ABSTRACT “Where East Texas Dances”: the Cooper Club Of
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ABSTRACT “Where East Texas Dances”: The Cooper Club of Henderson, Rusk County, and Popular Dance Bands, 1932-1942 Michelle Linsey Holland, M.A. Mentor: Thomas L. Charlton, Ph.D. A historical study of the Cooper Club in Henderson, Texas, which was open from 1932 to 1942, uncovers an exciting period in both American and East Texas history. Nationally, dance orchestras embarked on tours of the United States, playing one-night stands in small towns. Locally, the nightclub existed during the great East Texas oil boom. Under the management of owner Hugh Cooper, the Cooper Club became a staple for music lovers in East Texas who appreciated its elegant atmosphere and high caliber of entertainment. Local, regional, and national dance bands played one-night stands and brought to the oil field the latest in popular sweet music, swing, and jazz. The Cooper Club has significance and is deserving of scholarly research, for it shines light on the social and cultural history of Henderson, Texas, from 1932 to 1942, as well as the excitement of famous orchestras coming to a small town. "Where East Texas Dances": The Cooper Club of Henderson, Rusk County, and Popular Dance Bands, 1932-1942 Michelle Linsey Holland, A.A., B.A. A Thesis Approved by the American Studies Program Douglas R. Ferdon, Ph.D., Director Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Baylor University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Approved by the Thesis Committee Thomas L. Charlton, Ph.D., Chairperson Jean Ann Boyd, Ph.D. Douglas R. Ferdon, Ph.D. Accepted by the Graduate School May 2007 J. Larry Lyon, Ph.D., Dean Page bearing signatures is kept onjile in the Graduate School. Copyright © 2007 by Michelle Linsey Holland All rights reserved CONTENTS PREFACE.......................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ vii Chapter 1. Introduction................................................................................................................1 Nationwide Popularity of One-Night Stands in Small Towns..............................7 Unearthing the Cooper Club...............................................................................15 2. Anatomy of a Cooper Club Dance...........................................................................18 Hugh Cooper.......................................................................................................18 The Old Cooper Club..........................................................................................24 The New Cooper Club ........................................................................................29 Planning a Dance ................................................................................................35 A Night at the Cooper Club ................................................................................44 Black Dances......................................................................................................61 Special Dances....................................................................................................69 3. The Music Goes ’Round and Around ......................................................................72 Local Dance Bands .............................................................................................72 Regional Dance Bands........................................................................................78 National Dance Bands ........................................................................................80 Individual Dance Band Members .......................................................................97 4. Let’s Face the Music and Dance............................................................................106 Local Opposition to the Cooper Club...............................................................106 Efforts to Maintain the Respectability of the Cooper Club ..............................110 ASCAP Fines Hugh Cooper $500 ....................................................................117 Statewide Sunday Dance Ban ...........................................................................118 Financial Risk Involved with One-Night Stands ..............................................119 Fire Destroys Original Cooper Club.................................................................126 Other Business Interests Take Cooper’s Focus Away from Club ....................131 Segregation Creates Difficulties for Black Orchestras on the Road.................139 5. The Final Years of the Cooper Club—and Beyond...............................................141 Why the Cooper Club Closed ...........................................................................144 Gone but Not Forgotten ....................................................................................149 6. Conclusion .............................................................................................................159 iii Appendix A—Hugh Cooper and his Cooper Club Buildings .....................................................169 Fig. A.1. Hugh Cooper Circa 1935..................................................................169 Fig. A.2. Original Cooper Club .......................................................................169 Fig. A.3. Ashes of the Cooper Club.................................................................170 Fig. A.4. Gustav Ivan Painting a Mural in the Ballroom of the New Cooper Club............................................................................................170 Fig. A.5. New Cooper Club .............................................................................171 B—Bandleaders at the Cooper Club...........................................................................172 Fig. B.1. Jimmie Lunceford .............................................................................172 Fig. B.2. Ted Fio-Rito......................................................................................172 Fig. B.3. Garth Green.......................................................................................173 Fig. B.4. Ben Bernie with Walter Winchell and Al Jolson..............................173 Fig. B.5. Vincent Lopez...................................................................................174 Fig. B.6. Jan Garber .........................................................................................174 Fig. B.7. Herman Waldman and his Orchestra ................................................174 C—Cooper Club Newspaper Ads...............................................................................175 Fig. C.1. Herman Waldman and his Orchestra Ad ..........................................175 Fig. C.2. Garth Green and his Orchestra Ad....................................................176 Fig. C.3. Duke Wright and his Swing Band Ad...............................................177 Fig. C.4. Bernie King and his Aristocrats of Rhythm Ad................................177 Fig. C.5. Bill Hogan and his Hollywood Californians Ad...............................178 Fig. C.6. Jack Crawford and his Orchestra Ad ................................................179 Fig. C.7. Husk O’Hare and his Orchestra Ad ..................................................179 Fig. C.8. Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra Ad..................................................180 Fig. C.9. Noble Sissle and his Orchestra Ad ...................................................181 D—Cooper Club Flyers ..............................................................................................182 Fig. D.1. Bernie King and his Aristocrats of Rhythm Flyer............................182 Fig. D.2. Garth Green and his Orchestra and Ted Fio-Rito and his Orchestra Flyer .......................................................................................183 Fig. D.3. Ted Fio-Rito and his Orchestra Flyer...............................................183 Fig. D.4. Garth Green and his Orchestra Flyer................................................184 Fig. D.5. Garth Green and his Orchestra Flyer No. 2......................................184 E—Cooper Club Signs................................................................................................185 Fig. E.1. Anson Weeks and his Orchestra Sign ...............................................185 Fig. E.2. Ted Fio-Rito and his Orchestra Sign.................................................185 iv F—Cooper Club Tickets.............................................................................................186 Fig. F.1. Ted Fio-Rito and his Orchestra Ticket..............................................186 Fig. F.2. Ben Bernie and All the Lads Ticket..................................................186 Fig. F.3. Complimentary Ticket.......................................................................187 G—Cooper Club Invitations.......................................................................................188 Fig. G.1. Back and Front of Ernie Fields and his Orchestra Invitation ...........188 Fig. G.2. Inside of Ernie Fields and his Orchestra Invitation ..........................189 Fig. G.3. Back and Front of Herbie Kay and his Orchestra Invitation ............190 Fig. G.4. Inside of Herbie Kay and his Orchestra Invitation...........................191 Fig. G.5. Back and Front of Joe Sanders and his Original Nighthawk Orchestra Invitation