Curt Massey
{{Short description|American musician}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Curt Massey
| image = Curt Massey.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Curt Massey, c. 1945
| birth_name = Curt Massey
| birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1910|5|3}}
| birth_place = Midland, Texas
| death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|1991|10|21|1910|5|3}}
| death_place = Rancho Mirage, California
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| occupation = Singer, musician
| alma_mater =
| spouse = Edythe
| children = 2
| parents =
| known_for =
}}
Curt Massey (May 3, 1910 – October 21, 1991)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2834-2}}. Pp. 185-186. was a musician in the old-time radio era.
Early years
Massey was born in Midland, Texas. He came from a musical family, the best known of whom was probably Louise Massey, a country and western singer. Their father was Henry Massey.{{cite web|title=Mabie, Victoria Louise Massey|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fmasd|website=Texas State Historical Association|accessdate=15 February 2016}} As a youngster, he studied violin, trumpet, cornet, and piano. He went on to study music at the Horner Conservatory of Music in Kansas City.
Curt played violin for the family's musical group, Louise Massey and the Westerners.
Radio
Massey had two self-titled music-variety programs. Curt Massey Time was on CBS beginning in 1943;Terrace, Vincent (1981), Radio's Golden Years: The Encyclopedia of Radio Programs 1930-1960. A.S. Barnes & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|0-498-02393-1}}. P. 67. The Curt Massey Show was on ABC beginning in 1949. The latter co-starred Martha Tilton and was sometimes billed as The Curt Massey and Martha Tilton Show or as Alka-Seltzer Time.Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-5149-4}}. Pp. 18, 173.
Other programs on which Massey was featured included Nash-Kelvinator's Musical Hits,{{cite news|title=(Kelvinator advertisement)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3UwEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Curt+Massey%22&pg=PP2|accessdate=18 February 2016|agency=Life|date=August 5, 1946|page=2}} Sheaffer World Parade,{{cite news|title=Four-Way Pick-Up|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAwEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Curt+Massey%22&pg=PT10|accessdate=16 February 2016|agency=Billboard|date=February 19, 1944|page=11}} Romance in Rhythm,{{cite news|title=(radio listing)|newspaper=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4335277/the_brooklyn_daily_eagle/|agency=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=December 27, 1939|location=New York, Brooklyn|page=22|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 16, 2016}} {{Open access}} Twilight Trail,{{cite news|title=Her Songs Heard On Western Trail|newspaper=The News-Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4334799/the_newsreview/|agency=The News-Review|date=October 16, 1939|location=Oregon, Roseburg|page=3|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 16, 2016}} {{Open access}} The Friday Night Show,{{cite news|title=Radio Highlights|newspaper=Freeport Journal-Standard |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4334765/freeport_journalstandard/|agency=Freeport Journal-Standard|date=September 13, 1940|location=Illinois, Freeport|page=7|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 16, 2016}} {{Open access}} The Andrews Sisters Program,{{r|sies|page1=33}} Avalon Time,{{r|sies|page1=43}} KMBC Brush Creek Follies,{{r|sies|page1=101}} Holiday for Music,{{r|sies|page1=312}} Plantation Jubilee,{{r|sies|page1=525}} and Plantation Party.{{cite news|title=Plantation Party to Feature Girls|newspaper=The Ogden Standard-Examiner |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4334818/the_ogden_standardexaminer/|agency=The Ogden Standard-Examiner|date=May 19, 1939|location=Utah, Ogden|page=12|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 16, 2016}} {{Open access}} On January 2, 1956, Massey debuted on KNX radio in Los Angeles with a 25-minute weeknight program. It lasted three months.{{cite book |last1=Cox |first1=Jim |title=Musicmakers of Network Radio: 24 Entertainers, 1926-1962 |date=10 January 2014 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-8962-6 |page=309 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aYuyvt7VR2sC&dq=%22Alka-Seltzer+Time%22&pg=PA309 |access-date=January 30, 2021 |language=en}}
In some cases, Massey arranged music for programs in addition to singing and playing instruments.{{cite news|title=Song Wrangler|newspaper=The News-Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4337405/the_newsreview/|agency=The News-Review|date=October 31, 1939|location=Oregon, Roseburg|page=3|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 16, 2016}} {{Open access}}
Television
In October 1956, Massey began a Monday-Thursday program on KRCA-TV in Los Angeles, California. The 6:15 p.m. (Pacific Time) program also featured Martha Tilton and Country Washburn and was broadcast in color at least during Summer 1959.{{cite news|last1=Ames|first1=Walter|title=Tucker Has Fun as Crunch; Massey and Crew Back on TV|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19448537/the_los_angeles_times/|work=The Los Angeles Times|date=October 29, 1956|location=California, Los Angeles|page=Part II - P 10|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = April 21, 2018}} {{Open access}} Massey also wrote and sang the theme song for the television series Petticoat Junction.
