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Home , Carthay Circle Theatre, Frank Churchill, Franz Waxman, Kings Row, Max Steiner, Oliver Wallace

The Studio Years of eHAtJNeEY HAINES As told to Stu Green. Photos are from the Haines Collection.

PART II

In Part I, we traced the Haines Chauncey enjoyed one final the­ career from childhood through the atre "blast" in that year of the Olym­ silent movie era. Then came "talk­ ics in . The prestigious ies." Carthay Circle Theatre decided to By 1930, even the most optimistic go "all out" with a SO-pieceorchestra observer had to admit that live mu­ conducted by famed Carli Elinor and sic in movie theatres was a thing of Chauncey at the Wurlitzer. That was the past. For three years theatres had the era of gigantic stage prologues to been installing hastily-developed films, with elaborate scenery and sound equipment and studios were scores of dancers. The movie was an already discontinuing the prepara­ earlier version of the all-time tear­ tion of separate "silent versions" of jerker, Backstreet. Chauncey recalls films whose only plus factor was the that one of the featured dancers in "sound version's" singing and talk­ the stage prologue was Rita Cansino. ing by heretofore silent stars. This She was later known as Rita Hay­ they did for a time to accommodate worth. It was wonderful while it still "unwired" houses. By 1930, lasted, but the run was short. Here sound equipment had become more and there Chauncey picked a few reliable. Gradually, sound-on-film organ jobs before the theatres be­ (movietone's "variable density" and came "all talkie" ghost houses. Photophone's "variable area") sys­ This is the picture Chauncey tems had largely replaced Vita­ Haines faced, and it was further phone's "sound on disc" which all darkened by the depression which too often got "out of sync" when the continued to get worse during the needle jumped a groove. early '30s. True, in 1930 there were still many After the demise of live music in theatres not yet equipped with sound, theatres, Chauncey turned to radio and these neighborhood houses be­ and musical shows. One bit of luck came the refuge of organists who was an unpleasantness between Cal­ had so recently been starred at the ifornia Melodies radio conductor big downtown houses. But their con­ Raymond Paige and his employer, tinued employment was threatened Don Lee, then a wheel in west coast by a nefarious device called the broadcasting. There were rumors "non-sync" machine, a two-turn­ of fisticuffs and Paige took off rather table phonograph which played rec­ suddenly for New York where he be­ ords through amplifiers to accom­ came conductor of the Radio City pany films. Many an organist who Music Hall symphony orchestra. belonged in the pit found himself Back in Los Angeles there was a stuffed into a booth near the pro­ 45-piece concert orchestra in need jection room with a raft of records of a leader - and Chauncey Haines from which he was supposed to was available. He took the orchestra "cue" the film, segueing from one over to "the music station," KLAC, disctothenext by means of a "fader" for several years of concert broad­ knob. This was a cheap substitute casts. Later, KLAC decided to sub­ for synchronized sound. It was frus­ sist on a diet of recordings. Then trating but shortlived experience for Chauncey heard that Sonya Henie the organist-turned-record player. was looking for a conductor to or­ By 1932 even the neighborhood the­ ganize a band for her traveling ice Chauncey during the busiest days of his sound­ atres had been wired for synchro­ films scoring career, about the time he married review. Chauncey got the job and for nized sound. Willow Wray . two years it was roadshow work.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER, 1977 9 tral climaxes with Hammond organ ships. This was somewhat compli­ backing, and also sometimes needed cated by the film scoring commu­ solo-quality playing for film scenes nity's acceptance of Haines. He was which included an organ. There was invited to their parties in the eve­ also the then new Novachord, a ver­ nings after a day of working with satile instrument which blended well them. But the film scorers were with strings and could also sound "Haines' people"; he had been at it organ-like. For example, in Frank longer than most of them. And there Capra's Lost Horizon, there are two were some very attractive girls at the scenes in which the Grand Lama parties. (Sam Jaffe) informs Conway (Ronald One gal looked very familiar. Colman) that the latter will soon in­ "Didn't you date a few herit leadership of the ancient Tibe­ years ago?" asked Chauncey. That's tan lamasery of Shangri-La. The ac­ how he met , who indeed companiment calls for something had been Kong's "intended" - if it both mystical and religious. It was hadn't been for those darn airplanes. 's music, Steiner Fay was single, too, and several dates conducting, and Chauncey Haines ensued. Then Fay made what might practically soloing on the Novachord. be called a tactical error; she took It's a memorable scene and the mu­ Chauncey home, and he got a look at sic adds just the right support. her sister, Willow. It was practically The personal life was somewhat love at first sight. hectic after Haines entered the film Chauncey and Willow Wray were scoring scene. There was plenty of married shortly thereafter, and the , one of the giants of the art of film work in those days when movie stu­ union lasted for 17 years, the longest scoring. Born and educated in , he came to the USA in the early years of this century and was dios were known as "dream fac­ marriage up to that time for Chaun­ soon absorbed in New York show business, orches ­ tories" and produced as many as cey. Indeed, it had to be a little on trating and conducting the pit orchestras for the musicals of , and 450 movies a year. But it didn't leave the hectic side for both; they were . He arrived in in 1,929 too much time for social relation- strong-willed individuals, but Willow and a year later he was made head of the RKO Music Department. He died in 1971 at age 83. His Chauncey recalled that Fay (reclining) had some strange playmates. The King would be a difficult act to follow music is preserved and commemorated by the - but Chauncey was determined. (Max Steiner provided a landmark musical score for the 1933 King Kong . world -wide Max Steiner Music Society . Steiner lured Chauncey Haines out of the dance band business , back into film scoring.

