RCA Victor Questionnaire
The following copy of an RCA questionnaire Bob filled out in 1948 is both informative and enlightening. He was notably careless with dates and he ignored many questions. His weakness in spelling, a lifelong irritation to him, is apparent. Because the scans are faint or illegible in places, both questions and answers are printed below each page for your convenience. Bob's answers to the questions are in Italics.
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Name, as used in recording and other professional work: Bob Nolan and The Sons of the Pioneers
Full name in private life: Bob Nolan
Address: 4213 Gentry Ave, No. Hollywood
Phone Number: S. O. 14502
Your instrument, if any; or if vocal, what voice: Bartone [sic]
How long have you been a RCA Victor Red Seal or Popular recording artist: 13 years. 2 years with RCA.
Name of your personal manager, if any: Edward M. Gray
His phone number: C. R. 11191
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Month, day and year of birth: April 1 – 1900.[1]
City and state, (or country) of birth: St. John, New Brunswick, Canada
Father’s name: Harry Nolan
Father’s occupation: tailor
Mother’s name before marriage:[2]
Your weight: 200 lb.
Height: 6
Color of hair: brown
Color of eyes: brown
What was the most you ever weighed? 212
What was your childhood ambition? see the World
Who was your childhood hero (a) in fiction? tarzan [sic]
(b) in real life? C. W. Cadman [3]
[1] He has added 8 years to his age with one stroke of the pen. His actual birth was on April 13, 1908 in Winnipeg, Manitoba
[2] Bob left this unanswered. He never spoke of his mother, Flora Elizabeth Hussey, to anyone. Not even to his daughter.
[3] Charles Wakefield Cadman (1881-1946), composer, critic, lecturer, editor. Cadman was among the first American composers to become interested in Indian songs and customs. His works range from songs (From the Land of the Sky-Blue Water) to symphonic and operatic creations. Two of his operas, The Garden of Mystery (1925) and The Witch of Salem (1926), had New England connections; the former was based on Hawthorne’s short-story RAPPACINI’S DAUGHTER (Mosses from an Old Manse, 1846). Shanewis (1918) was an opera with an Indian story, libretto by Nelle Richmond Eberhardt. The Willow Tree was the first radio opera and was produced by NBC on October 4, 1932. – Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia of American Literature edited by George Perkins, etc, 1991. Bob readily admitted Cadman’s influence on his song Ne Ha Nee.
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Were there any present-day prominent artists among your early acquaintances or classmates, and if so, who? Galen Drake – My beach buddy at Long Beach, Calif .[1]
What are you most conscious of as the chief influence of your childhood in order of importance:
(b) Friends
(d) Radio
(g) Own experience.
[1] Galen Drake started his own talk show in 1944 and was on and off network radio and TV until the 1960s. He married Pauline, one of the three Stafford Sisters who often sang with the Sons of the Pioneers. (Jo Stafford to EM, October 24, 2002.)
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What is the fondest memory of your early days? All
What is the saddest memory of your early days? None
Where were you educated? Ariz. Primary school: Dates: Boston Mass .[1] High school: Dates: Ariz .
College: Dates: Ariz. UA [2] Special instruction: Dates: Music
Were you considered a good student? No. What subject did you enjoy most? Lit. Most dislike? Math.
Were you ever expelled or suspended from a school or college and, if so, how? No.
In what sports did you engage at school or college? Track , swimming.
[1] He had some initial schooling in Hatfield Point, NB. We have his Hatfield Point school records from 8 - 11 years old.
[2] Excerpts from letters on the subject of Bob’s stated university attendance:
“In reference to your inquiry of Feb. 19/98, concerning The Sons of the Pioneers’ founder, Bob Nolan, according to our Alumni Association records, Bob Nolan DID NOT attend the University of Arizona. On the master registrar’s listing, which includes anybody who ever enrolled at the UA, there is only one “Robert Nolan’, and he entered in 1960.” (E-mail to Elizabeth McDonald from Jon Alquist", Asst. Editor, Arizona Alumni Association, Wed, Feb. 25/98)
“Elizabeth, according to those in the know, anybody who enrolls in any academic course offered by the University of Arizona (i.e. night school, extension/off-campus, correspondence, etc.), would be listed on the registrar’s master list (which I referred to in my previous e mail.) Bob Nolan’s name does not appear on this list, or any other UA document, or publication that we know of, so I can assure you that he was never officially a student at the UA. Hope this helps clear things up.” (Jon Alquist to EM March 2, 1998)
“Elizabeth: I just checked the all-time UA registrar's list that we have on fiche in our office and there is nobody by the name of "CLARENCE" NOLAN listed. I also checked for persons with the middle name of Clarence and none appear. The only name I found that might be close was a C.C. Noland, date of birth 11-11-03 (I'm sure you can compare that to Bob's), who entered the UA in Sept. of 1926. Unless ole "C.C." is the guy, I think it's now pretty conclusive that Bob Nolan never officially attended the University of Arizona. ~ JON ALQUIST” (Jon Alquist to EM Wed, 19 July, 2000)
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Did you participate in any extracurricular activities, such as school orchestra, glee club, debating, dramatics, publications, etc.? glee club is underlined.[1]
Are you still studying? No
[1] There were eight questions on this page but only two were answered. The others had lines drawn through the answer space, including the one asking if he had voice or music training, where and under whom.
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When and where did you make your professional debut? Hipodrome [sic] S. A. with Roy Rogers 1931.
At what age? 28[1]
Are you performing regularly for radio now? Give details. have our own transcription co.