Recognition
In 1961, Massey received an Emmy Award "for his career in radio and television."{{cite news|title=Curt Massey|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1991-10-23-9110230211-story.html|access-date=May 27, 2021|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|date=October 23, 1991}}
Personal life
Massey and his wife, Edythe, had two sons, Stephen and David.{{cite journal|last1=Massey|first1=Edythe|title=Curt Massey -- the MAN in my life|journal=Radio-TV Mirror|date=April 1952|volume=37|issue=5|pages=38–39, 101|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Radio-Mirror/52/Mirror-1952-Apr.pdf|accessdate=16 February 2016}}
=Death=
Massey died October 21, 1991, at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 81.{{cite news|title=Singer Curt Massey dead at 81|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4327152/the_san_bernardino_county_sun/|agency=The San Bernardino County Sun|date=October 22, 1991|location=California, San Bernardino|page=35}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1936
| The Hills of Old Wyomin' | Himself as a Westerners Band Member | Short film directed by Dave Fleischer. |
| 1937
| Twilight on the Trail | Himself as a Member of The Westerners Band | {{Plain list |
}} |
| rowspan="2" | 1938
|Love Goes West | Himself as a Member of The Westerners Band | {{Plain list |
}} |
| Where the Buffalo Roam
| Fiddle Player | {{Plain list |
}} |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1963
| rowspan="2" | The Beverly Hillbillies | Violinist | Episode: "The Garden Party" (S 2:Ep 11) |
| 1971
| Officer Massey | Episode: "Jethro Returns" (S 9:Ep 24) |
=Screenplay credits=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1966
| Episode: "Kate Grounds Selma Plout" (S 4:Ep 7) |
=Television composer credits=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1963–70
| 199 episodes |
| 1964–71
| 222 episodes |
=Soundtrack credits=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1936
| The Hills of Old Wyomin' | | Member of The Westerners Band |
| 1937
| Twilight on the Trail | | Member of The Westerners Band |
| 1944
| rowspan="2" | Writer | {{Plain list |
}} |
| 1948
| The Angel Song (When the Angels turn the lights on in Heaven) |
Partial discography
- If I Had My Way (Columbia 1945){{cite news|title=Massey on MBS Net|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Billboard-IDX/IDX/40s/1945/BB-1945-01-20-OCR-Page-0033.pdf|accessdate=16 February 2016|agency=Billboard|date=January 20, 1945|page=63}}
- You've Got Me Where You Want Me (Columbia 1945)
- Sweetheart of My Dreams (Columbia 1945)
- Candy (Columbia 1945)
- Five Minutes More (Cadet 1946){{cite news|title=Honor Roll of Hits|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Billboard-IDX/IDX/40s/1946/BB-1946-10-05-OCR-Page-0020.pdf|accessdate=16 February 2016|agency=Billboard|date=October 5, 1946|page=20}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0557291}}
- [https://archive.org/details/OTRR_Alka_Seltzer_Time_Singles Streaming episodes of Alka-Seltzer Time with Curt Massey and Martha Tilton, from The Internet Archive]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Massey, Curt}}
Category:American male violinists
Category:American television composers
Category:People from Midland, Texas
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:American radio bandleaders
Category:20th-century American composers