. "I finished the words Music Hall. form a band which played at local clubs while walking through the streets of New In January 1983, Sinatra recorded the on weekends and at Atlantic City during York City. I do a lot of my best work that song and it soon became a national summer vacations. way." best-seller. When a New Jersey disc The day after his graduation from high The song is designed as a tribute to jockey played it on the air, he received school, he left for Las Vegas where he the American Federation of Musicians, 450 calls in one day. became a drummer in a night club band. band members who rarely receive rec Sinatra has predicted that "Here's to By 1960, at age 23, he had his own ognition for their work. Art and his the Band" will take the place of "New band , The Premieres, which played in friends saw it as a "natural" for Sinatra, York, New York" and "My Way" as his Las Vegas and Tahoe until 1965, when who usually closes his shows with unofficial theme songs. "I'm getting sick he returned to New Jersey. thanks to his musicians. of those anyway," Sinatra said. Lynda, an early friend in New Jersey, In September 1981 , a demonstration Although it is Art Schroeck's first big had become a singer in Las Vegas. tape was sent to Sinatra, who liked it, but hit, he is no stranger to success in the was too busy to follow through on it. music field . (continued on page 10) 3 Basil Rathbone Won Fame In Sherlock Holmes Role Probably the most famous person was Ethel Marion Foreman, who be immediate hit. Tall and lanky (nearly six bearing our name in this century was the came his wife in 1914. feet two) , with distinctive features and a late Basil Rathbone, the stage and By this time, World War I had broken clipped British accent, he found himself screen star whose striking profile and out, and Basil enlisted in the British in demand as the typical "English type." superb acting ability made him a box Army. He was sent to Officers' Training Norma Shearer later recalled : "It was office success for some 40 years.