"Then I organized a danceband and was perhaps on my way to be­ coming a 'name band' leader. I had organized the band around my Ham­ mond. Then it happened." One day, following a performance Chauncey got a call to bring his Hammond to the W arners studio scoring stage for a recording ses­ sion. After the session, the conductor approached Haines. "Chauncey Haines - how would you like to get back to playing or­ gan?" he asked in broad Viennese accents. Would he ever! The conductor was Max Steiner, staff com poser at Warner Bros film studio. Steiner already had a string of top rate film scores behind him, e.g. Bird of Paradise, , the original 1933 King Kong and The Informer. He was one of studio music chief Leo Forbstein's fair­ haired prodigies, the other being . Both are only now being accorded the ap­ preciation their contributions to film scoring deserve. Steiner wanted to bolster orches-

10 was there during Chauncey's era of "To him I was moonlighting with greatest film scoring activity, and his a jazz orchestra when I should be memories of her are pleasant ones. devoting all my time and talent to But they finally decided to tread film work. He said I had a good fu­ separate paths. Even so, the mar­ ture with the studio, if I wanted it, riage had a longer "run" than those but that I'd have no time to lead a of most of Haines studio associates. dance band. So, I followed his ad­ Who were Haines' associates? Be­ vice - and never regretted it. sides Steiner and Korngold, there "That incident not only got me out was , whose score for of a field then being well served by (with Eddie Dunstedter Benny Goodman, the Dorseys and playing the dead woman's weird Artie Shaw, but provided the reas­ Novachord theme) is considered one surance I needed to get rid of the of the all-time greats. There are 'butterflies.'

