, l"I •I Evening f Saturday, Region/State Herald September 3, 1988 - Schertzinger toast of Hollywood r I Band in its formative years after movie ventures, all the while saw the talents of their native son By BILL O'BRIEN learning the knack of directing, for the first time on Feb. 7, 1923, Herald writer World War I. At the age of eight Victor he producing and sometimes acting. when his film, "The Kingdom made his first public appearance, Finally, Ince asked him to Within," played at the Fatnily HE WAS a famous motion traveling to Philadelpia at the write the music for the epic film Theatre. picture producer, director, invitation of Victor Herbert to "Civilization," which is credited Billed as "A Victor Schert­ writer, actor, conductor, com­ play in a symphony concert at with being the first movie with an zinger Production," it was the poser, musician, concert violinist Washington Park. For the next orchestral background on screen. first movie to be produced en­ and one of the most brilliant six years, young Victor played It was a huge success and tirely in his studio. personalities in Hollywood. The Record-American writer concert violin for Herbert and for Schertzinger continued his i' All these things describe John Phillip Sousa. During this association with Ince for two who reviewed the film reported: Mahanoy City-born Victor period he also went to Europe to years, during which time they "We are not a moving picture fan Schertzinger, who stood at the study music and earn a degree at produced 16 movies. but it was with a great amont of pinnacle of moviedom success 50 the University of Brussels. satisfaction we viewed the years ago. By the time he reached EVENTUALLY Schertzinger production in its entirety and we According to metropolitan adolescence, his family was established his own studios and are honest enough to say that we newspaper stories in April 1938, making its home in Philadelphia embarked on a career that turned were alert to a possible flaw if Schertzinger was the most where the father opened a out more than one hundred there was any but we failed to talented man in all of filmdom. jewelry business while continuing productions. His silent screen discover one. The scenes were Check the credits attached to ownership of the Mahanoy City films included "The Showdown," well laid, the acting fine and the his name: store. It was obvious that the boy "Forgotten Faces," "Nothing But titles perfectly put so that the -Producer of the first movie in was a violin prodigy, and this the Truth " "Wheel of Life " picture reached our every ex­ technicolor. may have ~nfluenced the parents' "Fashion'in Love," "Laughing pectation, and like thousands of --Composer and conductor of decision to move to the city Lady" and "Paramount on others we left the Family Theatre the music for the first movie with where Victor had access to more Parade," all recognized as major last evening well pleased with the orchestral background screen. private tutoring. In addition ot productions of the era. film and better pleased to know it -Producer who changed the father's jewelry business, the By happenstance, another was a town boy's offort. Jimmy Cagney's image from mother managed a music store in Mahanoy City native appeared in tough guy to song-and-dance one of the Schertzinger films in A 1938 newspaper story on the city .. it man. Schertzinger noted hat his hob­ I. VICTOR entered Brown 1925. The movie was was a Civil -Producer-director-composer War story entitled "Thorough­ bies were collecting rare and t of the movie and title song that Preparatory School in beautiful art, lustreware, cameos Philadelphia with intentions of bred" and some of the scenes catapaulted Grace Moore to featured a company of U.S. and violins, and found relaxation I~- ·* stardom ("One Night of Love.") going on to the University of by playing the pipe organ in his Pennsylvania but business set­ Cavalry horsemen from Fort --Composer of the song Huacha, Arizona. In command of luxurious home north of "Marcheta" which sold six backs suffered by the family Hollywood. forced him to put his education the company was First million copies. Lieutenant William Wren, born The storyr added, "Having --Composer of songs for the aside and use his talent to sup­ known the privations of a career, port the family. and raised in Mahanoy City. Two Ziegfeld Follies. years later Lt. Wren was killed Schertzinger sympathizes with --Conductor of orchestras for His jobs as a concert violinist child prodigies and beginners in took him through Europe and when his horse stumbled. His Broadway musicals and military funeral took place from picture work and has helped Hollywood theatres. across the United States. He also many of them over rocky roads. appeared beside noted opera his home here at 216 W. Mahanoy -A violin virtuoso who, at