What one person has particularly aided you in your work? The Sons of the Pioneers
What was the first job of any kind you ever held and what, if you don’t mind telling, was the salary? Plumber’s helper – 3$ weekly
At what age? 12
How about your recording career – tell us anything that has interested or amused you about that: have never had a hit tune to record untill [sic] after all other artists have had a crack at it including the ones I have written myself.
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Outside of your musical career, trace briefly what other kind of work you have done. Lumberman, Plumber, Gold Mine, Lineman for the Santa Fe, Life Guard – Santa Monica
Did you ever have “mike fright”? yes
Do you still have it? Yes
If so, please describe. No can do.
If you have overcome it did it drop away naturally as you became experienced or did you adopt some specific device to get rid of it? If the latter, please describe the device. It comes on periodically.
What do you consider the turning point in your career? When Rudy Vallee first sang My [sic] Tumbling Tumbleweeds on his program in 1933.
Have you appeared in the movies, in movie shorts, in vaudeville, in plays or in musical shows? Please trace the high spots: In all – to [sic] long to report.
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Are you married? yes
If so, to whom? Clara
When were you married? 1941 last, first 1928
Where did you meet your wife? Hollywood
Names and ages of children, if any: Roberta, 19 years.
Describe in detail historically, architecturally and geographically your home (both summer and winter). North Hollywood, Colonial. Big Bear Cabbin [sic], Mt. Cabbin [sic], Pioneertown, Building My own place.[1]
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If you are not a professional composer, have you ever composed music? Please mention any selections which were published and indicate any that became hits. about 150 published. hits “Tumbling Tumbleweeds”, “Cool Water”
If you are a professional composer, please name your most successful works: “Tumbling Tumbleweeds”, “Cool Water”
Do you speak foreign languages? No
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What form of travel do you most enjoy? by boat
What sports? (to play) sailing, swimming
(to watch) football
Do you own a car? yes If so what make? Studebaker
Have you ever flown a plane? No
If not, have you ever wished to? No
What pets, if any, have you? dog
If you had complete freedom of choice, where would you prefer to live? Why? the Isl. of Maui in Hawaii
Where would you like to spend your summers? the Isl. of Maui in Hawaii
In order of preference, what are your hobbies? Boats and boats and -------
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Have you any superstitions? No
Would you like to work in other fields? No.
Do you think you have any latent talent – “as a poet”, and “as a composer" are underlined.
Do you read chiefly for recreation, education or both? “both” is underlined.
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Do you like grand opera? Dislike it is underlined.
Do you like to dance? No
Are you even-tempered? Or do you run to extremes of depression and elation? “extremes” is underlined.
Have you confidence in your own ability and judgment, or do you depend a great deal upon the encouragement and advice of friends? “encouragement and advice of friends” is underlined.
Do you prefer life in the city or the country? “the country” is underlined.
Does your professional work absorb most of your interest? 50 – 50
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Do you like to write letters? No
Do you believe in sudden intuitions or “hunches”? No
Have you ever acted upon them or achieved definite results through obeying a sudden hunch? No
Eat between meals? “occasionally” is underlined.
How do you usually spend your leisure time? at my Mt. Cabin
What time do you usually retire? all times Rise? all times
Do you depend upon an alarm clock to awaken you in the morning? Yes
Do you ever nap during the day? Yes
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Do you favor any particular type of attire such as sports, business, or formal wear? “sports” is underlined.
Are you mechanically inclined? No
Have you ever been the victim of a serious injury or illness? No
Do you like to cook? Yes
What, for instance? Hawaiian Dishes
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What particular record of your own do you like best? Trees [1].
If yours is the popular field, do you enjoy classical music? No.
Was there a time when you didn’t? No
If yours is “serious” music do you like popular music? yes
What are your impressions about it? about 1/5 of it is good
Have you ever played “pop music? No
Are you an avid newspaper reader? yes
And what magazines, please? Reader’s Digest
[1] The song Trees by Joyce Kilmer with music by Oscar Rasbach was recorded by the Sons of the Pioneers in 1945. Bob also wrote a song entitled Tree for which we’ve been unable to find the lyrics or a recording.
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Do you like poetry? yes
Who are your favorite poets? Keats, Byron, Shelly [sic], Poe
And what are your favorite quotations? You don’t ‘quote’ from these boys…you ‘recite’ a whole verse or nothing.
What are your favorite axioms, proverbs or epigrams? none
Who was your favorite actor among the very early movie stars? Tom Mix
Who is your favorite movie actor today? Robert Montgomery
Actress? Bergman [1]
Who is your favorite comedian today? Red Skelton
Do you favor any particular kind of cooking, French, Italian, etc.? Hawaiian
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What are your pet hates? NOTE: We’ll allow you plenty of room to answer this one. People trying to make unnessesary [sic] conversation – My writing [sic] and spelling.
What is your favorite color? green
What colors don’t you like? Bright purple
What was your nickname while in school? Nolly
What is your nickname now? None
Do your correspondents ever misspell your name? yes
If so, what have been some amusing variations? Noland – Knowlan
What was the one bit of fan mail that made the deepest impression upon you? from the submarin [sic] boys during the war, who played our transcriptions while lying on the Bottom hiding from the enemy.
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Were you in the war? No
If you were able would you retire for the rest of your life? Not yet.
What is the one most valuable thing you own? My home
Do you own anything which, although it has little or no intrinsic worth, you would hesitate to part with? An original drawing from Walt Disney.
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What would you like to do most when you retire? See the World.