many more but we are getting ahead "With the leadership of Leo Forb­ (in costume) and Erich Korngold on the of the story. stein, Warner Bros. had built a mu­ set of Deception (1946) . Korngold started com ­ The first days at Warner Bros. sical organization never before posing his scores as soon as the scripts were fin­ ished , and often watched the actual shooting of were filled with apprehension for dreamed of under one studio. The scenes . He came to Hollywood from his native Chauncey. The scoring sessions were scoring was a Mecca for musical Vienna in 1934 to adapt Mendelssohn's music for gatherings of the best musicians in a Warner Bros . production of Midsummer Night's greats and near greats, and I was an Dream which flopped badly . But Korngold re­ the business and they often attracted accepted part of it. But it had been mained to add musical zest to such a coterie of famed musicians who through the danceband that I met swashbucklers as Captain Blood and The Sea Hawk . His 13 years at Warners earned him a place came to observe. Sonya Renie, an event which opened among the immortals of film scoring . Erich Korngold brought his family many doors - even that of news­ to many sessions, including his fa­ paper tycoon William Randolph bles which scored (Ronald ther, a Viennese music critic who Hearst, so I never regretted orga­ Reagan), The Sea Wolf (Eddie Rob­ had escaped from Hitter's Europe. izing the band. Incidentally, one of inson), Of Human Bondage (Bette Visitors included such distinguished my sidemen was now famous trom­ Davis), Deception (Paul Henreid), names as conductors bonist Si '.Zentner. Anthony Adverse (Frederich March), and Leopold Stokowsky; the wife of "Oh, the films we scored. They Elizabeth and Essex (Errol Flynn) ; composer were some of the best of Hollywoods and Another Dawn (Errol Flynn). and violinist J ascha 'golden era.' Under Steiner, I helped "And I was in the orchestras which Heifeitz, to name a few. Then there score New Voyager (Bette Davis), recorded Franz Waxman's music for was pianist Oscar Levant. Trunk (Bergman & Coo­ Valiant (Robert Wagner), "Oscar I could have done with­ per), (Bette Davis), Old Acquaintance (Bette Davis), out!" says Haines. The Big Sleep (Bogart), Since You Rebecca (Lawrence Olivier), and It was the presence of such an ar­ Went Away and a whole raft of Bette Sunset Boulevard (Gloria Swanson). ray of musical talent that gave Chaun­ Davis movies - Jezebel, The Letter, And that's only a partial list. cey "butterflies." He wondered A stolen Lzf e and . ''One pleasant aspect of working whether an ex-movie organist could We'll discuss Gone With the Wind at Warner's was that I liked my possibly be in league with such artists. later. bosses and associates. I got along "I can't begin to describe the hell "Under Erich Korngold's di­ famously with both Steiner and of nervous anxiety that was mine on rection, I played in the huge ensem- Korngold and I found the studio mu- the way to the studio each morning. Erich Korngold (top , center) conducting the Warner Bros . studio orchestra during the scoring of the Errol Flynn ­ I'd had the good fortune to be Bette Davis starrer Elizabeth and Essex (1939). Chauncey Haines worked with Hammond and Novachord during thrown in with these God-gifted musical giants. Each was a Euro­ pean-schooled genius - and realiz­ ing this made me feel like Daniel in the lion's den. Could I meet their strict performance standards? "The answer was forthcoming when Max Steiner learned I was leading a 'double life.' I was playing at Warner Bros. during the day, then I hurried off to my night time dance­ band job at Long Beach. "One afternoon Steiner wanted to hold the scoring orchestra for an overtime session. We were scoring The Green Goddess, with George Arliss. I explained to him about my night job and Steiner was plainly annoyed.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER, 1977 grated on the death of Mr. Forb­ electronic instruments and I think I stein in the mid-'SOs. helped score most of his Hollywood "But I was secure in my reputation productions. One of his scores rates as a studio musician and went on to special mention, his adaptation of work with other great film com­ diverse themes by posers, for example for A Portrait of Jenny. It's a master­ and at 20th Cen­ work of piecing together vaguely re­ tury Fox. Words can't describe the lated fragments into a cohesive and excitement and satisfaction of hear­ meaningful whole. As usual, I was ing, and playing, those monumental there to play the novachord parts. orchestral scores for the first time, "Another musical director who scores for such memorable films as liked the possibilities offered by The Robe, The Captain From Cas­ electronically produced sound was tile, The Razor's Edge, Beyond The , composer of some of Ten Mile Reef (all by Newman) and the greatest scores to come from the The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, the film music colony, for example Quo In this informal snap , Chauncey chats with con­ Day the Earth Stood Still and Jour­ Vadis, Ivanhoe and Ben Hur, to ductor -composer Max Steiner (right) in the garden ney to the Center of the Earth (by name but a fraction. Remember the which surrounds the Steiner home , in the mid ­ Herrmann). ' 40s. Steiner was a three -time "Oscar" winner . eerie theremin melodies in Spell­ "Paramount, MGM and RKO­ Chauncey was often his guest . bound? The theremin was played by Radio had extensive music depart­ Dr. Samuel Hoffman and won an sical director, Leo Forbstein, to be a ments, too, with scores by Victor 'Oscar' for Rozsa. He won four ad­ great human being. Not only had he Young, , John Green, Irv­ ditional 'Oscars.' built a matchless musical organi­ ing Talbot and Sir Anthony Collins. zation in the Warner's orchestra and Even while I was still with W arners "In the late '30s, Max Steiner was its stable of arrangers and com­ I was permitted to take outside as­ working on three films simultane­ posers, but his dealings with people signments. Thus I went to Columbia ously. Since time was short, he asked can be regarded as a monument to Pictures to play organ Novachord for several trusted associates to help human relations. It was a wonder­ Dimitri Tiomkin's score for Lost with the scores. My assignment was ful but brief period which disinte- Horizon. Tiomkin had "a thing" for some 'action' music for Gone With the Wind. What a durable score that Chauncey contemplates some music being played by Franz Waxman, another of Hollywood's great musical turned out to be! And it earned Max talents . Waxman is remembered for his haunting scores for The and Rebecca. Waxman a well deserved 'Oscar.' Yes, I was was European -trained and came to the USA just in time for the era of the great musical scores in Hollywood . in the huge orchestra which scored GWTW. "Another big one I worked on was Around the World in 80 days, com­ posed and conducted by , a man who had come up through the ranks from Chicago neighborhood theatres, then stage bands, radio shows and finally Holly­ wood. His 80 Days orchestra often numbered 110 musicians. Victor was a man beloved by one and all. His twin weaknesses were big black cigars and Scotch whiskey-straight. He wrote many beautiful scores dur­ ing his Hollywood period, but he considered 80 Days his best. Un­ fortunately he didn't live to enjoy the favorable reaction; he died short­ ly after his scoring was finished. His long-time friend, Max Steiner, com­ pleted a score for another film which Young had started. "My recollections of fine mu­ sicians I worked with in Hollywood would fill a book (I'm working on it) and I can't hope to cover them all here, but no listing of Hollywood's great musical directors would be complete without the inclusion of a theatre organist who, like me, sur-