the St. and he was buried in the U. S. He has maintained his popularity age of 10 years, played for the personalities of the era with Military Academy Cemetery at with co-workers and employees famed Victor Herbert and John names like Calve, Sembrich and by his generosity and subtle Melba. West Point where he was Phillip Sousa orchestras. graduated in 1924. ,ence of humor which seldom At age 14 he teamed up with a allows him to become term­ road company headed by Ellen THAT'S JUST a sampling of IN 1929 when sound became peramental - for which the long list of amazing Beach Yaw, a noted singer, and Hollwyood and the motion picture began earning the unheard-of widepread on the screen, achievements of Victor Schert­ Schertzinger produced a string of business should erect a stauary FAMIL·Y ,'' TONI.GUT· zinger (1890-1941). salary of $200 a week. The group emblem or something." played major theatres across the top-rated films such as "Safety in His musical talent was Numbers," "Uptown New York," inherited from his parents, who country, which took him to Los SCHERTZINGER died of a Angeles. "Strange Justice," The Cocktail were renowed violinists in their Hour" "My Women" heart attack at his Hollywood own right. His father, Charles AFTER ARRIVING in LA, "Bel~ved," "Let's Llve Tonight." home on Oct. 26, 1941. He was 51. Schertzinger, was a court Victor left the Yaw company and Until Grace Moore came under Some of the movies he violinist to Britain's Queen accepted the position of orchestra 9heKING06~f·WITHIN'' Schertzinger's direction, she was produced during the last few A VICTOR SCHERTZINGER. PRODUCTION Victoria. His mother, Pauline leader at the Belasco Theatre, a spectacular flop at another years of his career will be liAti111 11 11~ . Weber, a niece of the noted remaining there for two seasons. studio. Victor boomed her into a remembered by fans of the early RUSSEil SIMPSON. PAULINE STARKE German composer Carl Maria Next he returned east to the great attraction when he wrote 1940s: "Kiss the Boys Goodbye," · and GASTON CIASS von Webber, was hailed in her ballyhoo of Broadway. He served the title song and cast her in "The Road to Singapore" and prime as the one of the world's as conductor for various musicals "One Night of Love." She "Birth of the Blues." At the time greatest violinist. and began composing. Several of followed this with another major of his death he was directing And they all lived at one time his numbers were used by success, "Love Me Tonight," and "The Fleet's In." in Mahanoy City. The Schert­ Florenz Ziegfeld in his famed her fame was established. Victor was married in 1914 to . ~ zingers came here in the early Follies, but the tune that brought His 1938 production of Julia Niklin, a noted dancer. .. PICTURES 1870s. Charles and his brother him instant fame was "Mar­ "Something to Sing About" They had two daughters, Edward were watchmakers and cheta" which sold six million marked a new turn for the career Patricia, born in 1924, and Paula, ADDED jewelers who shared a shop at 9 copies. of Jimmy Cagney. The role in 1926. E. Centre St. until Charles opened Before long, Victor was wooed changed the Irishman's The Schertzinger girls, if ·"FAINT HEARTS" his own shop at 113 W. Centre St. back to Los Angeles by Fred and sterotyped image from that of a they're still alive, would be 63 David Belasco to resume KINOGRAMS tough guy to one of the leading and 62 today. As Mahanoy City J ' YOUNG VICTOR was born directorship of their theatre song and dance artists of his day. winds down its year of '. here in 1890 and began violin orchestra. It was 1916 and the One of the early Schertzinger quasquicentennial celebration, lessons at the age of four. He motion picture industry was films was "Redskin" starring are the daughters of Victor FAMED IN FILMDOM - Victor Schertzinger, attended Mahanoy City's public getting started. Two of the Schertzinger aware of their roots Richard Dix, which is credited top photo, made the journey from childhood in schools and in addition to the pioneers, Hobart Bosworth and with being the first movie in in this little hard coal town? Do musical training imparted by his Thomas H. Ince, talked a color. they know it was here that their Mahanoy City to fame and fortune in Hollywood. parents, he was tutored by reluctant Schertzinger into He also directed the first Jackie grandparents conducted a Below his autographed photograph is the ad­ Professor John Jones, a local joining their productions. jewelry store and their dad Coogan movies, including "Long vertisement for the first film he produced when it musical instructor and band Victor continued his orchestra Live the King." romped as a boy and received the conductor who directed the conducting and composing duties first music lessons that were the made its local debut in February 1923.