Coast Guard History
Frequently Asked Questions
LT Rudy Vallee and an unknown SPAR.
Rudy Vallee
Hubert Prior Vallee
Born July 28, 1901 – Died July 3, 1986
Musician and actor Rudy Vallee born in Vermont, grew up in Westbrook, Maine. He dropped out of High School to join the Navy in 1917, but was quickly discharged when it was discovered that he was underage. He studied saxophone, and clarinet and finished high school. Upon graduation he entered the University of Maine, and latter transferred to Yale where he played and sang with the Yale Collegians. It was with this group that his style of singing with a megaphone to project his voice was born. Upon graduation he formed the Connecticut Yankees and started playing at the Heigh-Ho Club in New York City. It was here that he used his radio introduction of "Heigh-Ho eveybody, this is Rudy Vallee speaking." The band was an instant success and was soon picked up to play on WABC Radio. It was in 1929 that Vallee did his first film "Vagabond Lover". It was also in 1929 that he was picked up for the Fleishchman’s Radio Music Hour and later the Sealtest Hour.
In 1941 he enlisted in the Coast Guard to help direct the 11th district band as a Chief Petty Officer. Eventually he was promoted to Lieutenant and lead the 40 piece band to great success. In 1944 he was placed on the inactive list and he returned to radio. Besides his early films, he appeared in "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and "Won Ton Ton, The Dog That Saved Hollywood". He also played Lord Marmaduke Fogg on the Batman TV series.
LT Rudy Vallee on his wedding day.