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER, 1977 - vived the advent of the . We mentioned him briefly in the first installment, but he deserves further appreciation. Our man is the pres­ tigious theatre organist, Oliver Wal­ lace. had forwarned me about Ollie's formidable talent in the art of accompanying silent films. Finally, in the early '20s, Ollie grav­ itated to Los Angeles, after trium­ phal engagements in northern cities on the west coast. I heard him play for the first time at the Rialto in Los Angeles. All that Crawford had told Concertmaster Lou Raderman , composer -con ­ ductor John Green and Chauncey Haines look over me proved to be true. His show­ some of Haines ' musical work during his MGM manship, sense of the dramatic, his Studio days . amazing dexterity, his style and im­ peccable musical taste - these are pop culture as Snow White, Pin­ difficult to put into explanatory nochio and . words. Later, when set "I felt some of the old 'butterflies' up his music department, he selected when I got my first call from the Dis­ to organize and head ney studio. Wallace was a perfec­ it. What talent he brought to the tionist and he had a reputation for Disney studio - tunesmiths such as getting rough with musicians during Chauncey (standing) says this was the first time he and scoring sessions. He could be a tyrant heard " Laura," played by its composer, David on the podium. Despite our long Raksin, in the mid -'40s . Raksin has written many who wrote the deathless tunes and film scores but "Laura" remains his trademark. the scores for such monuments to friendship he figuratively "fried me in oil" on occasion during rehearsals, MGM Musical Director Constantin Bakaleinikoff (standing) and Chauncey are amused by ornamentation in but always in the pursuit of excel­ a scherzo in this 1950 photo. Bakaleinikoff's name may still be caught on TV late show credits, many for Uni ­ versal Pictures. lence. Then ··during a break he'd come over to the console, put his hand on my shoulder, and say: 'Guess I was a little tough on you, kid.' "Then, one day it was my turn to return a blast, the day he told me that he was retiring. Here was a tal­ ent, one in a million, who could not exist sitting in the sun or playing golf. I told him so in no uncertain terms with no expletives deleted. I know there are people who are equipped and destined to stay with their work until their Maker decides otherwise, and I knew Ollie was such a man. But he had made his decision. He didn't live long in retirement. "That experience steeled me against the idea of retirement. At 75 I'm still able to function effec­ tively, accompany silent movies and lecture to college students. I trust my Maker to notify me when my time in this life is up. In the next installment we ex­ perience Hollywood after the great days of the studio musical establish­ ments when studio calls became sparse. It was during this period that Chauncey Haines established him­ self in a profession new to him; he became a pedagogue - "that's something like a college professor, '' adds Chauncey. □

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